Partial boil mash question

[Sidman]

So my recipe calls for basically soaking my approx. 3lbs of grains for 45 mins, then dunking and draining, then a 2 qt sparge poured over it at 170 degrees. The question is does stirring the grain while soaking cause problems or is it preferable?

Much thanks for any help.

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

No problems, as long as you hold your temperature. But not necessarily preferable

 

[chickypad]

Stir it up well at the beginning so the grains are well mixed with the water and you have a uniform temp. It's best if you use a big bag - a 5 gal paint strainer bags will do and are cheap.

 

[flars]

Stir at the beginning of the mash to break up any lumps which may have formed.

 

[unionrdr]

Yup, stir at the beginning to break up any dough balls & get it evenly wet. When dunk (read batch) sparging, get the bag stretched over the lip of the kettle so you can stir it good. Then cover & sit 10 minutes. Drain bag well & add sparge wort to wort in main kettle to boil volume. your efficiency will go up as a result, compared to pour over sparging.

 

[RM-MN]

Um, ....People, this isn't a mash.....there isn't any efficiency to be concerned about. It's a steep. The temperature isn't critical, it can be anywhere between about 100 and 200 for a steep. The "sparge" is just to get the last of the color and sugars out of the steeping grains and that can be done with hot or cold water. Stirring will likely help to get more color and sugars out.

 

[unionrdr]

Whether steeping or mashing, I get better results from the batch sparge versus pour-over sparging. I like to sparge with water @ 168F. Ans steeping at 200F is near boil temps, & seems to me would aid PH in extracting tannins from the grain hulls?

 

[chickypad]

Well of course if your steep includes base grain at the right temp it's a mash. I guess I assumed from the title the OP know what kind of recipe it is (bad practice, I know). I also didn't realize a sparge step with steeping grains is common, so it sounded like partial mash instrucitons. OP what is the actual recipe?

 

[Mrin]

Sure sounds like a partial mash to me from the destructions. OP: what are the grains?

 

[Sidman]

Sure sounds like a partial mash to me from the destructions. OP: what are the grains?

1/4 lb chocolate Malt
1/2 lb Cara Munich Malt
2 1/2 lb Pale Ale Malt

It's a Mexican Amber Lager - My LHB calls it a mini mash recipe but I believe others refer to it as partial mash or partial boil

 

[chickypad]

Yes, you have pale ale malt there so that is a partial mash = mini mash recipe. What RM-MN was referring to is steeping only grains that don't need conversion (like crystal and roasted grains) something commonly done on extract batches. Temp of the mash does matter - it should be listed in the recipe. Generally needs to between 148-158 to get conversion of the starches to sugars.

Edit: partial boil refers to how much water you boil - if you boil only part of the batch and top off that is a partial boil. If you boil the full volume with no top off that's a full boil. You can do either, it's independent of whether it's partial mash, extract, or all grain (although the great majority of the time with all grain folks are doing full boils).

 

[Sidman]

Yes, you have pale ale malt there so that is a partial mash = mini mash recipe. What RM-MN was referring to is steeping only grains that don't need conversion (like crystal and roasted grains) something commonly done on extract batches. Temp of the mash does matter - it should be listed in the recipe. Generally needs to between 148-158 to get conversion of the starches to sugars.

Edit: partial boil refers to how much water you boil - if you boil only part of the batch and top off that is a partial boil. If you boil the full volume with no top off that's a full boil. You can do either, it's independent of whether it's partial mash, extract, or all grain (although the great majority of the time with all grain folks are doing full boils).

Thanks for the clarification and that makes total sense as all of these recipes call for 2 Gallons to mash, then add one gallon before boil, then top up to 5 gal. So I guess they are partial mash and partial boil.

 

[unionrdr]

And just to muddle things further, I do partial boil, partial mash brew in a bag. Works out great for me, using the same SS 5 gallon kettle I started with.

 

[NCSU_Brewer]

And just to muddle things further, I do partial boil, partial mash brew in a bag. Works out great for me, using the same SS 5 gallon kettle I started with.

I do the same thing. Partial mash BIAB, no sparge, followed by partial boil in a 4 gallon kettle.

Glad to know I'm not the only crazy brewer out there.

 

[unionrdr]

I like to do a batch sparge usually, but the 4 gallon kettle is MIA for some reason? My efficiency goes up with a 10 minute batch (dunk) sparge, as I'm then able to stir the grains to get more out of them. Glad to know I'm not alone! :cross: