Partial Mash vs. All-Grain?

[MWM777]

Got a quick question to clear up a confusion of mine. I'm fully aware of what an all-grain brew is, but it's unclear to me as to what qualifies as "partial mash" brew and what is qualified as an "extract and steeping grain" brew. Or more specifically, what the difference really is. I did a Hefeweizen brew yesterday that requires a 20-minute steep of flaked oat and flaked wheat prior to boil and LME addition - isn't this basically a mini-mash? Is there a hard and fast rule that differentiates the two?

 

[chickypad]

A mini mash requires malted grain with enzymes to convert the starches to sugars. It's also generally longer than a steep, like 45-60 minutes, and typically at a specific water to grain ratio and at a more controlled temperature that favors the enzymes. You did not have any base grain so no enzyme activity, not mashing.

 

[jonmohno]

Extract and steeping is just steeping certain grains like color/crystal malts for example,that add flavor but dont need conversion. Partial mash is using extract in the boil but mashing some base malts with or without some other malts like color/roasted/crystal malts first before the boil. Also some malts (mainly base malts) have to be mashed in a partial mash to convert the starch to sugar. As do alot of malts dont need to be in a partial mash but can be "steeped" for extract beers.

Its a pretty easy step from extract/steeping to partial mash because all you need are some base malts and whatever other malts you want with it(even adjuncts like flaked wheat/barley). But you should just steep it longer than how you would normally steep grains in an extract/steep @ about from 147-157 degrees like and hour and rinse the grains with 170 deg water for 10 min(sparge). Also in a partial mash you using alot more grains-particularly the base grains that need conversion and you need to know how much water to use.

So to break it down, your working with more grains in a partial mash compared to extract steeping. Often in a partial mash your using about half maybe of the malts you would in all grain or you can use more or less, your just substituting malt extract for the rest of the batch of your partial mash. So extract/steeping you using almost all extract. Partial mash your using more grains. And all grain, well is all grains.

 

[MWM777]

Extract and steeping is just steeping certain grains like color/crystal malts for example,that add flavor but dont need conversion. Partial mash is using extract and mashing some base malts with or without some other malts like color/roasted/crystal malts. Also some malts (mainly base malts) have to be mashed in a partial mash to convert the starch to sugar. As do alot of malts dont need to be in a partial mash but can be "steeped" for extract beers.

Its a pretty easy step from extract/steeping to partial mash because all you need are some base malts and whatever other malts you want with it(even adjucts like flaked wheat/barley). But you should just steep it longer @ about from 147-157 degrees like and hour and rinse the grains with 170 deg water for 10 min(sparge). Also in a partial mash you using alot more grains-particularly the base grains that need conversion and you need to know how much water to use.



So to break it down, your working with more grains in a partial mash compared to extract steeping. Often in a partial mash your using about half maybe of the malts you would in all grain or you can use more or less, your just substituting malt extract for the rest of the batch of your partial mash. So extract/steeping you using almost all extract. Partial mash your using more grains. And all grain, well is all grains.

That may very well be the most thorough and definitive reply I've received on this forum since I joined. Thank you for that, and kudos to you for educating me!

 

[jonmohno]

Yeah, there is alot to learn at first. I started extract/steeping with single malt single hop. Then went to a mini-mash then to all grain after a few dozen batches. It was easy for me with limited equipment and doing small batches so BIAB(brew in a bag) was very practical and easy for me to do all grain brewing. So basically what 5 gallon brewers do as a partial mash is about equal to what I do for an all grain small batch. They may mash about 5-6 pounds of grain in their partial mash on average give or take and that is what I do for my 2- 2.5 gallon batches. You can even test the waters with all grain by making a simple one gallon all grain batch. You dont need a whole lot of any equipemnt to do it either.