Question! Partal....HELP!

[BackyardHB]

Missed spelled partial in the title!!!! This might be a dumb question. I brew only partial and I was wondering when to add my grains. Do I set the grains in the pot before they reach the mash temp and let them sit and adjust the heat as needed or do I put them in the pot when It reaches the required temp?
What is the required time? What temp? Thanks!!!!

 

[ChshreCat]

The best way is to get your water up to what's called "strike temp". That's a temp slightly higher than your mash temp, but when you add the grain that'll take it down to your mash temp. It takes some doing to figure that out, but software like Beersmith helps a lot.

 

[BryceL]

Like mentioned above, you will want to heat your water to your strike temperature and then add your grains which will bring the temperature back down to your mashing temperature. For example, with my setup doing partial mash brews, I might heat my strike water to about 166 then add the grains and stir well which brings it down to my mashing temp of 154. Then cover and let it sit for 45 minutes. Your mash temperature will vary depending on what style beer you are doing. I use beersmith to calculate my strike temperature. There are probably some other calculators out there.

 

[malkore]

agreed, you don't want the grains in there for a partial mash until you're at the temperature you're going to mash at.

if you raise it through lower temps, you'll actually be activating other enzymes in the malt, which could be an issue.

So assuming you're aiming for around 152F for a single infusion mash, you'll likely need the water close to 160F, and I too recommend a calculator as thermal-fluid calculations are kind of...advanced (from a guy that barely made it through algebra)

 

[BackyardHB]

Thanks for the tips! I guess I should invest into a beer tool. Right now I use Hopville which is very helpful but nothing like you mentioned. I brew mostly Kolsches and blondes.. Do you think the lighter the beer the less the temp?

 

[edmanster]

the lower the temp the more fermentables(dryer) higher temps will give more unfermentables(malty sweeter)..

 

[ChshreCat]

+1 color has nothing to do with mash temp.