Questions about partial-mash
- Thread starter LaFours
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DeRoux's Broux
Well-Known Member
LaFours said:
I always steeped my grains in a smaller enameled kettle. When the 30 minutes was up, I would pour the grains and "tea" through a strainer on top of my brew kettle. Then sparge the grains w/ hot tap water. That way I didn't have all those lose grains after the boil floating around.
DeRoux's Broux
Hatzie
Active Member
When I use to steep, I would do it in a seperate pot and bring it to temp and them put it in the oven for the 30 mins on low. It would always stay at the desired temp.
Janx
Well-Known Member
If I'm understanding your question correcty, you're asking if you should steep adjunct grains like crystal, chocolate, etc malts seperately from your base malt, probably 2-row. If that's the question, then no, you can mix them all together, hold them at the appropriate temperature for the mash, and sparge the whole lot of it together.
Definitely keep all grain out of your boil, but I don't think that's what you were asking.
Also, hot tap water is nowhere near hot enough to do an effective sparge. You want your water at more like 170 degrees F.
I'd definitely do the mash in a seperate pot from your kettle, but I don't think that's what you were asking either. A mini-mash works just like an all-grain batch but with smaller vessels.
Cheers!
Definitely keep all grain out of your boil, but I don't think that's what you were asking.
Also, hot tap water is nowhere near hot enough to do an effective sparge. You want your water at more like 170 degrees F.
I'd definitely do the mash in a seperate pot from your kettle, but I don't think that's what you were asking either. A mini-mash works just like an all-grain batch but with smaller vessels.
Cheers!
uglygoat
Well-Known Member
i can mini mash about eight pounds of grain in a 20 quart ss kettle. i have a spigot on it now, and am working on a better filter element than stuffing some scouring pads (the brass ones maybe, not with soap... ) in the end of the spigot... this lets me drain the wort out and not mess up the grain bed too much. before i was dumping the whole mash through a large collander into my brewpot, then pouring the hot water over, with ok results, but i noticed a better flavor and more punch with the method i describe below.
i add one quart of water per pound of grain to my 5 gallon kettle, bring the water up to about 175 F, take the kettle off the heat, then add the grain and give it a whirl... it should stabalize at about 155 or so. put the lid on it, then it goes into the oven at lowest setting simply to maintain the 155 degees for an hour, oh yea, start yer oven ahead of time if you want to do it this way. i start to boil a bunch of water, usually three or four gallons at this time.
the water i've heated in the other kettle to 170 or sometimes higher as the heat bleeds off when i take it from the stove and loses a bit whilst sparging, i slowly siphon over the mash pot... i poked some holes in the end of a tube and just let it lay across the grain bed and drain the sweet wort out into my beer boiling kettle.
then i add the dme while the kettle is still off the heat and bring it back up to a boil....
enjoy! the enhancement in taste going from a simple grain steep with six lbs of malt extract to a mini mash with half the extract will blow you away. and when you look at the bill, like i do now, you'll say... gah!!!! no more malt extract!!!! i am anxiously awaiting my spring time transition to all grain!
have fun, let us know how it goes.
) in the end of the spigot... this lets me drain the wort out and not mess up the grain bed too much. before i was dumping the whole mash through a large collander into my brewpot, then pouring the hot water over, with ok results, but i noticed a better flavor and more punch with the method i describe below.i add one quart of water per pound of grain to my 5 gallon kettle, bring the water up to about 175 F, take the kettle off the heat, then add the grain and give it a whirl... it should stabalize at about 155 or so. put the lid on it, then it goes into the oven at lowest setting simply to maintain the 155 degees for an hour, oh yea, start yer oven ahead of time if you want to do it this way. i start to boil a bunch of water, usually three or four gallons at this time.
the water i've heated in the other kettle to 170 or sometimes higher as the heat bleeds off when i take it from the stove and loses a bit whilst sparging, i slowly siphon over the mash pot... i poked some holes in the end of a tube and just let it lay across the grain bed and drain the sweet wort out into my beer boiling kettle.
then i add the dme while the kettle is still off the heat and bring it back up to a boil....
enjoy! the enhancement in taste going from a simple grain steep with six lbs of malt extract to a mini mash with half the extract will blow you away. and when you look at the bill, like i do now, you'll say... gah!!!! no more malt extract!!!! i am anxiously awaiting my spring time transition to all grain!
have fun, let us know how it goes.
Thanks for all the help guys!
I was also wondering if you think I should do a starter on this one. I'm using White Labs California Ale yeast, in the pitchable tubes. I'm thinking it's not necessary, but I bought a little extra DME just in case.
If I did do a starter, would it be ok to make it tonight and brew Sunday? Or is this not enough time?
ps, this is an APA by the way.
I was also wondering if you think I should do a starter on this one. I'm using White Labs California Ale yeast, in the pitchable tubes. I'm thinking it's not necessary, but I bought a little extra DME just in case.
If I did do a starter, would it be ok to make it tonight and brew Sunday? Or is this not enough time?
ps, this is an APA by the way.
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uglygoat
Well-Known Member
plenty of time, make a starter, keep it nice and cozy i made one once and kept it in the basement with the other stuff, and the yeast didn't get off soo well. it did eventually, but almost the same as if i'd just dumped the vial.
i made one once and kept it in the basement with the other stuff, and the yeast didn't get off soo well. it did eventually, but almost the same as if i'd just dumped the vial.
I think it's just the terminology here, but I'm getting confused... What is the difference between 'partial mash', 'mini mash' and 'all grain'?
Oh and while I'm at it, I have also come across 2-row and 6-row
Thanks for being patient with a noob
Oh and while I'm at it, I have also come across 2-row and 6-row
Thanks for being patient with a noob
ryser2k
Well-Known Member
From what I understand, in order of difficulty, it goes
Extract -> Mini-mash -> Partial Mash -> All Grain
Extract uses all malt extract, mini-mash uses about half grain and half extract, partial mash uses about 3/4 grain and 1/4 extract, and all-grain uses... well, all grain.
Correct me if I'm wrong here...
Extract -> Mini-mash -> Partial Mash -> All Grain
Extract uses all malt extract, mini-mash uses about half grain and half extract, partial mash uses about 3/4 grain and 1/4 extract, and all-grain uses... well, all grain.
Correct me if I'm wrong here...
uglygoat
Well-Known Member
two row and six row is a farming term based on how many stalks they stuff in a certian plot...
two row will give you better yields, six row will give you more husk and thus a better filter bed from the grain when you sparge....
two row will give you better yields, six row will give you more husk and thus a better filter bed from the grain when you sparge....
I think you're basically right here but your proportions might be off. I would say a mini mash would be 1/4 grain and 3/4 extract. Most of the beers I do are this way. Partial mash would be more like 50-50, imo. Although, from what I understand, the temperature and the duration of your grain mash determines how much sugar you get from them, so I would think that should be acounted for. I have used grain just for flavor and I have used grain for flavor and sugar, and there is a big difference.ryser2k said:
Janx
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I would think mini-mash and partial mash are the same thing...that is you're getting some of your fermentable sugars from grain and thus are doing a real mash and not just a steep. I'd say it's more like:
Extract (usually just your first batch or two at most)
Extract w/ steeped grains (will dramatically improve flavor by steeping grains in water)
Partial Mash (just as difficult as all-grain, but you don't need as big vessels)
All grain
Extract (usually just your first batch or two at most)
Extract w/ steeped grains (will dramatically improve flavor by steeping grains in water)
Partial Mash (just as difficult as all-grain, but you don't need as big vessels)
All grain
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