Partial mash HELP!

[gingerhammer]

Hello everyone,I could do with some help on this one so please jump in.I have been brewing kits now for about 3 months and have been very happy with my results.My lastcouple I have done hop teas before adding the LME.Now I want to do a partial mash,my question is this....can I do a hop tea,then let the temp drop to 160 ish and do and then steep about 500g of pale malt for 30 mins.Then add my betterbrew LME and put it all in my fv and add the rest of the water to bring it up to 20l and pitch my yeast at the right temp.Do I need to add sugar? Or would there be enough sugars off the grains to make fermentation possible?why would Ineed to boil the wort like a lot of people(americans I may add)are saying is the way to do a partial?Sorry to winge on,bit confusd.

 

[pittsy]

hi there , you need to boil the wort because of infection (the grains are not sterile) so the way to go about partial is ,
you need to soak the grains in some water , these need to be specialty grains such as carapils or chocolate malt or something that gives a bit of flavour, sweetness, bitterness or colour. A base malt such as your pale ale malt is for all grain or brew in a bag method where that type of malt is the main bulk of the drink like yours is DME , with base malts you have to mash(sit in 66c ish water) for 90ish mins to convert the starch to sugars that is already done in liquid or dried malt extract .
After you have soaked the grains , you need to get the largest pot you have a heat up your liquid add your dme and boil for about 60 mins (you could get away with 30 mins with dme ) and add hops while boiling so they will balance the flavour , this will insure your brew is now sterile and ready once cooled for yeast .

 

[gingerhammer]

Cheers chap,you hear so much conflicting/confusing advice you dont onow whats best to do.Will follow your advice.