Partial Mash Newbie

[mrstumpy]

Hi all!

Im just looking for some advice from you guys in regards to my first partial mash this weekend. I am looking just to make a nice tasting beer so I can go through the procedures and learn as I go. I am looking to follow the procedures from this site: (http://www.101winemaking.com/beginnermashing.htm) as a guide as I found it easiest to understand.

The problem I have is quantities of ingredients to use in the brew. For example to amount of hops. I have been off work with an injured foot and in a painkiller haze ordered some ingredients but cannot for the life of me remember why I ordered them (cant remember what I was planning to make).

I bought:

100g cascade hops
100g goldings hops
1kg crushed pale malt
1.5kg coopers amber malt extract
gervin english ale yeast x 2

As I say I am a bit confused as to the quantities of hops etc to use. If anybody could help me I would appreciate it greatly.

Am really looking forward to my first partial mash (even if I am rather unprepared!)

Thanks again

Ben :

 

[Greg]

Hi there, you need to follow a recipe, or at least base your brew on a recipe.

You have plenty of hops and yeast there although I would suggest you need more malt extract to make a decent 5 gallon brew.

I would ignore that link that you have put there as that is talking about full mash, which you will need additional equipment for. You want to do Extract brewing.

This is where you dissolve the malt extract you have in boiling water, then add hops at intervals to give it bitterness, flavour and aroma. This is where the recipe will come in.

Do you know the alpha content of the hops you have? should be a % on the packet?

I don't have any extract recipes with cascade in? perhaps someone can help?

If not we can probably make something up which will give you a tasty brew.

You are going to ideally need some more extract though or you could add sugar if you can't get hold of this, although this will effect the final flavour. Alternatively you could make a smaller qty.

Cheers Greg.

 

[mrstumpy]

Hey!

Thanks for the reply Greg. How much more extract would I need? It will put the price of the brew up a fair bit to buy some more. As I will have to pay postage again etc.

Am not too sure about the hop acids, will have a look when I get home from work (working till 8).

But yeah, any help with this recipe creation would be fantastic!

Ben

 

[mrstumpy]

Hey,

Actually looking at the link again in the intro it says "For beginners we suggest you mash 1 pound of grain instead of the 7 pounds required to make a 5-gallon batch. The wort obtained from mashing 1 pound of grain can be used with a can of malt extract to produce a 5-gallon batch of beer with more body.".

I have the required equipment for this process I think.

Oh yeah, ill get back with those hops % when I get home

Thanks lots

Ben

 

[tubby_shaw]

Although "partial mash" is a misnomer and one of my pet hates :evil: a mash is a mash
It will give you a "fresher" beer than a kit :thumb:
If you feel confident mashing your crushed malt you can make 20L of session bitter using your ingredients :thumb:

Mash and sparge your malt and add it to your malt extract and boil with 50g of your goldings for an hour, add another 20g of goldings for the last 15 minutes and a further 20g of goldings for a 15 minute soak after the boil is over.
If you top up to 20L you should end up with an SG of 1.035 which should give 3.5% ABV :drink:

 

[mrstumpy]

Hey there!

Thanks alot for the help. As I say im new to all this (dont think these painkillers the doc has given me help) I appreciate the input.

I hope it gives a fresher beer as you say. The last kit I brewed was a Woodfordes Wherry. It was far too bitter and different to the wherry in my local.

Should I mash and sparge the full 1kg of grain I have or just the pound mentioned on the website I was using for reference?

The book I ordered arrived today. Ill see if I can get away with reading it at work :)

Thanks again for your help

Ben

 

[tubby_shaw]

If you are going to the trouble of mashing then I would mash the whole 1kg :thumb:
The benefits are that there will be more of a malt presence and the gravity and therefore alcohol level will increase :thumb:

 

[mrstumpy]

I got the big book of brewing through the post this morning. Been reading it at work. I really wanna do a proper mash this weekend and forget about that extract.... Maybe in a week or two..

:rofl:

 

[Wez]

He's hooked!!



:thumb: :thumb: