8 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

I'm taking your advice and brewing again to keep my mind off of the MLPA that is carbing. So, I need ingredients.Two questions.1. The recipe calls for English DME. Can someone please point me to some of this. Most everything I see on the net is either in a kit or I have no idea what it actually is.2. The recipe calls for 4oz roasted barley. I have heard that RB can be a little overpowering, does anyone else suggest using something different?Thanks,Rich

[JReigle]

I'm taking your advice and brewing again to keep my mind off of the MLPA that is carbing. So, I need ingredients.Two questions.1. The recipe calls for English DME. Can someone please point me to some of this. Most everything I see on the net is either in a kit or I have no idea what it actually is.2. The recipe calls for 4oz roasted barley. I have heard that RB can be a little overpowering, does anyone else suggest using something different?Thanks,Rich

Here's B3's selection of DME. I'm not sure which recipe you have, but the light stuff is probably a good bet. Roasted barley adds a roasty flavor, most easily compared to coffee perhaps. Should make good beer.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I was thinking light would work, but then again, could the barley that the malt comes from make a difference in flavor. I am going to do a partial mash version of this recipe.Better Red than Dead (Partial Mash)Mash Grains 60 min 153 deg F (16 Quarts @ 164 start)2.0 lbs Maris Otter0.85 lb Munich8 oz Cara Red 206 oz Crystal 1204 oz Roasted BarleySparge and collect 7.5 gallons of wort. Take a Hydrometer reading.Add approximately 3.5 lb English DME (adjust as necessary to get to 1.053 Target Gravity)Example: Gravity = 1.025 after mashing, I need 28 more points28 pts/gal X 5 Gal = 140 points = 40 Pts/lb X y lbs DME; y= 3.5 lb DME to add. Boil for 90 minsHops1.5 oz Fuggle (4.6% Pellet) 45 Min1.0 oz East Kent Goldings (4.5% Pellet) 15 MinUse White Labs 04 or WYeast 1084 Irish Ale yeastFerment at 65-68 def F.OG: 1.053FG: 1.016IBU: 26SRM: 17Only thing I don't know is what temp do I sparge at? Also I am assuming that since I am doing a partial mash that I should follow the AG recipe and do a 90 min boil.Any suggestions?

[JReigle]

Only thing I don't know is what temp do I sparge at? Also I am assuming that since I am doing a partial mash that I should follow the AG recipe and do a 90 min boil.Any suggestions?

If you can find the English stuff, definitely go for it. Personally, I don't think the flavor difference will be great but some could very well disagree.I would sparge 170-175F or so and do whatever boil length you feel most comfortable with. I see no reason to boil this recipe longer than 60 minutes considering your first hop addition comes at 45 minutes, plenty of time for the hot break to form and coagulate.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I would sparge 170-175F or so and do whatever boil length you feel most comfortable with. I see no reason to boil this recipe longer than 60 minutes considering your first hop addition comes at 45 minutes, plenty of time for the hot break to form and coagulate.

Ok, if I do a 60 minute boil, I have to adjust the hops by 25% to get the same IBU's and I might be using more DME than malts from the partial mash to get the same OG. Also I am now using 6 gal to sparge with for a 60 min boil. I would rather get as much flavor from the mash as possible so the beer is truer to character. Or am I being way too nit picky for my second beer. My buddy is hopefully gonna do the AG version in time for us to compare, and even though he is much much more experienced, and has some awards, I still want to try and have the better brew

[JReigle]

Ok, if I do a 60 minute boil, I have to adjust the hops by 25% to get the same IBU's and I might be using more DME than malts from the partial mash to get the same OG. Also I am now using 6 gal to sparge with for a 60 min boil. I would rather get as much flavor from the mash as possible so the beer is truer to character. Or am I being way too nit picky for my second beer. My buddy is hopefully gonna do the AG version in time for us to compare, and even though he is much much more experienced, and has some awards, I still want to try and have the better brew

Looking at the recipe, it seems 7.5 gallons collected from a 4lb mash is probably risking extracting tannins. I would think you would want to collect 3 gallons or so, then add water and DME to this to get whatever pre-boil volume / gravity you're aiming for. In that case, you wouldn't need to adjust the hops.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Looking at the recipe, it seems 7.5 gallons collected from a 4lb mash is probably risking extracting tannins. I would think you would want to collect 3 gallons or so, then add water and DME to this to get whatever pre-boil volume / gravity you're aiming for. In that case, you wouldn't need to adjust the hops.

Good point. I knew I was forgetting some stuff. Sparge with 1.5 quarts/lb in the partial mash FAQ. So actually around 1.5 gal of wort from the partial mash for my recipe. I guess doing a 6 gal 60 min boil would be fine. in the patial mash FAQ it says

When the mash is complete and the sparge water is ready, set the colander inside your other brewpot and gently pour the mash thru it. Put the grain back in the original pot and then fill it with your sparge water (effectively creating another mash). Let this sit about 10 mins and then poor thru the colander again. Discard the mashed grain.

Is that right? or am I supposed to put the the mash in the colander and pour the sparge water through it?I think I found english DME: Muntons Light dried malt extract. I'm pretty sure this is the right stuff. I didn't think it would be something exotic or hard to find, just needed a better description.

[JReigle]

Is that right? or am I supposed to put the the mash in the colander and pour the sparge water through it?I think I found english DME: Muntons Light dried malt extract. I'm pretty sure this is the right stuff. I didn't think it would be something exotic or hard to find, just needed a better description.

That is mostly a personal preference, whether you want to batch sparge or fly sparge your mini mash. Both should work, I think the method in the FAQ is probably the safest and easiest.Munton's is good and will work well, though I lean more towards the American varieties since they seem to attenuate better.

[SchwanzBrewer]

After reading through the John Palmer section on AG, I think I'm gonna need a Mash/Lauter tun if I want to do 4 lbs of grain. I will probably borrow one from my buddy or make one this weekend. I know, I know, why not just go all grain? $$$ All the other junk. I'm still a little hazy on how to batch sparge. Correct me if I am wrong but if I use a strainer and I pour the sparge water through the mash then I am fly sparging right? Sort of?