Split Mash

[Mike Neilson]

Since I have not got my yeast for my Imp IPA, I have decided to brew this Imp Smoked Stout/Porter thing;

5kg Smoked Malt
3.75 Marris Otter
600g Caramunich
200g Pale Choclolate
200g Chocolate
300g Black Malt
300g Roast barley

100ibus a,d 1.100 @ 21 litres

I only have a 5 gal cooler at the moment, and am wounder if any one here has used this method.
Say Mash all the 5kg of smoked malt, draw the first runnings and use as strike water for the rest of the Grist. And mash as Usual. With the secound runnings of the Smoked malt you boil off while The secound mash is taking place, and reduce down to your preboil gravity and add to your Final kettle boil. My thinking is I get a bigger batch and extract as much of the grain goodness into a 21 litre batch. Does it work or is it not worth the hassle?

[jt]

Can the smoked malt be mashed by itself - is it a base malt - or would you need to mash with some of the MO ?

[Reviled]

If its weyermann smoked malt you can use up to 100% no worries...

Interesting concept Mike, I dont see why it wouldnt work...

[Stu McKinlay]

Go for it. Kieran uses a method like this for his Merchant of the Devil.

I see there is a Wyeast Imperial Ale blend coming next month.

[Mike Neilson]

Yeah I ordered mine from craftbrewer, Im very impatient. It will be here next Tues!! This is half the reason for the stirplate!! I wont to try get all my big winter brews done and aging before winters all over!! I was just going to use a Wyeast 1968 starter for this one though. Also how does the Merchant of the Devil turn obviously well, but does this method add more malt flavour silkyness?

[JoKing]

That will definately work. It's called double mashing quite common in small breweries where their mashing equipment is limited. What you may find which would work better is the following:

Mash 5kilos
Run Half your collection volume into the kettle - Start your boil now (will reduce thick 1st Run)
Sparge remaining runnings to use as strike water (sweet strike )
Mash 5.35 kilos
Run and sparge into kettle as usual then take preboil gravity reading.

It is exactly the same amount of work - but you should expect a more fermentable wort. This is the more "traditional method"

Just my 2 cents.

Then you can sparge the 10kilos of spent grist to get a small beer @ 1035!

[Mike Neilson]

Used this method today and I have to say it worked!! I even set up my experimently 3 teir. To be honest it made brew day very easy expectialy with a new mashing style, alot less hands on and alot of time to do other things.
I ended up with this method of mashing with 83% eff, I was aiming for 1.100 and ended up with 1.118 so I am thinking of diluting.

[JoKing]

This is great news.

Diluting is a good idea - as you'll end up with more beer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! diluting affects your IBU - but at 100, I dont think you have a problem...

Did you end up sparging your spent grist into a seperate kettle for a small beer, like a mild or something?

Also - did you split mash the way you initially described - or the way that I described? - I ask because I've been thinking of doing the same thing later on.

[denimglen]

Just found some good info here for anyone that's interested, handy calculator on there for download too.

[Mike Neilson]

No I done it the way you decribed, as my thinking was that If had used the first runnings it might of made a 2 sticker mash and I may of ran into lauter problems. I didnt dilute as I ended with 1.110 with 20l into fermenter if i should get 70% - 75% attenuation with my 55deg mash and I would be happy with that. No I didnt end up making a mild out of the spent grist as I wanted to concentrate on getting this right, so next time I will though. all in all very happy!! as I usualy get around 60% eff on bigger batchs and this time I nailed it well sort of.

[JoKing]

Good for you bro. 80% is good efficiency on big beers - so big ups for smashing it! LMK when this brew is ready - I'll be looking forward to a taste - and I'm sure you meant 65degree mash right?

[Mike Neilson]

Yeah I usualy mash all my beers at 67, I like the mouth feel. But I tried 65 to get my attenuation up. I will be save a few bottles of beers for you, next is the Imp IPA and Trappist Style. Than its back to APA's yum!!

[JoKing]

Awesome. If you see any beers that I brew on here that you want to try, let me know - I'll bottle condition one or two for you when it comes to kegging time.