Water to Mash Ratio

[Tonz]

I’m doing my 1^st Extract / mini mash brew today  : - )  Can anyone advise how much water I use for my mash? My grains fill a 2.5 – 3.0 litre pot, so am I right in assuming I use 5 – 6 litres of water? My actual mash pot holds 8 litres.

Also with the grains making up only 33.3% of the fermentables is it still worthwhile sparging before I do the boil?

[David Winter]

Hey tonz, 

Water to grist ratios are usually expressed as Litres water per Kg of grain. In my little stovetop setup I can get away with a mash as thick as 2.1L per Kg without creating dough balls (dry clumps of grain, give it a good mix at the start to make sure you don't have these) in the mash. These calculators are quite helpful for working oyt what temperatur... (and how much you can fit in your 8L pot).

When I do this I do a "dunk sparge", just take the grain bag out of the first pot and dunk it in a second one circulating the water through the grains for a while. If you don't have a second pot I wouldn't worry, it does increase efficiency but, as you say, most if the fermentables are coming from the extract so you can adjust accordingly.

Good luck!

[Tonz]

Hey David,

So as its my 1st mini mash would l be better off having a wetter mash, say 6.5 - 7 litres or will it affect my

efficiency?

 

[David Winter]

There's lots of discussion around the place about efficiency as mash thickness, but I don't think it will add up to much on the scale we're talking about here. Just go with something you will comfortably  fit in your pot, give it a good stir at the start and keep an eye on the temperature (have some hot water on hand if you need to bump the temp up once it's all in the pot)

Mainly just relax and have fun :)

[Tonz]

Thanks for the info, I'll also take your advice and relax & enjoy. If all goes well with the mash I'll treat myself to a beer for the boil  ;)  Cheers

 

[Dan]

I currently mash in a 16L boil pot and can get 4.5kg grain in there with 11-12L water. I get a mash efficiency of about 65%. I use a 20L bucket and dunk sparge the grains  with a Voile bag.

Just ordered a 37L mash tun so hoping to increase eff and get about 3L/kg water :grist.

[Tonz]

Hi Dan

So are you saying more water is better?

[Dan]

Not necessarily. In my case I suspect my efficiency is due to the way I lauter/sparge. Worth noting though the John Palmer (How to brew) recommends a water to grist ratio of 3-4L/kg.

Best way is to try and work out for yourself with the equipment you have. Cheers

[Liam Callaghan]

Hey Tonz,

Personally I don't think it makes too much difference if its wet or really wet so long as you get a conversion.  Sparging, fly sparge and dunk sparging will all give you a result and you'll be hard pushed to tell the difference in your final product.  I'd recommend you do what ever is easiest on your first session then try another on the next. 

You'll be too excited as well, so best make it easier for your first batch :p

Might be too late with advice, if so how did you get on?

[Tonz]

Hey Liam,

My L/kg was pretty much determined by my pot size, but was about 3-4L/kg which I found pretty comfortable to work with. Dunk sparging was the order of the day which went  well. All in all, mashing, mash out, sparging and the boil all went really really well and I hit all my targets. Only disappointment was that after weeks & weeks of planning and recipe changes I mistakely added a beer kit to my recipe  :-(  so am not too sure what yo expect, but I do know it wont be a "Lawn Mowing Beer"  I'm expecting around 7.5% malty and hoppy. Even though my day was 9hrs from washing till poping in the airlock, I still cant wait to repeat the experience again. Im sure my opperation and processes can be streamlined if I was able to hook up with a fellow brewer here in Upper Hutt. My next brew, well, half the fun is working it out :) but I'm thinking along the lines of the recipe you sent me a while back.

Cheers for the reply & happy brewing - Tonz

[Kelly Milligan]

Good on ya Tonz! Sounds like we've got you hooked ;) Will only be a couple months before you've got the kit and ready to go on your first all grain! 

[Tonz]

So looking forward to that day when I step outta the closet and face the world as an "All Grain Brewer"

[Liam Callaghan]

Shi t your game mate at 7.5% haha!

I have one at that weight and its lasted me months, one stein of that and I am wasted!

Kit will probably just up your hop bitterness, you might have one eye involunarily shut itself as you take your first few slugs.  Double hoped a beer by mistake years ago, used to make you wince a bit.

Love the "Lawn mowing beer", nearly spat my coffee when I read that!  I might make a beer to suit that name for my neighbour, he is an old fashioned push mower, does a nice job though.  Something fresh and green tasting, nice aromatic hop finish maybe...

Plenty of brewers down in the Hutt mate, shouldn't take you long, quite a few in here.  9 hours is a long time for a single brew but early days as you say.  You'll have it down pat.  Main thing is that your having fun as your brewing.  Not too much fun with a 7.5% mule though haha.

Mate of mine starts drinking as he starts brewing.  7 hours later as they are about to pour into the fermentor he drunkenly drops a brick from next to the burner into the wort...  Pulled it out with his hand, pours it into the fermentors and carries on like nothing has happened, bless him!

Tastes like it was stirred with a dirty brick and an unwashed hand.  Saying that they were busy brewing the next weekend as well, keen drunken buggers haha!