So I’ve been thinking about jumping into partial mash in the near future, and am hoping I’m not being too naive at it…
Based on a few articles/websites/general noodling, my plan is to get a 3 gallon picnic cooler and mash in a grain bag in the cooler… it looks like the easiest option, in my opinion. I realize this means I can only use one temperature and can’t adjust it once I’ve started, but it just seems like an easy way to start. Any advice on how involved partial mash is, or how much benefit I might get?
Why not just order a partial mash kit to get your feet wet? Follow the instructions and you won’t need to mess with the cooler. I personally think a few partial mash brews will take away any doubts about all-grain brewing. NB’s partial mash kits are good!
The kits are good; I made a mash tun and batch sparge my PMs, so no need to spend the extra dough in my opinion. You can start with brew in a bag as well.
I have a 5 gallon Igloo roundy, steel braid ring like suggested in Palmer’s book. With my Kettle size, I dough in with 8 quarts and “sparge” with 7 for a perfect volume in my pot; usually 7.5 pounds of grain, add a pound or so of extra light DME at thirty minutes, for oomph; stove top brewer, so it’s what I do for now.
Cheers and happy mashing
Sounds like I have some options… I’ll probably get one more extract kit under my belt while I do some more reading/planning and give it a go later on this winter.
I bought a kit that is partial mash, never done it before. it has .75lbs of crushed graain, can i just put it in mesh bag and steep it like begging stage since I’m first timer?
Essentially, yes. You have to maintain a temperature for the grain for one hour to extract the sugar from the grain, Usually 150-153*F. Putting your pot in an electric oven on warm will help maintain temp for the full hour.
A partial mash kit would have more than .75 pounds of grain. Mashing and steeping specialty grains are different things that sounds like extract with specialty grains. Steeping specialty grains is as easy as making tea just put bag in as water is heating and pull out at 170
A partial mash kit would have more than .75 pounds of grain. Mashing and steeping specialty grains are different things that sounds like extract with specialty grains. Steeping specialty grains is as easy as making tea just put bag in as water is heating and pull out at 170[/quote]
Yeah Like Beerme11 said if thats all the grains you have that is a extract kit with specialty grains (unless you forgot a number). Specialty grains are for steeping not mashing.
You can certainly use a cooler for a partial mash, but a 5-gallon nylon paint-strainer bag from Home Depot will easily hold 5 lbs of grain and you can mash right in your kettle, which allows you to add heat if you need it.
