Stepped mash recipe instructions

[Greenhorn]

I've been mulling over stepped mashes, partly as it gives me an excuse to (eventually)build my idea of a pump, ITC310 and hot water powered heat exchanger. But also as I'm a massive fan of wheat beers which apparently benefit from a stepped mash due to the wheat content.

Anyway, I've been reading up on recipes, and they generally say stuff like

"dough in the grain with a liquor-grain ratio of 3:1"

And

"raise the temperature to 68°c"

Now, I'm guessing that these recipes assume you have some way of heating your mash without adding boiling water. Otherwise you'd soon end up with a very watery mash indeed. In which case, the 3:1 ratio would remain constant throughout and this is the ratio you would sparge with.

So if I want to achieve the steps with boiling water additions, I need to work back from that final liquor volume and calculate the amount needed for each rise in temperature, taking into account the changing heat capacity of the mash etc....

Am I right or am I wandering off up some blind alley?

This brewing lark is right complicated when you scratch the surface.

 

[Covrich]

I am not sure I understand.. the water you mash in with you heat normally right? how would you heat your mash water now, although I thought Step you'd dough in at a lower than that and raise in various steps (I do single infusion so soneone who does would be better to advise)

 

[Greenhorn]

yeah. you heat your strike water as usual, except that it'll be at 40°c (or whatever) rather than 65-70°c like with an infusion mash.

I'm assuming that the recipes think you have a RIMS/HERMS or similar system. The alternative is to make additions of boiling water, sufficient to raise the mash temp from 40°c, to 50°c for example. The thing then, would be to work out how much extra water you need to add, and from that, how much water to start with so that you don't just end up with a really watery mash. It's all to do with the heat capacity going up as you add more water, entailing more water for a given temp rise.

at least, that's the physics. I need to work out if that's what the recipes mean or whether I need to work all that stuff out from a final mash ratio. Which isn't hard, just time consuming. I might write an algorithm to do all the calculations for me.

 

[Covrich]

I don't know much about them if people add water or not. I mean I don't have HERMS systems or what not but I could potentially do step mashing at different temps with my pot and burner full BIAB.. It would no doubt be a little bit more of a faff. I could mash at 40 hold for 20 then raise it to 68 and hold again, whether that would qualify I do not know.

 

[Leon103]

I think the only way of really doing this is if your mash tun had a heater.

 

[Greenhorn]

I think that would count.

 

[Greenhorn]

I think the only way of really doing this is if your mash tun had a heater.

Surely that's the point of a RIMS/HERMS set up.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Do you have an immersion chiller?
If so you could connect that to your hot tap and raise the temp that way. My boiler (central heating) only heard to about 60* but if you use a thick mash for the first rest then use the chiller and also add some extra hot water you may get there.

 

[Leon103]

Surely that's the point of a RIMS/HERMS set up.

Or using a boiler as a mash tun???

 

[Greenhorn]

Or using a boiler as a mash tun???

The issue with using a boiler, at least one with a direct heat source, is the danger of scorching the grain.

My long term plan is to use the principle of an immersion chiller, but use a pump, temp regulator and a hot water tank to perform steps.

But for now I'm figuring out the specifics of the boiling additions method. I'm currently working on a set of Excel formulas which should enable me to plug in numbers for the grain bill, step temps and final volume and have it spit out all the water additions needed.

I'll share it when it's working.

 

[RichardM]

A Braumiester would allow you to do stepped mashes

 

[Dads_Ale]

It is surprising how much boiling water you need to add to up the temperature of the mash.

I have tried it a couple of times and didn't reach my target temp before the mash tun overflowed. You definitely need a dryish initial dough in if you are adding water to increase the temp later on.

 

[Greenhorn]

A Braumiester would allow you to do stepped mashes

And for only a grand or so as well.

Sign me up for one. :)

 

[Dads_Ale]

And for only a grand or so as well.

Sign me up for one. :)

So would a Grainfather for less than a grand 😀

 

[Greenhorn]

It is surprising how much boiling water you need to add to up the temperature of the mash.

I have tried it a couple of times and didn't reach my target temp before the mash tun overflowed. You definitely need a dryish initial dough in if you are adding water to increase the temp later on.

Then what you need sir, is my amazing, all new Step Mash Calculator!

I've worked it all out and it seems to work accurately. All you do is input your grain weight, step temps and final volume, and it works out what volume of boiling water you need to add at each step.

I'll get it online as soon as I get a chance.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Then what you need sir, is my amazing, all new Step Mash Calculator!

I've worked it all out and it seems to work accurately. All you do is input your grain weight, step temps and final volume, and it works out what volume of boiling water you need to add at each step.

I'll get it online as soon as I get a chance.

You are a star sir...
Looking forward to trying it out. :)

 

[Greenhorn]

I'll stick up the excel spreadsheet tomorrow. And if I get round to it, I'll convert it into a little stand alone Web page at some point.

 

[Leon103]

But there is no guarantee that it will hit the temp you need. Other factors to consider

 

[Greenhorn]

But there is no guarantee that it will hit the temp you need. Other factors to consider

I've also set it up so you can allow for any given temp drop during rests.

You can also use it as you go. so starting with a given volume at a certain temp, it will tell you exactly how much you need to add to go up a set step.

 

[JapanBrew]

I just use a 650/1500 watt hot plate connected to my STC to control. 650 w is low enough not to scorch the wort.