extract with specialty grains method

[Fergus]

Hey guys,

After three batches, I've found it a bit difficult to be organised and methocal so I've put together a method of what I think is the right way to go about doing a 20 litre extracy with specialty grains. Any feed back or suggestions ould be good to help get the process down pat.
20 LITRE BATCH EXTRACT WITH SPECIALTY GRAINS
DAY BEFORE BREW DAY
Boil 10 litres of water
Put boiled water in fridge to cool (18°c for ales)
BREW DAY
Bring steeping water to 70°c (3 litres for 1 kg grain)
Steep grains for 30 minutes maintaining temperature at 65 - 67°c
Drain and add to boil kettle
Top up to 11 litres
Add 1.1kg of light Dry Malt Extract (DME)
Bring to boil and wait for hot break
Add first (bittering) hop addition and set timer
Add other hop additions at correct times
5 minutes before end of boil add all remaining malt extract
Cool the wort.
Rehydrate yeast in one cup (240mL) of boiled water cooled to 27°c. Let sit for 15 minutes
Sanitise fermenter.
Aerate cooled water then add to fermenter. When wort has cooled to 20°c strain into fermenter. Aerate by pouring back and forth. Take sample for OG and top up to 20L
Gently stir yeast for 15 minutes. Add to wort within 30 minutes
Screw on lid and put in fridge. Insert air lock containing sanitiser. Check for air tight by pressing sides
Set fridge for 18°c and leave to ferment.

Cheers,
Adam

 

[ploto]

1kg spec malt seems excessive for a 20l batch, a quarter that is usually considered enough.

 

[ianh]

Personally I would not bother boiling the top up water.

I would use more than 3 litres of water for steeping the grains given you are going to boil 11 litres.

I have no problem with 1kg of speciality grains, although the max I used was 900g in 23 litres.

With 1kg of speciality grains you should only need about 700g of DME in 11 litres for 1.040 SG.

Aerate water by splashing into fermenter, if you want additional aeration get a paint stirrer rather than pouring back and forth.

Presume you will take OG after you have topped up to 20l.

 

[Fergus]

Cheers for the input. I just put a kg of grain there as I read that 3 litres per kg of grain was a good ratio. I actually used 500g in the last brew. I take gravity readings as I get close to 20l in case I hit my target at a bit less, say around 19l