Minimash Questions

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

Hello brewers.

I am about to make a Czech type Pilsener for a friend and am using a recipe from Michael Rodgers-Wilson's "Home Brewing" (pg 23) combined withinfo from a brewer friend.

The final mix I intend to use is as follows:

2 x 1.7kg Light Malt Extract. (Do I need 2 Cans???)
20g Pride Of Ringwood (45 Min) followed by 20g Saaz (30 Min)

The recipe includes 100g of Crystal grain (Cracked).

1 - Is my presumtion that I need to minimash the Crystal Grain correct?

2 - The guidelines for minimashing (in "Home Brewing") says that for the minimash to work it need at least 20% Pale Malted Barley and if this is not in the recipe it should be added. Is that correct.

3 - Im guessing that Crystal Grain is not Pale Malted Barley?

4 - Is the idea of the minimash to get the mash to 68 oC and maintain it there for about 2 Hrs?

I hope Im not asking questions that have been answered elsewhere and would appreciate any advice.

Any advice outside my questions would also be appreciated.

Brew till you drop!

ATOMT

 

[razz]

ATOMT, the crystal has already been mashed as part of its malting/drying procedure. I've not read that book by Mike but it should tell you how to steep the grains in hot water (approx 76 degrees) then add the malt extract and hops, etc. Have a look at the online brew book "How to brew" You'll do it easy !

 

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

ATOMT, the crystal has already been mashed as part of its malting/drying procedure. I've not read that book by Mike but it should tell you how to steep the grains in hot water (approx 76 degrees) then add the malt extract and hops, etc. Have a look at the online brew book "How to brew" You'll do it easy !

[post="123931"][/post]​

Thanks for the advice razz. I went to the "How to brew" website (I had only glimpsed it before and ii think I will be going into it a bit more.) and they had a good little section on steeping specialty grains which explained and helped heaps.

I cant wait to go AG eventually. Unfortunately I have neither the time, money or space at the moment.

 

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

Following my brew last night, I have another question.

Steeping Crystal grain involves adding it to ~68oC and keeping it up there for about 30 mins. Whilst I was doing this, I thought I had turned the burner off but it was still on low. I reckon the temperature must have got up to about 90oC or thereabouts for a couple of minutes (twice) <_< :angry: .

I started over with a fresh batch but was curious what the effect of going too high might have been should I have used it.

Does anyone know???

cheers for the beers

ATOMT

 

[Trough Lolly]

As razz points out, you don't need to mash crystal malt - the maltster already did that and dried out the sugars to form the crystals on the grain. I would not steep grains at 76C - just put them in a pot of cold water and slowly bring it up to around 70C with regular stirring. The crystal malt should be sufficiently infused by the time you get to 70C so you can remove the grains - rinse with 200ml or so of sparge water to ensure you wash out all the sugars from the grains - but don't go overboard or you risk extracting harsh tannins from the grain husks - and carry on with the rest of the brew session...

Cheers,
TL

Edit: spelling...

 

[Mr Bond]

Yeah its not mashing but Extract plus specialty(if you want to categorise it).

Crack the grains and steepem for 30/45 mins in hot(60/70 c water),2/3 litrs would be enough for 100 grams.Don't whatever you do boil em.

Strain and rinse and add this liquid(sans the grains) into your kettle(brewpot) and boil with your extract and hops.

How to brew will give you a step by step.

Yes 2 cans in 22/23 litres total volume will be around 1046/48 ish plus a little from your crystal.