I have a couple of 8-10L pots. I have an old esky with a tap I may be able to use as we don't use it much. I'll need a mash tun later anyway, so I may as well start on one. I have a large strainer. No fabric to use as a bag yet.
, so no money wasted in equipment. ). That works fine when the LDME is just padding out what would have been more pale malt anyway, but if someone is doing an even smaller batch (i.e 8lt) I wouldn't feel qualified to comment and reckon my advice would be pretty poor, and if they had a 20lt pot, I'd suggest they just do an AG batch - cause what's 4 litres between mates?
Nick, I've read through that thread many, many times. Don't worry... I'll be trying that very soon. Now, is that recipe you use an AG batch? And its AG using BIAB? I need to source those grains and may even have to get them shipped. I think I want to try a partial first to see the difference. But I would like the idea of doing a smaller partial batch (ie. 9L) like you have used in that thread, more for the purpose of learning and trial and error.
What size is the decor container? How big a batch will that do? I want to try smaller batches, as per NickJD's post. Then again, if I have to do a bigger batch, I'm not too fussed.Hmm I think that a couple of the posters have missed the point somewhat, that you want to do a partial and not a little AG batch. Anyway, if you already have a 10l stockpot and an old esky, here's what I used to do:
- Decor container from Woolies will mash up to 2k of grain
- Prepare a water bath at 68 degrees in the esky
- Mix grain and hot water to fill the decor, aim for around 66 degrees (Add water at around 75 degrees and as you get to the full volume, adjust with hot or cold water, tricky but you'll get the hang of it)
- Place the Decor in the esky, put lids on of course and walk away for an hour.
- Strain the mash through the big strainer ($5 from Go Lo or Sam's) into the 10L pot. Put mash back in the decor, fill again with hot water at about 75 degrees and strain again into pot. This is sparging.
- Keep going until you have collected about 9 litres, meanwhile bringing the pot to the boil on the burner or stovetop
- Watching carefully for boilovers, boil for an hour with hop additions at the start and then about ten minutes before the end of the boil. use some swiss voile or cheesecloth to make little hop 'teabags' if you like.
- Cover stockpot and carefully place in laundry sink with cold water supply to cool the wort.
Then it depends what style you are after, I used to do a very nice little Carlton lookalike using 2k of Pilsener malt and a bland kit such as Coopers Canadian and 500g of dex, and a yeast such as US-05. IMHO it will turn out almost as good as an AG and miles ahead of a simple kit brew.
Happy brewing. :super:
PS I still use all the bits, the Decor now holds my brewing salts, polyclar and whirlfloc and I use the pots for boiling up adjuncts such as rice, and the strainers when I'm steeping or washing my sushi rice
Big fan of the pale ales at the moment. Pretty much like anything as long as the flavours aren't too outrageous, like chocolate stouts etc.
Yup just checked, it's 8.5L and will handle 2k of grain at the most. If you wanted to do, say a 10L brew you could use 2k of Ale malt, 750g of light dried malt extract and a single 15g addition of Pride of Ringwood or 10g Superpride, ferment with cultured-up Coopers yeast and you'd end up with a good pale ale, Sparkling style. However for me, 10L would just be a tease
Couple of questions, manticle:
hmmm. So the way I see it, I still need a small to medium esky (enough to hold at least 5 liters) and have a tap. I already have some clear hose to drain into the pot. Speaking of pots I'll need a larger pot. The ones I have at the moment would be lucky to fit 10L at the brim, and I'd need to allow for overboil. Some hops bags would be good as well.
