I've been doing extract for a bit over a year and just did my first partial mash brew ( 3.5 - 4 lbs grain in a 2 gal beverage cooler + extract) I did this with just a couple of steeping bags....it is in the fermenter bubbling away. Looking to future batches ( still. Partial boil limited by pot size and stove top...how should I go? 5 gal cooler and paint strainer? 5 gal cooler with stainless tube? Just the 2 gal cooler and paint strainer bags...???
Countertop partial mash
- Thread starter cjbalough
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BlueHouseBrewhaus
Well-Known Member
I did partials with a grain bag in a 3 gal cooler and a 5 gal pot (top up in fermenter) for about 10 batches. Worked great. I even managed to do a basic infusion step mash (wheats, pilsners) with good results. I use a bag I got from my LHBS for about $10. More expensive than a paint strainer but it's been going 20+ brews and counting.
When I stepped up to AG, I just bought a 9 gal tall BK with basket for about $70. That was my only expense to go AG. I kept the same bag and use my old 5 gal pot to hold mashout and sparge water to do a modified BIAB. I've done brews as high as 1.085 with this setup. I still do it all on my stove.
When I stepped up to AG, I just bought a 9 gal tall BK with basket for about $70. That was my only expense to go AG. I kept the same bag and use my old 5 gal pot to hold mashout and sparge water to do a modified BIAB. I've done brews as high as 1.085 with this setup. I still do it all on my stove.
I do pb/pm biab with spring water. I have my own grain mill for crushing them fresh into a 5G nylon paint strainer bag. Mash Tun is wrapped up in my quilted winter hunting coat for the one hour mash on the island across from the stove. Ice bath the wort down to 75F or so, then strain into the sanitized fermenter & top off with chilled water to recipe volume. This gets the wort down to 62F or even lower, depending on final ice bath temp. A simple system that works great for me. The dunk sparge in a smaller kettle of about 1 1/2G 170F water to allow me to stir the sparging grains drove my efficiency & thus my OG's up quite a bit.
Thanks. I'm basically using the method detailed here http://byo.com/hops/item/507-countertop-partial-mashing
I picked up some paint strainer bags and think I'm going to try a PM version of Centennial Blonde...I've done this one a couple times all extract so it should be a good test.....then maybe I'll go to a bigger cooler etc.
I picked up some paint strainer bags and think I'm going to try a PM version of Centennial Blonde...I've done this one a couple times all extract so it should be a good test.....then maybe I'll go to a bigger cooler etc.
I use a 5 gallon round cooler. Put a decent valve on it. A manifold inside from CPVC tubing, with lots of holes drilled in it. I don't glue the tubing, so it comes apart easily for cleaning.
I also use a 5 gallon paint bag inside it to hold (and filter) the grain. I've been doing 8 lbs of grain at a time with about 85% efficiency. I could do more, but would start sacrificing efficiency; since I also partial boil, I am limited in the total water volume I can use.
I also use a 5 gallon paint bag inside it to hold (and filter) the grain. I've been doing 8 lbs of grain at a time with about 85% efficiency. I could do more, but would start sacrificing efficiency; since I also partial boil, I am limited in the total water volume I can use.
