water volume

[Brownbeard]

OK, this is a partial mash, not AG. I am being sneaky :eek: Don't tell.
I am doing an oatmeal stout tonight and will be using 4 pounds of grain total, including one pound of flaked oats. I am going to put it in my 5 gal beverage cooler. I am wondering how much water for the mash, and how much for the sparge. I want to start the boil at 6 gal.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by Brownbeard
OK, this is a partial mash, not AG. I am being sneaky :eek: Don't tell.
I am doing an oatmeal stout tonight and will be using 4 pounds of grain total, including one pound of flaked oats. I am going to put it in my 5 gal beverage cooler. I am wondering how much water for the mash, and how much for the sparge. I want to start the boil at 6 gal.

Normal mashing is done at between 1-1.33 qts/lb of grain. I would do the mini-mash on the thinner end since that will lead to better conversion. So I would use 5.33 qts of water and a mash temp of around 152 F.

[Beerconnoisseur]

You can use more water for a more fermentable mash, or less water for a sweeter, maltier beer. This from Palmer, (http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-6.html) of course...

[BucksBrew]

Originally posted by Beerconnoisseur
You can use more water for a more fermentable mash, or less water for a sweeter, maltier beer. This from Palmer, (http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-6.html) of course...

A compromise of all factors yields the standard mash conditions for most homebrewers: a mash ratio of about 1.5 quarts of water per pound grain, pH of 5.3, temperature of 150-155°F and a time of about one hour. These conditions yield a wort with a nice maltiness and good fermentability.

Does Palmer mean the water PH should be 5.3 to start or does it get this way by raising to temp and mixing with the grains?

Also with batch sparging the grains absorb about 10% of the initial water amout. Should we add this amount, depending on the grain amout, back into the 2nd batch of water used for sparging?

Thanks!