2026 Quarter 3 Community Recipe

Some are frightened of it, but decoction is fairly simple and idiot-resistant.
 
Donoroto said:
Some are frightened of it, but decoction is fairly simple and idiot-resistant.
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I did one when I did the wee heavy, the purpose being to bring more malt character to the beer.
Had to carry the pot up to the kitchen to boil it then, but I have a portable induction cook top now. Decoction... maybe it is more the word than the process that is intimidating!
 
It was brought to my attention that rice hulls improve the brew session also for BIAB brewers.

I recommend rice hulls regardless of the brewing method
 
one thing that I find important when doing decoction and Im sorry if it has been mentioned already, is to do your rest before you boil the decoction
for instance pull a decoction at the 135 rest and bring it to say 148 and rest there for 15 minuets before boiling it then pull your next decoction and rest at 158 for 15 before the boil. and add the hulls if using just before mash out as they don't need to be mashed. If your going to spend the time may as well sqweak out as much as you can
 
Just so I am clear, because I haven't ever done this.

After doughing in don't pull the grist/wort for the first decoction until resting at that first rest temperature for 15 minutes.

Then pull it and do do the decoction boil.

After adding the boiled grist/wort back to the mash, let it rest for 15 minutes before pulling another decoction to boil.

After adding the second lot back in, let it rest for another 15 minutes before moving to volaufing and transferring to the kettle.

Yes?

Would this be a double decoction?

Is there anything different that needs to be done with the sparge?
 
well you need to rest the decoction portion at your beta rest temperature before boiling and adding back so some sugars convert, at least in a double decoction
in a single decoction if your pulling from the beta rest temperature its not as important since your already in conversion territory but I do it anyway

a double decoction you start say at 136 then decoct to 150 then decoct again to 158
ift you do a 3rd you do it to 170
a single you just decoct from 150 to 158
its just infusion step mashing sort of
and normally you wouldn't use melanoidin but you could in a single but go easy
 
Craigerrr said:
Just so I am clear, because I haven't ever done this.

After doughing in don't pull the grist/wort for the first decoction until resting at that first rest temperature for 15 minutes.

Then pull it and do do the decoction boil.

After adding the boiled grist/wort back to the mash, let it rest for 15 minutes before pulling another decoction to boil.

After adding the second lot back in, let it rest for another 15 minutes before moving to volaufing and transferring to the kettle.

Yes?

Would this be a double decoction?

Is there anything different that needs to be done with the sparge?
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Melanoidin avoids the need for decoction, but is not harmful - especially at just a few ounces.

In cooler mashing, after the first rest, taking the ‘sample’, boiling it a bit, then pouring it back in…raises the temperature to the second rest temperature! Magic!

(Almost. 105 to 145 needs a tad more heat. But most of the way.)

The second will get you from 145 to 158, more or less.

There is no harm in extending each step in yhe mash. For example, starting at 1:05 and staying there for even an hour has no negative effects. (On the beer. It may extend your brew day. )

Four centuries ago, that’s how they did a step mash. No RIMS systems.
 
There are so many ways to do a decoction and for different reasons. I do for flavor and a single decoction adds a little “special sauce” to the beer. I can taste a difference in my own. Could I in someone else’s? Who knows.

Basically hit your rest temp after 15 minutes pull a third and bring to a boil, add back. Should be at next temp rest then if using a calculator. If not no worries just heat the mash more if you can. Then after 15 minutes at that next rest pull another and repeat.
 
Finally caught a break with work and weather to brew, so went with Donoroto's hefe. I dropped the grain bill a bit to get an OG closer to 1.050, opted for the melanoidin over decoction (I was tight on time), and went with Lallelmand Munich Classic Wheat. Chilled overnight, pitched this morning at 67°F, bubbling by dinner time. First time using this particular yeast, but I'm gonna ramp up to 72°F after 3-4 days and see what happens.

Oh... and meet Dublin. The fam's newest member and his first brew. We was helping keep the mash tun warm :p

IMG_3062.jpg
 
Zefram said:
Sounds easy enough. So if the recipe says initial rest for 20 min and then a second rest for 25, what's the best way to handle the timing of bringing that "scoop" to a boil? Do you do the initial 20 min, pull the mash and boil (guessing that's about 15-20 minutes), add back in, then go the full 25 min after that? It seems like the 75 min mash (including the final rest) would be more like 115 min... no harm in that?

Sorry if these are dumb questions... I don't mind tinkering to learn, but I don't want to ruin a whole batch on something that should be obvious.
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Dumb or not, I have the same questions. So, thanks for asking them @Zefram!
 
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