Step mash problem

[matador677]

Hopefully you all can help. On the Brewer's friend step-mash calculator, when I enter all of my information to calculate the amount of water needed to do a step-mash, the problem I am having is that the water necessary to get my correct temps is more than I have the capacity. So in a Kolsch that I am making, I want to do just a single step from 122-148 and that would need over 8 gallons of water according to the calculator and if I wanted to raise my temp again to say 158 degrees, I would not have the capacity if I were to sparge as well with typically 3 gallons. I have a 10 gallon igloo cooler and a 10 gallon Blichman burner and I am not sure if the calculator assumes with the amount of grain that I am using, that I am making 10 gallons which I am not. I want my pre-boil volume to be about 7.5 gallons and with a 90 minute boil and I believe it would be prudent to do so since I am using almost all pilsner malt and end up with 6 gallons in the fermenter when all said and done. Can I use less water initially when I dough in? Suggestions? Should I even mess with a step mash at all? Will the lagering phase be of more importance to get that good German Kolsch feel and taste? Thanks!

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

Did you set up your equipment in settings, then pick it on the recipe?, I realize you on the calculator but its a generic calculator unless you tell it your mash tun size

 

[Nosybear]

What are you putting into the calculator? I just put in a generic recipe, 10# grain, 1.25:1 water/grain, 65 degree grains, 212 degree boil, got 12.5 qt for the first step at 122 degrees, 5.9 quarts boiling water to bring it up to 148, well within the volume of the 10-gallon cooler. If I up the grain to 12.5, about what I use in my Kolsch, I need 7.4 quarts to bring the mash from the protein rest up to saccarification. Curious: Why are you even using the 122 degree rest? I'll use 113 for Hefeweizens but 122 degrees - protein rest - is generally not needed with today's malts (and may even degrade the head later). Are you sure you're not reading gallons where the mash calculater is reporting quarts?

 

[Nosybear]

How you ferment will have a much greater effect on the final result than your mash. Cool initially, about 65 degrees for a week, then secondary for a week at about room temp, then lager a couple weeks near freezing, then fine with gelatin to clear up any residual haze, you should get a good Kolsch.

 

[Resto3]

What I like to do is mash in a kettle over the stove or burner. I use 1.5 qt/pond of grain and I infuse to hit my initial temp and let it rest for however long I need. When it is time to go to the next step I start stirring and then I ad heat and stir the whole while the temps are increasing. When I get to the temp I want I cut the heat off and make sure it stays there and then I let it rest for that step. I repeat this for all my steps and mashout. When I am ready to sparge I transfer the mash to the mashtun and then I start the sparge. Of course by this time I would have the calculated amount of sparge water already at temp in my lauter tun. If I use the same kettle that I used for the mash I give it a decent rinse and run off into it and then start the boil and brew the beer from there. Hope this helps you for future step mashes. It works really well for me. Beers I step mash are Hefeweisens and Saisons for the most part.

Cheers,

Richie

 

[DanC]

I too have noticed the calculator has changed. For the last year and as half, based on my equipment profile and the boil volume I choose, the calculator worked flawlessly. Now the calculator totally ignores my boil starting volume and gives me water requirements that exceed my equipment profile. This happens on new recipes but does not seem to effect those I have brewed prior.