New all grain

[Pirate Brewer]

I'm new to all grain and I'm using Pro Mash. I'm trying to do a simple single infusion mash. I've been reading the books but unless you actually watch someone doing this it is difficult figure out (for me it is) and there isn't any other brewers I'm aware of within 30 miles of where I live.

I've been dumping my grains in a bucket, adding the water and letting it rest at 152 or 156F. I'm doing good just to hit this wide range. Next I'm running hot water through it at about 182F until the runnings get down to about 1.010 or 1.015.

In Pro Mash they have these steps called Dough In, Saccharification Rest, Mash Out, and Sparge Temp. Am I missing a step? My beer is coming out too thin and during the last 15 minutes I have to dump in some DME (usually two or three pounds) just to get my gravity up close to where it should be.

[bub]

Hell you aren't that far from me... perhaps after the holidays we could hook up and I can help... in the meantime... please give details, as detailed as you can be about your entire mash process.... How much water to start, how much grain, how much sparge water, were you wearing pants... ok nevermind the pants thing... give some more details and we can work through this with you.
BUB

[eric_lord]

Sounds like you have the basics down, but we do need some more info.

One thing I didn't learn for many batches, and the grain to water, not water to grain. It will greatly help your mash be mixed up properly.

Your thinness can be many factors.

What kind of malt bill are you using?

What kind of yeast are you using? And how is your attenuation?

What are your begginning gravities?

All these factors can affect thinness in beer.

eric.

[Pirate Brewer]

Thanks for the advice. My main question before dialing in the process is to see if I'm missing a step. I soak (is that the dough in step?) and then I rinse (is that sparging?). For single infusion is it basically just soak the grain and rinse it? No other steps? I'm trying to relate my steps to what they are called in Pro Mash. Pro Mash asks for three entries, I have two steps so I'm thinking I have a step missed.

I generally use 1.2 qt/lb of grain. I mix it all up to get an even distribution. Generally I'm around 12 or so pounds of grain for a batch. I run the first gallon of runnings back into the bucket. On my last batch I even let the brew shop crush the grain for me in case I was doing that wrong but I think I'm pretty close on that step too.

I'm thinking a program on Pro Mash is needed.

[bub]

yeah the soak is the dough in... sort of... all those other names are for more complicated brewing steps... ignore them... the rinse is the sparge...
only run enough back in your mash to get it clear... then go with plain water... also try the batch sparge method.... insted of rinsing, run all the stuff out then add water and stir, let sit 5 minutes and run out again, perform the previous step 2x total (use 1/2 sparge water each time).
This may make up for some inefficiencies possible if you are sparging incorrectly.
BUB

[Pirate Brewer]

Thanks Bub.

What is Mash Out? Pro Mash is asking about a temp for this too.

If I were to batch sparge, then I should do a "batch rinse" twice with the smaller quantities of water?

Since the weather is warmer now I think I might try brewing another batch this Saturday and give this all grain another try. These midwest winters make the brewing rather difficult.

[bub]

Mash out is a process where you add water or otherwise heat the mash to ~178-180F to stop the enzematic action of the mash and make it easier to sparge... don't worry about it yet.
BUB

[numsquat]

In case you can't bask in all the glory that is Bub and still want to watch someone do all grain, James Spencer at Basic Brewing Radio has a DVD on doing all grain http://www.basicbrewing.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2

It appears to get good feedback, covers various mashing and sparging techniques and cost less than $20.