Making
the Mini Mash Lauter Tun (the lauter tun separates the sweet wort from the
grains after the mash). Take 2x5L fermenter buckets, fit a tap close to the bottom of
one of the fermenters and drill several dozen 2mm holes in the base of the
other. The bucket with the holes in the base sits inside the bucket with the tap
and is used to hold back the grains.
This is just a lauter tun, the mash will be done in a large pan in the oven.
(Tip, preheat the oven first).
The Recipe
1.1kg Pale Malt
50g Crystal Malt
16g Fuggles (full boil)
4g Fuggles (late copper hops/last 15mins)
Pinch of Irish Moss, (last 15 mins)
Step 1. Weigh out the grains and put to one side.
Step 2. Prepare the strike water, about 2.5 L at 72 deg in a 7L (min capacity) stock pot.
Step 3.
Mix in
the Grains (doughing in) Which should bring the temperature down to 64-66 deg c.
Cold water can be added to bring the temperature down further if required or the
grains can be heated on the stove to bring the temperature up. Put on the lid
and place in the oven. This should be set close to its lowest temperature as the
idea is to hold the grains at a temperature as close to 64-66 deg c as possible.
Its a good idea to test this setting out using a pot of water without the grains first and put a pencil mark on the dial at the setting which holds the temperature closest to the required range
Once the grains are in check after 5 mins, then after 10 mins and adjust each time as required, it may even be necessary to turn the oven off occasionally but eventually it should be possible to leave them for the whole mash period with just one or two checks. Don't let the grains go above 75 deg c, if they do, add cold water to bring them down to the 64-66 deg c range.
Step 4. After a 90 min mash period, pour the grains into the lauter tun and set it up as shown. Then prepare around 2L of sparge water by boiling a kettle and mixing it with cold water to bring the temperature down to 77 deg c in a large thermos flask or jug.
Step 5. the run off. Gently crack open the tap a little at allow
the wort to flow out, occasionally return this to the grains being careful not
to disturb the grain bed. A sheet of tin foil with holes in helps diffuse the
flow,
it's not always possible to get a perfectly clear run off and it isn't necessary.
Once the flow is reasonably clear allow it run in to your (now rinsed out) stock
pot.
As the flow tails off, close the tap, remove the foil and add the sparge water, carefully mix it in and allow to sit for 10 mins. Meanwhile, prepare more sparge water. Run off for a second time. Repeat
After the third time of doing this, check the gravity of the runnings, if they are above 1010 adjusted for temperature, repeat and stop when the runnings are 1006 (adjusted for temperature). If below 1010, carefully 'fly sparge' by adding hot water to the mash tun using foil as shown to diffuse the flow, stop when the runnings are at 1006 to prevent leeching unwanted tannins from the grains.
Links to other parts of this site.
Home How to Make Up a Beer Kit My Brupaks Kit Instructions DaaB's False Bottom Mash Tun Clean and Sanitising Site Contents
Jims Beer Kit (All Grain Brewing) Brewing Equipment How to Mini-Mash Extract Brewing All Grain Brewing (New) Useful Links
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Last Update 12/03/07