Thick Mash

[sanders5x]

I am planning a Dopplebock for a future brew, I am gonna need about 16 lbs of grain and with the standard 1.25 qts/lb for the strike puts me at just over 6 gallons. Could I mix the mash a little thicker, say 1 qt/lb or less to get it to fit in my 5 gallon mash tun?

[DrunkenSatyr]

Call me.....lets try the BYO reiterated mash!

[sanders5x]

oh, Great Idea! I will have to read that again.

[Ó Flannagáin]

I'm pretty sure you can get away with 1qt/lb, but I'd do a hint more, maybe 1.05qt/lb to be safe.

[sanders5x]

I just gotta stay under the 5 gallon mark thats all, so 16 lbs. grain + Water < 5 gallons.

[Ó Flannagáin]

You need a bigger MLT!

[BeerBilly]

What he said!

[DrunkenSatyr]

I LOVE my 12 gallon MLT

[sanders5x]

Dude, its in the works! I haven't decided if I want the Keg MLT route or get a 10 gallon rubbermaid cooler. Guess I will have to build both and compare them!

[DrunkenSatyr]

a cooler will never treat you wrong.....HLT is only better for steps and that is still not hard to do with a cooler.

[sanders5x]

I think i'll just RDWHAHB untill I get a bigger MLT

[ohiobrewtus]

a cooler will never treat you wrong.....HLT is only better for steps and that is still not hard to do with a cooler.

I haven't tried step mashing in my cooler yet, but it seems like it would be a PITA to me.

[MrMarbleHead]

I just gotta stay under the 5 gallon mark thats all, so 16 lbs. grain + Water < 5 gallons.

Sorry man, even at 1qt/lb that is going to take up 5.28 gallon of space acording to:
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

16 lb is a lot to fit in a 5 gallon cooler. I would do two 8lb mashes and use the reiterated method, hell if you do it that way you could bump them up to 10lb grainbills and get a little bit bigger beer.

[DrunkenSatyr]

a cooler will never treat you wrong.....HLT is only better for steps and that is still not hard to do with a cooler.

I haven't tried step mashing in my cooler yet, but it seems like it would be a PITA to me.

decoction mashing :)

[sanders5x]

I just gotta stay under the 5 gallon mark thats all, so 16 lbs. grain + Water < 5 gallons.

Sorry man, even at 1qt/lb that is going to take up 5.28 gallon of space acording to:
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

16 lb is a lot to fit in a 5 gallon cooler. I would do two 8lb mashes and use the reiterated method, hell if you do it that way you could bump them up to 10lb grainbills and get a little bit bigger beer.


Ok, so I solved my problem kinda. I got a 10 gallon rubbermaid water cooler gratis and went to HD. Naturally the stuff looked like it would fit, but I am gonna need to make a return trip to get it right. But in the end I'll have a brand new MLT that holds 10 gallons! Woot. This should be fine until I go to 10 gallon batches

[Ó Flannagáin]

Hells yea!!

[MrMarbleHead]

Sweet! got to love spontaneously bought brewing equipment, and it was free so that is even better, I got a lead on a free upright freezer! can you say five tap kegger & cold storage! w00t!

[sanders5x]

See my gallery to get an idea of what the upright looks like! I can squeeze 6 in mine with the co2 outside

[sanders5x]

Ok, so I solved my MLT volume problem. I made a post under brewing equipment because I thought it was more appropriate

[DrunkenSatyr]

Who need organization..