[Philbrew]

OK, I'm making the jump to all grain tomorrow.  1st brew will be a German pils.
Using BeerSmith and Brunwater.

BIAB
7.6 gal. mash
6.9 gal. pre-boil
6.4 gal. post-boil
5.75 in fermenter

9 lb. Weyermann Pilsner, 2.0 SRM (I think)
1 lb. Best Malz Munich,  SRM
.5 lb. cara-pils

Fermentis 34/70 in a 2 qt. shaken-pitch-at-HK starter

- Is 75 min. about right for mash time with 10 min. mash out?

- Target mash PH?

- Is 60 min. enough boil time?

- Anyone know the SRM for Best Malz Munich?

- other thoughts/recommendations?

[RPIScotty]

Why the starter? Just pitch multiple packs of dry yeast.

[Frankenbrew]

You will probably boil off more than 1/2 gallon with a 60 minute boil.

If you google Best Malz Munich, you will get all the big online sellers, and they should have it listed on the spec sheet if you click on it as if you were ordering it.

Target mash ph--5.4???

[RPIScotty]

I just entered the Best Light Munich into ProMash and I believe it was 8L


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[Philbrew]

Why the starter? Just pitch multiple packs of dry yeast.

Just got the one pack.

[jweiss206]

From negative personal experience, I'd do a 90 minute boil to help burn off some of the DMS produced in the Pilsner malt. Had a whole batch taste like creamed corn (it's real).

[Philbrew]

From negative personal experience, I'd do a 90 minute boil to help burn off some of the DMS produced in the Pilsner malt. Had a whole batch taste like creamed corn (it's real).

I was wondering about that.  Thanks.

[Pricelessbrewing]

Welcome to all grain.

Agreed on the boil off rate, probably greater than half a gallon. Shameless plug, look for my http://pricelessbrewing.github.io/BiabCalc for some useful information and estimation tools.

[ynotbrusum]

If your boil is aggressive, there is no need to boil for 90 minutes...but you can do that for color or just to try it out.  60 or less is generally adequate to rid the wort of most SMM issues.

[davidgzach]

From negative personal experience, I'd do a 90 minute boil to help burn off some of the DMS produced in the Pilsner malt. Had a whole batch taste like creamed corn (it's real).

Agreed on the 90 minute boil.  No matter how aggressive your boil, you still may end up with some DMS with 60 minutes, but why take the chance.  Much depends on the brand of malt but I boil all my lagers for 90 minutes.  Had a cabbage Kolsch once.....once.  And that is all it takes to convince you to boil Pils malt 90 mins.  Also, the lighter and less hoppy your beer is, the less you can hide anything that's not 100%.  Then there is taste.  Like diacetyl which I can pick out at the lowest of levels, I didn't really notice the DMS in the Kolsch.  A homebrew buddy almost gagged....

[santoch]

+1 to what they said.

I'd also throw out this - unless you have brewed many extract lagers, brew the beer you already can brew in your sleep as your first AG.  If this is your first German Pils, you may or may not be able to differentiate the cause of the off flavors you may (or may not) produce.

In my experience, folks that start off brewing something easy, forgiving, and familiar (like their favorite APA or a simple Brown or Porter), have an easier time making the AG jump, with a more enjoyable first finished product.

[69franx]

+1 to Steve here. Make your first AG brew something that you have done with extract or partial mash. See if you can detect differences. If your first AG brew is something you've never done, where does that leave you? I know from experience, I just could not figure out the issues I had with all grain till my third batch, when I converted an already completed extract batch. Wish I had thought of that before I jumped into AG

[PORTERHAUS]

If that is your first all grain batch you are off to a much better start that than my first all grain.
 
You didn't mention a mash temp, but you are probably targeting somewhere around 150*. 75 min should be long enough, but lower mash temps sometimes need more time. 90 min mash wont hurt. I also recommend a 90 min boil, it's just cheap insurance. As far as target mash ph, I might target 5.3 with Bru'n water so that you have wiggle room either way, and still be in range.

Good luck, everything looks good. For dry yeast, next time just use more yeast. Starters are for liquid yeasts, 2 packs of dry lager yeast would do ya good. Pitch near or just under your lager temp and keep it there for fermentation and then ramp it up for a diacytel rest before you lager or bottle. That's if you plan on an actual lager.

[RPIScotty]

FWIW, I like short boils no matter the grain bill. 20-25 minutes.



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[Philbrew]

Santoch, 69franx and Porterhaus,
Yeah, I agree, brew something familiar.  A year ago I started out trying to brew an extract lager.  It was, uhm, drinkable.  Since then I've brewed 14 batches of extract lagers, eight of them German Pils.  It took me 6 months to try my first ale (I know, I'm a little bass-ackwards sometimes).