[ygt]

I've found what looks like a tasty rye beer recipe:

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/roggen-3/

to try for the summer. It looks to be packed with flavor and still light enough for "lawnmower beer" status. Unfortunately, there are some new steps to me -

1. Rye can be gummy and difficult to sparge, so it benefits from a protein rest. Calculators I've used say for the recipe linked, 28 quarts should be at 147 F to get the first mash/rest at 122 F
2. Decoction called for - 12 quarts - What's more important here, the total volume of the decoction, or the volume of water in the decoction:

For "12 quarts of thickest mash" can I just drain and set aside 16 quarts, boil in my mash tun for 30 minutes, then add that drained liquid back?

This would be the thickest possible decoction, as only the finest particulates are drained in solution - leaving most of the grain. That grain may have absorbed up to 6.5 quarts of water, meaning the entire grain bill will be boiling in 5.5 quarts of water. Volumetrically, though, the full grain bill plus the 12 quarts of water will obviously be of greater volume than the 12 quarts alone. 

Any useful advice toward successful execution of this recipe would be fantastic.
Thank you!

[JJeffers09]

I would rest at the higher end at ~130-33F and add a really hot mash out so you don't leave any efficiency behind in the mlt.  Don't rush the mash.  Be patient and check for conversion.  My last roggienbeir was 2hr10m mash.  Painstakingly delicious beer though.  I enjoy 3068 or 3333.  Either could be the equivalent to 380, I'm not sure.

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[reverseapachemaster]

Unfortunately, there are some new steps to me -

1. Rye can be gummy and difficult to sparge, so it benefits from a protein rest. Calculators I've used say for the recipe linked, 28 quarts should be at 147 F to get the first mash/rest at 122 F
2. Decoction called for - 12 quarts - What's more important here, the total volume of the decoction, or the volume of water in the decoction:

For "12 quarts of thickest mash" can I just drain and set aside 16 quarts, boil in my mash tun for 30 minutes, then add that drained liquid back?

1. You may want to use some rice hulls in addition to a protein rest for easier lautering. The protein rest will help though.

2. Seems like a more difficult process. You want to pull the decoction in the middle of the prior rest and bring it to a boil so it is ready to increase the heat of the mash as soon as the prior rest is over. (For example, in the middle of your protein rest you want to pull the decoction and bring it to a boil so by the time your protein rest is over the decoction goes right in to bring your mash up to saccharification.) What you suggest would add time to your mash while you pull part of the mash out and bring the remainder to a boil. You'd also have to account for heat loss in the portion you take out and for the heat remaining in the mash tun material after boiling in it. [/list]

[JJeffers09]

Unfortunately, there are some new steps to me -

1. Rye can be gummy and difficult to sparge, so it benefits from a protein rest. Calculators I've used say for the recipe linked, 28 quarts should be at 147 F to get the first mash/rest at 122 F
2. Decoction called for - 12 quarts - What's more important here, the total volume of the decoction, or the volume of water in the decoction:

For "12 quarts of thickest mash" can I just drain and set aside 16 quarts, boil in my mash tun for 30 minutes, then add that drained liquid back?

1. You may want to use some rice hulls in addition to a protein rest for easier lautering. The protein rest will help though.

2. Seems like a more difficult process. You want to pull the decoction in the middle of the prior rest and bring it to a boil so it is ready to increase the heat of the mash as soon as the prior rest is over. (For example, in the middle of your protein rest you want to pull the decoction and bring it to a boil so by the time your protein rest is over the decoction goes right in to bring your mash up to saccharification.) What you suggest would add time to your mash while you pull part of the mash out and bring the remainder to a boil. You'd also have to account for heat loss in the portion you take out and for the heat remaining in the mash tun material after boiling in it. [/list]

Does it really matter? You bring a decoction to sacc temp before decocting, then return to the main mash.  If pulled 8 mins or 30 mins into a protein rest, alpha, beta, whatever it's added back to a mash temp north of 148F your getting enzymatic conversion.

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