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Author Topic: Poly-gyle?  (Read 3695 times)

Offline Robert

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Re: Poly-gyle?
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2018, 02:05:35 pm »
I think I figured out how to correct for the drop in pH in the second mashing. In theory...

I plan to split my grain bill in half, mashing with the full amount of water. All of the specialty goes in the first mash along with enough of the base malt to make it two equal portions. I calculated what my acid needs are for that. Then I added the second mash grains to the calculation and recompute for total acid needed. Deduct the acid I will put in the 1st Mash and the remainder "should" be the acid I need to add to the 2nd mash.

I need 4ml Lactic 88% in the first half, 7ml for the full grain bill, so 4ml 1st Mash and 3ml added to the 2nd.

Seems like a better method than using too much acid in the 1st Mash, or just hoping the 2nd mash doesn't drop too far.
Of course, Ye Olde Tymers who invented this method didn't know from pH.  And they also didn't have specialty malt. Or water treatment. Or...
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline Stevie

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Re: Poly-gyle?
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2018, 02:27:16 pm »
I’m sure they treated their water to a degree. Measured processes and results may have been limited, but there was always “this worked last time”

Offline Robert

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Re: Poly-gyle?
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2018, 06:45:23 pm »
Hey, if you're going to try the old double mash, why not make a real old-timey day of it? Old English brewers, aware that, in the days before sparging, they were leaving a lot of sugar in the grains, would regularly (after running the wort into the kettle) "cap" the mash with another 20% or so fresh malt, and mash again for a small(er) beer.  Surely they'd have done that after running off the second wort of a double!
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Poly-gyle?
« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2018, 07:13:41 pm »
You could do that. But I won't have room.

Offline Robert

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Re: Poly-gyle?
« Reply #19 on: January 04, 2018, 07:17:00 pm »
You could do that. But I won't have room.
And you'll be leaving less sugar behind too, so it might not get much of a small beer, I suppose.
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.