[Will's Swill]

That will dilute your OG.  Why not just dump the remains in your kettle into your fermenter?  A gallon is a lot to lose on a 5 gallon batch.

[ckpash88]

The kit has alot of corn in it so no big grain flavor. The biggest flavor is the hops. I am adding extra corn sugar to make up for the lack of alcohol and maltodextrin so I can keep the  head retention.

I am trying to keep the hop settlement out of it.

should I add the extra water to the sparge or straight to the pot.

[denny]

maltodextrin so I can keep the  head retention.

 

[Will's Swill]

I presume you're batch sparging?  If so, you could add it to the sparge.  Or you could strain your hops out and not lose any goodness...

[ckpash88]

I meant to say body not head retention. Yeah I currently am batch sparging

[a10t2]

Do I just add the extra gallon to the kettle and do the mash and strike amounts like the recipe says?

You could, but doing a concentrated boil when you don't have to is just needlessly reducing your efficiency. I'd add it equally to the strike and sparge.

[oscarvan]

Read.

edited by mod to remove link

You know you can get HTB online *legally*, right? http://www.howtobrew.com/

How To Brew is the only book you'll ever need, IMO. Everything else you need to know you can find online or through the many forums. Actually, as noted, that book is available online as well.

The third edition is less than $20 on amazon IIRC. Support Mr Palmer. After all he has given to the homebrewing community it would be a real shame to infringe on his copyright by distributing illegal versions of his book.

OK, havn't been on this thread in a while. I was not aware that that was a fraudulent link, and apologize to John for posting it. Myself I paid for the hardcopy 3rd edition, as well as a slew of books from other excellent authors. Not trying to backstab these fine folks in any way shape or form.

[oscarvan]

Oh, and my strike temp is only 5º in summer and 10º in winter above target using a 70qt Extreme. The HLT is only a two feet gravity hose away from the MT. I suggest doing some water only experimenting.

[ckpash88]

ok my question is about mash temps.
from my understanding if you mash at 145 degrees you get more fermentable sugar making it dryer.
and at 160 you get nonfermentable sugars making it thicker

So my recipe that I bought ask for a mash temp at 152, I am guessing they wanted that so get a mix of sugars?

This is all very complex

[a10t2]

from my understanding if you mash at 145 degrees you get more fermentable sugar making it dryer.
and at 160 you get nonfermentable sugars making it thicker
So my recipe that I bought ask for a mash temp at 152, I am guessing they wanted that so get a mix of sugars?
This is all very complex

Not so very complex really. You've got it exactly right. Although 145°F is pretty low for a single infusion mash - I wouldn't go below about 149°F or you may have problems with the mash fully converting.

[ckpash88]

what's the lowest I can go to make the dryest I can?

[ckpash88]

My target temp was 152 what would happen if it was 150 or 153 or 154 or 155...etc.

[a10t2]

When mashing for high fermentability, I'll typically hold 149°F for 90 min, instead of my usual 60 min mash. If I do that and have little or no crystal malt in the grist, I'll get 80-85% ADF using ale yeasts and 85-90% with a lager yeast.

I don't worry about variations of less than 1°F.

[ckpash88]

...oh man you made it even harder lol. What does amount of time do to the mash. If I were to mash at 90 min instead of 60 what would that do? When is 60 better and when is 90 better?

[morticaixavier]

...oh man you made it even harder lol. What does amount of time do to the mash. If I were to mash at 90 min instead of 60 what would that do? When is 60 better and when is 90 better?

Let's see if I can get this right (I might have these backwards)

Beta amylase works best at lower temps and makes for more fermentable wort but it is slower.
Alpha amylase works best at a higher temp, makes for less fermentable wort but is is faster.

If you look in your copy (you must have one) of NCJOHB (new complete joy of homebrewing) or any other homebrewing book of that type they will go into more (or at least more creative) detail on the subject with actuall temp ranges etc.