For some reason I had a pound of pilsner malt. No more, no less. I wanted to use it to
make an American lager but did not want to add any 2-row. So, based on a podcast at Basic Brewing, I decided to try thinning my mash to increase efficiency.
Ingredients: 1lb pilsner; 1lb flaked corn; .75 lb munich; .10lb carapils; .25 Saaz@60mins; .5 Saaz@20mins; .25 Saaz@2mins; S-23; irish moss
Instead of my normal 1:1.25 ratio I
increased the water to 2.25. I mashed in with 161F water. Then after a really good stir, the mash hit 154.6F. I sealed up the mash tun and waited 60 minutes. First sparge with .9 gallons @ 169F, stirred really well, mash hit 156. Second sparge 1 gallon @ 176F, stirred again, mash hit 166.5. I ended up a little over my boil volume so I boiled a little off. I guess a little too much because I ended up with 2.4 gallons. The rest of the recipe went as written. Pitched at 68F.
The thinned mash worked. I got to 81% vs my normal 75% efficiency. OG of 1.035 should give me the 3.4% ABV I wanted. I am also trying to decide if I am going to add amylase.