The simplest and easiest way to make beer from all grain malt is to do a single infusion mash followed by batch sparging. The quality of the beer using this method is excellent, and you can save several hours of time compared to doing a decoction mash.
Single Infusion Mash
A single infusion mash means that the grain is steeped in hot water for a certain amount of time. The temperature and amount of time that the malt is mashed are both important to good results. Typically, a single infusion mash is at a temperature from 150F to 155F, with the lower temp being better for dryer beers like pilsner, and the higher temp being better for sweeter beers, like ales and stouts. 60 minutes is a good length of time to mash most beers. Heavier beers may improve with longer mashing of up to 90 minutes.
Batch Sparging
Batch sparging refers to draining the grain and then filling the vessel up with hot water, stirring the grains to rinse out sugars, and then draining the grain again. A typical temperature for sparge water (rinse water) is 170F. Batch sparging does not require long periods of adding water on top of the mash, you just pour all the sparge water into the grain, stir a bit, wait a minute, then start draining. The first few quarts of wort are usually returned to the mash tun because they are cloudy, and the grain bed will help filter out the wort. The issues with batch sparging are how well your equipment drains the mash, and how you are able to get the clearest possible wort (unfermented beer: sugar water) out of the mash tun.
The key to this method is the use of a water cooler with a hose braid drain as a mash tun. See the El Cheapo Mash Tun. This is a 5 gallon Gott cooler with a cork and tube inserted in the outlet hole, and a stainless steel hose braid is used to filter the wort as it drains from the grain. Note that a 10 gallon or larger cooler may be a better choice for heavier beers.
This series is a picture album of a single infusion mash using pilsner malt grain.
Single Infusion Mash Method
For 10 lbs of pilsner malt, with a resulting 5 gallon batch of beer.
Figure on about three to four hours to mash, sparge and brew.
Crush malt and add to mash tun (cooler).
Strike with 3.5 gallons of water at 160F. The resulting temperature in the mash tun should reach 150F, stir well and let rest for 60 minutes.
Drain into boil kettle, recycling the first few quarts to improve clarity.
Heat 4 gallons of water to 170F.
Add 2 gallons water at 170F to mash tun, stir, let rest for a few minutes.
Drain into boil kettle, recycling the first few quarts to improve clarity.
(Repeat)Add 2 gallons water at 170F to mash tun, stir, let rest for a few minutes. If your mash tun is large enough, you may add all 4 gallons at the same time.
Drain into boil kettle, recycling the first few quarts to improve clarity.
There should be about 6 gallons of wort in the boil kettle.