Low Alcohol Beer

[newToBrew]

so I'd like to brew a low Alcohol Batch ( @ 2 - 3 %) sometime in the new year - an inoffensive blonde ale type.

My usual method is pretty simple although I am now only coming to grips with my own set up.
generally it goes like this:
@ 5KG grist - including base, specialty malts etc.
water 2 grain ratio @ 3 Liters to KG
single step mash

( My Kettle looses @ 6 liters to evap & hop soakage - so next time round I'll accommodate this somehow, either add preboiled water to the fermenter before pitch or after primary fermentation has finished, or at bottle time - need to think on this a little  )
Anyway - I kinda stick to this approach mostly - coz its what I'm used to and to make a Low ABV Beer I was thinking of the following:

Initial COnstraint would be to make some small (taste) test batches,

once a suitable taste test has been met - I would intend on brewing the regular 5 gallon
batches

So....
for a 5 gallon batch :


Lets say I just dropped the Grist to half the regular amount  - 2 1/2 KG instead of 5 and just went with the same amount of water  - would this work ?
is there something else here I am not thinking of ?
(  I'm picturing a very watery mash here )


following this train of thought - I guess I could just 1/4 the Grist amount and half the water amount for the test batches ?

Anyone got an easier approach ?

[Ciderhead]

do your normal batch and dilute with water to desired %

[newToBrew]

do your normal batch and dilute with water to desired %

thought of that but a normal batch would b#give me say 5 gallons - don't know that I want to end up with say 10 gallons at the end !!!

[Metattron]

I've done a few like this - just lower your grist but keep the water in the mash to the same ratio as normal.  Just add more water to the boil kettle to bring it up to volume.

[Padraic]

Mashing at a higher temperature is the way to go I think to keep body but have less fermentables after the mash.

[newToBrew]

two good responses - I'd probably go with Metatrons though - seems to stick to the routine I'm used to  - Padraic your idea of mashing at a higher temp is interesting though

[Spud395]

Mashing at a higher temperature is the way to go I think to keep body but have less fermentables after the mash.

+1 on the higher mash temp, you run the risk of having very watery, thin beer if not. You could also add a reasonable percentage of some crystal malt (a light one if you want it pale) For the same reason, to build a bit of body in the beer

[newToBrew]

ok - when you say higher - at what temp ?  & i presume its the usual schedule - an hour ?

[MAF]

Mash at 68-69C for better body.

Another thing to consider is doing a partigyle: you get a strong and a weaker beer with this technique.

[Spud395]

You could go 68-69C it will favour alpha amylase.

Your fine at an hour although you will get away with less. I've taken to doing an iodine test to make sure full conversion has taken place. Mostly conversion will have taken place in 20 mins to a half an hour.
We normally leave it for an hour to further break down these sugars in simpler sugars which are more fermentable.

Edit: Ah the lap top ran out of battery just before I posted and then MAF snuck in unknown to me  :

[newToBrew]

partigyle - that looks interesting alright - kinda gives me the option of brewing a regular blonde, which I will be doing shortly anyway  and then maybe the experimental low alc brew from the sparge 

on the other method - raising the temps - 68-69C thats not mush of a rise compared to what I usually go for  ( @ 67/68 if I recall )
I was expecting you to respond with a much higher temp - have I been mashing too high all along  then ?