Brewday HOT VIDEO ACTION - Festbier & partigyle patersbier - Single decoction & partial mash

There are a lot of pots on a
decoction brew day.

Sunday... we were up to our usual craziness again.  It was just me and Mark Anthony, and when we brew alone, we tend to do crazy, difficult, and complicated stuff.  Now, I am not necessarily advocating that for any of you.  Especially if you are new to brewing.    But, we like to push ourselves and we enjoy trying new techniques.    So we brewed 8 gallons of beer in about 5 hours.  Both beers were decocted...

We brewed a festbier.  A medium gravity lager that is served at October fest in Germany.  I have written about it before.   It is a fantastic German Lager.  We will be using the fast lager method described on brulosophy.   This beer needs to be step mashed or decocted to get the malty profile and mouth feel that you want in a festbier.   So that is exactly what we did.  But we were using grains from Cargill.  Europils, and Muesserdoerffer Vienna, so we didn't feel the need to do a tripple decoction.  We knew we would get the conversion we were looking for from a single decotion and from a good amylase rest.  We love these grains, and they convert like a mother.  The extraction is always good even in a single stage mash.

We started with a brief enzyme wash at 132 F, for 15 minutes.   That is more than enough time for the enzymes to wash into the wort.    At the end of the enzyme wash we pulled a 2/3 rds decoction and started the crazy process of decocting our mash.    The video below does a pretty good job showing you the decoction process.   Apologies in advance for bad lighting and for my rant 2/3rds of the way through.

Checking the strike temp for the
festbier.  The water is treated.

From there on the festbier was easy, two hop additions, nutrients, and Irish moss.    Neither of these beers are very hoppy, so we used the "no chill" method.   We generally prefer to chill our batches but today, time pressures of normal life meant we would just no chill.   I have never had a problem with "no chill" especially for batches that are not hoppy.    We hit our gravity and we let it chill.   Mark Anthony is taking the batch to Johns tonight to put it into the fermentation chamber for the fast lager method.

rapid boil on the cajun injector

So we had these grains, that had only been decocted once,  they are awesome grains and there was still some sugar in them, 1.013 to be precise.   That is pretty low.  But a patersbier is a low gravity Belgian beer.   If you are not familiar with patersbier, it is a low gravity beer made by the monks for daily consumption.   It is not a blonde ale, or a belgian single.  Although, recently there has been a push to call it a belgian single.   It is made with abbey yeast, not belgian ale yeast.    And most importantly it is delicious.    We knew a pound of pilsen DME and a boil would fix that.

There was a problem with our color... it looked like... ZIMA,  or for you youngsters... a mikes hard lemondade.  It was just too light in color.   Well we know how to fix that.... another decoction.   So I took the grains, put them in a pot and started a decotion.   30 minutes later we had a malty aroma and a wonderful color.   We added the grains in a bag to a bottling bucket and then we poured 4 gallons of treated water at 168 F onto the grains.    A bag and a bottling bucket might be the best way to do a partigyle.   It was so easy.   Think we'll post a video of this process next time.   The batch was brought to a boil on the stove and usual brewing practices took place.  We added Saaz hops at 60, 30, 15, and 0.  Irish Moss and yeast nutrient at 10 minutes.    The final gravity was 1.044, which is a little high for a patersbier.  But it will be delicious.

And for those of you who doubt that we can get a rigourous boil on the cajun injector, here is an older video of a 6.5 gallon wort boiling.

Gather your stuff it's time for Ooompah! German festbier!

haben sie gehort das deutsches band?

Ok,  so believe it or not, it is time to start getting ready for fall.  And fall means bigger bolder beers.  Fall means darker heavier beers, and fall means... Oktoberfest right?   Well yes, and in truth.... No.  The Germans don't really serve Maibock at Oktoberfest anymore.  Well they serve it, but it isn't the main beer they serve.  And I have it on good authority if you want a Mass of Oktoberfest, you have to get up from your picnic table and walk over to the bar where they are pouring other beers. And who wants to leave the picnic table in the meadow tent and do that?  The main beer they serve is called Festbier.  Festbier literally means Festival beer. It is the deep golden (but not amber) colored low alcohol beer you see in the pictures of the beer tents.  Festbier has a malty malty taste, a medium body, balanced hops, and a clean finish. There was an excellent article on Festbier in the Jan/Feb 2016 edition of BYO by Gordon Strong.   I am assuming you all know who Gordon Strong is... no? ok...

All Hail Gordon Strong.

Well then, let's back up a minute.  Gordon Strong is BYO's (brew your own) style columnist.  He is also the president of the BJCP, an award winning brewer, and the highest ranking beer judge in the world.  He won the Ninkasi award 3 freaking years in a row. In his books he teaches and talks about realistic techniques for brewing better beer at home.  The fundamental idea, is that styles are generated by the people who brew.  10 years ago American Strong Ale was not a style.  But people kept making it and the BJCP studied it and added it. Gordon Strong is a realist, he is the ultimate beer geek. He is our king, you owe him your allegiance.  His style columns are meant to inform you about a type of beer you may want to experience.  So check out his books and columns, they're truly great.   And in the January / February issue of BYO he uncorks one hell of a recipe, and of course he makes it easy.

Believe it or not, these frauleins are holding beers.
I can't quite make out the beers, but I have been assured
that they are in the photo somewhere.

In fact, he makes it too easy.   But have no fear our somewhat regular and loyal readers.  We'll fix that with our usual dose of complicated absurdity. We'll be influenced by Gordon's recipe but we'll be changing the grain bill slightly and doing a triple decoction mash. Our goals; have fun, add richness, add mouthfeel, and obtain the almost tawny golden color you see in the photo of the frauleins at the left side of the page  We're posting the recipe early and the ingredients and equipment you will need in hopes that many of you will join us in our quest to make this great fall beer. We will be doing a no sparge, triple decoction.  And of course we'll be using the fast lager method because...well why the heck wouldn't you?  If you want to lager it for months be our guest. There is nothing wrong with that practice. Does the beer improve with extra cold storage?   Yes, probably. maybe... in truth we have no idea, we drink it before it ages.  But by using a fast lager fermentation you can still lager part of the batch in your keg, or in bottles.  And you can start drinking some of the beer sooner.

Yes, sports fans she is also holding
beers, I know it is hard to see them.
But with the trained eye, you can
make them out.  I think these might
be traditional Marzen!

Oom-pah!
6 gallons (5.5 to ferment, 5 to package)
1.054 OG
1.012 FG
6 SRM
5.5% ABV

7.6 lbs of Pilsner
4.4 lbs of Vienna (no munich? nope, were doing a decoction)
.25 lbs of Flaked Barley - for head retention, it works, try it.
0.5 oz  of Magnum at 60 minutes  14,7% AA,  7.35 AAUs
0.8 oz  of Hallertauer Mittlefruh  2.2% AA, 1,76 AAUs
1 Package of Fermentis 34/70
1 tsp of yeast nutrient at 15 minutes
1 tsp of irish moss at 15 minutes
1 tsp of unflavored gelatin - for fining the beer.

Decoction schedule - 

• Enzyme Wash - 132 F - Calculate your needed strike water temperature
• 1st Decoction- 146-148 F - Pull a thick 2/3rds decoction, rest at 150 F for 10 M, then boil for 10 M Return to raise the wort to 146 to 148 F.  Hold for 1 minute, stir, then pull 2nd decotion
• 2nd Decoction - 156-158 F - Pull a thick 2/3rds decoction, boil for 10 M Return to raise the wort to 156 to 158 F.  Hold for 1 minute, stir, then pull 3rd decotion - Schluss Decoction (Schluss means conclusion or final)
• Schluss Decoction - Pull enough grain free wort from your mash to raise the temperature of the mash to 168 F.   You'll have to do the math on brew day.  I use brewers friend calculator for infusion step mashing.   
• Vourlauff - We vourlauff the entire volume almost like a fly sparge, it gets all the chunkies out. And we use an extra brew bag... so do please stay tuned for our brewday videos and post, you're gonna love it!  

Boil - Described above, but boil hard

Fermentation schedule - 

• 7 days at 52 F We may also add fermaid K at day 3 of fermentation to ensure the beer finishes clean and crisp.
• 3 days at 68 F
• 1 day at 50 F (add Gelatin)
• 10 days at 34 F
• Package, and store the beer cold.  It does get even better with time, but it's pretty damned good, how it is.

Hot Video Brewing Action... the French Country Ale Brew Day

You'll know you are becoming a great home brewer when you can adapt on the fly and still nail your; gravity, color, and volume.  That is just what Mark and I did today.  But let me back up and explain what happened and how we got to where we wanted to be.   And congratulations to you for reading this blog today, because today and today only we will reveal a great secret tool for making decoction easier. 

The plan today was very straight forward.  We intended to brew a french country ale.  A rich, malty, high alcohol, luxurious country ale.   Not a saison and not a farmhouse ale, a french country ale. The recipe was inspired by "Farmhouse Ales" by Phil Markowski. In the book, Markowski explains that most of the Biere de Garde beer in France is actually brewed with clean ale yeast. Not with Saison or Monastery yeast. The idea of turning Biere de Garde into an estery Saison, or spicy, phenolic beer is an American idea.  Well that struck a chord with us.  So we planned the recipe, we knew we were going to make 3.5 gallons and take 3 gallons to the fermenter.   We knew we were going to step mash and do at least one decoction.  We knew what our color was going to be, or what it was supposed to be.   And then we started brewing.  And that's when everything changed.  The color wasn't right, the wort was delicious, but not decadent.  We had to do something to get the beer we wanted. 

But fortunately for us, and for you our somewhat loyal readers, we have prepared ourselves for just about any brewing situation.   And we knew just what to do to get the beer we wanted. 

We started with a betaglucan rest at 119 F.   We were actually shooting for 116 F, but I recently filled the cavity of the Cajun Injector Electric Turkey Fryer with ceramic foam, and boy oh boy does it hold heat now.  Listen to me round eye, when you make changes to your system, you will have to learn your system all over again.  There is virtually no heat loss on a small high gravity (high grain) batch of beer.  That is exciting, that means we can hold temperature on our mashes in the future with out any problem.   

Our next rest was supposed to be at 132 F, but we were not impressed with the color at all, and so... we decided to pull an additional decotion.  Rather than doing a single decoction to go to mash out, we were now doing a double decoction. So we pulled the grains and let the element in the kettle raise the main mash slowly to 146 F.  Slowly, was the key, by going slowly we went through the protinase rest as well. Mark kept a close eye on the main mash while I handled the first decoction.  And by the way, we used Vienna Malt by Muessdoerffer.  Amazing stuff, after the first decoction the wort tasted grainy, and bready, with slight caramel and nut notes. 

When we returned the decoction to the mash we raised the temperature from 146 F to 154 F. But we had an ace up our sleeve.  While we were decocting we added a second bag to the kettle and we scooped the remaining grains into the bag... When we poured the decoction back into the kettle we poured the decoction into this second bag... By now you know we were up to something.  And here it is.  A second bag is a great help in a decoction.   This is a great technique,  we hope you'll give it a try. 

With the help of the bag we were able to easily pull a thick mash decoction for mash out.  Mark handled this decoction while I started weighing hops and additions, and updating the brew log. The second decoction, gave us even more richness, and a beautiful color.   We added the decoction back into the main mash when we both thought the color was where we wanted it.   When we added the decoction back in, our temperature came up to 166 F.  So we turned on the element and rose to 170 F. for 10 minutes. 

We then pulled the bag, set it on a colander over the kettle, vourlauffed the entire volume of wort, and sparged to a volume of 4 gallons.  We generally only lose about .5 gallons an hour in the electric turkey fryer.  Our Gravity was 1.060.  Perfect.  The sugar addition and the boil would take us to 1.074.  

The boil was uneventful standard home brewing stuff.  We added Northern Brewer as a first wort hop,  Mt Hood for flavor, and Styrian Golding for Aroma.   We added Irish Moss, and Yeast Nutrient.   At the end of the boil we drained the wort into Mark's 5 gallon kettle, chilled in the sink, in an ice bath.   Once we were at temperature we poured the wort back and forth between Mark's kettle and the fermenter.   This is an easy way to aerate.   Our gravity was 1.074.  So we pitched 1.25 packages of Fermentis K-97, Kolsch yeast.  

Lots of yeast, a rich healthy environment, lots of nutrient, lots of aeration... this beer should be amazing.  Really looking forward to trying this one. 

Advanced Mashing for advanced results

This is a beer for the common man of France,
The French country ale shares it's heritage with
Biere de Garde, but unlike BDG doesn't need
long periods of lagering to finish malty and clean.

John is out of town for the Holiday weekend.  So that leaves the rest of the Counterbrew team to carry the torch. The infusion mash Tripel will have to wait a week.  So we're brewing at Mark's this weekend. We are making a french country ale, not a saison, not a farmhouse ale.  This beer is not yeast centric. It's a rich malty clean country ale. If you want to get technical this is a Biere de Garde.  But it doesn't really need to be lagered because we are using K97 Kolsch yeast.  It will be clean at packaging.   We will be step mashing  8 lbs of grain in the turkey fryer, then pulling a decoction to raise to mash out, adding even more malt flavor and color.  It's going to be a lot of stirring, but we are up for it.  Stirring?  Yes, stirring.  When ever you are doing a step mash, and applying direct heat, you should stir your mash.   Your goal is to keep the temperature consistent through out the mash and to keep the areas close to the fire from over heating. So if the element is on, we are stirring.

What?  You can't use a spoon to keep temperatures consistent, you have to have a eHERMs, recirculating wort, blue tooth controlled wort production machine!

Well yes, yes you can use a spoon.  I can and do all the time.  It's just home brew.  You can do what ever you want.  And I want to brew 3.5 gallons of a french country ale with a luxurious malt profile and mouth feel.   And they way you do that?  You step mash, and you do a decoction.  Both techniques have been covered ad nauseum on this blog, recently.  So I won't get into too much detail on that today.

Wait a minute, hold on now you're brewing a weird size.  What the holy heck?  Why can't you just do things the way the beer police say to do them? 

Well in truth, at Mark's we dont want to make a 5 gallon batch.  He lives in a loft.  We don't want to carry beer from the kitchen to the laundry room for chilling.   So we make a smaller batch and chill it with an ice batch in the sink.

This weekend we will be showing you that you can combine techniques.  They are just tools.  And we'll be applying the knowledge we have built with you on this site to use step mashing and decoction,

So here is the recipe, and the process.  Just in case you want to brew along.

color will be
somewhere
between these

Belle Terre - 3.5 gallon biere de garde - really a french country ale.
1.074 OG
1.014 FG
24 IBUs
11 SRM - may be slightly higher due to the decoction
7.9% ABV

5.5 lbs of Vienna Malt -

the longer
you decoct
the darker
the color

.75 lbs of Munich
.75 lbs of C20
1.0 lbs of Table Sugar
.50 lbs of Aromatic
.50 lbs of Biscuit

.6 oz of Northern Brewer at First Wort  9% AA = 5.4 AAUs
.5 oz of Strisselspalt at 25 Minutes to go in the boil 4% AA = 2 AAUs
.5 oz of Strisselspalt at 10 Minutes to go in the boil 4% AA = 2 AAUs

1 tsp of yeast nutrient

Fermentis K97 Yeast 2 packages.  Added Dry to chilled wort

The Mash
The grains will strike into 4.5  Gallons of 120 F water - The grains will rest at 115 F for 15 Minutes
The mash will be stirred and heated to 132 F - where it will rest for 15 minutes
The mash will be stirred and heated to 146 F - where it will rest for 30 Minutes
A decoction will be pulled and brought to a boil for 15 minutes  no need to rest at 150 -
The decoction will be added back into the main mash to raise the temperature to 168 F.
The grains will be pulled and set on a rack above the kettle to drain. squeeze to get to volume.
The pre boil volume should be about 4 Gallons.

From here on out it is just like any other batch.

Easy Decoction... no additional time... 2 part decoction step mash

There is a reason real
Bohemian and German
Lagers are made with
decoction mashing.

Wow, and thank you all for the amazing response to the decoction series.  The questions and conversation sparked on Facebook, and on Google+ have been fantastic.  We have some more decoctions coming up.

Sunday's brew was a traditional tripel decoction.  We skipped the proteolytic enzyme rests.  They do help with breaking up proteins and with head retention.  Many brewers report creamy meringue like heads from decoction.  This is especially true when you include the acid and protein rests.  In a couple of weeks when we do the bohemian pilsner, we'll do the full totally geeky process begining at 95 F, then we'll do infusions to 110 F and 132 F, and then a triple decoction. We'll use minimal chemical additions.  Should be exhausting, should be fun, and should make some world class beer.   But you have also heard me say over and over that decoction is just a tool.  A tool you can use to improve your beer.   We also do decoctions on lots of different styles of beer, and we have developed a simple two step decoction process.

Today in an effort to make clear our easy two step decotion or "Easy Decoction"  I am writing the process and posting a recipe for a hoppy pilsner.  You must have temperature control to make this recipe. If you do not have temperature control, then I would suggest using Fermentis K-97 yeast. Fermentis K-97 is a Kolsch yeast.  It produces minimal esters, 23 ppm.  It will be very close.  But you will have to fine the Kolsch yeast with gelatin, or another fining agent.  They are notoriously bad flocculators.   The good news is this is a process you can use to make any style of beer, but works best for all German Lagers,  Belgian Ales,  American premium lagers and any beer where you are using under modified grains.  (anything called floor malted or organic benefits from decoction, although I would recommend multiple rest for these malts, acid, protein, beta, alpha mash out )

Decoction is no big
deal.  You can do it!

Our Easy Decoction method does not add hours to a brew day, the additional time is around 30 minutes.   That is half an hour more time to dramatically improve your beer.    I hope this is helpful to you all.   More than anything I hope you come to understand that decoction, and infusion mashing are just tools.  You can use them to improve your beer.  You can use them because they are fun.  You can use them separately, or you can use them together.   In a later post, we will make a Bohemian Pilsner where we actually use infusion step mashing and decoction.  Of course no technique can replace the importance of good sanitation, and proper fermentation.   So if you are having issues with off flavors, you need to work on those techniques before you worry about decoction, infusion or partigyle.  Here is the other great news, you do not need to have fancy gear, pumps, or recirculating anything in order to make great beer with these advanced techniques.  And nothing will get you more in touch with your beer than these hands on brews.  

You can also use these techniques for small batch.   I love small batch brewing. Standing at the stove channeling my inner Belgian Monk or German brewmeister.  I brew far more often than you see on this blog.  I am always screwing around with something.  I usually brew 2.25 gallons when I brew small.

Ja Whol! - inspired by Pivo Pilsner.

OG 1.050
FG  1.012
Color 4 - 5 SRM - your recipe calculator will say 2 srm. The decoction adds the color.  Decoction also gives the beer a shimmering brilliance.

IBUs - 58
ABV 5%

Grist
9.5 lbs of Pilsner -  we recommend Weyermann Barke Pilsner or Cargill EuroPils

Boil Additions
1 oz of Magnum at 60 minutes - 14.7% alpha acid = 14.7 AAUs
2 tsp of yeast nutrient at 15 minutes
1 tsp of Irish moss at 12 minutes
1 oz of Spalt Select at 10 minutes  5% alpha acid = 5 AAUs
1 oz of Spalt Select at 5 minutes   5% alpha acid = 5 AAUs

Yeast
Fermentis 34 / 70 two packs (if you can't lager then use Fermentis K-97, one pack)

Dry Hop
2 oz of Hallertauer Saphir for 5 days.3.2% alpha acid = 6.4 AAUs (LHBS may just call it Saphir)

Mash procedure;   Our mash is very thin, often no sparge or very little sparge.   It works fine.

• Rest at 146 for 20 minutes
• Pull a decoction of 1 quart per pound of grain. 
• Put decoction into a separate kettle. 
• Rest decoction at 150 F for 15 minutes then bring to a boil for 15 minutes stirring constantly.
• Return decoction to the main mash, temperature should rise to about 156 F.  
• The mash temperatures are not as big a deal as you think.  As long as alpha amylaze is activated by your second decoction you are fine.   Don't exceed 165 F.
• Rest for 10 minutes
• Pull the thin mash decoction through your valve.  Pull enough thin mash to raise the temperature to 168+ F. 
• Bring thin mash to a boil and then return it to the main mash.  The temperature should come up above 168 F.  
• Mash out rest for 10 minutes. 
• Boil and make additions as normal.  Watch for boil overs when ever you decoct. 

Dry yeast, especially
Fermentis 34/70 is a
great yeast for lagering.

At the end of the boil chill to fermentation temperatures and aerate.  This is a lager, so you will need to use additional yeast and lots of aeration.   We generally chill to as low as we can with our Jaded Hydra and then put the fermenters into the chamber to get them to pitch temps.   The next day we aerate and pitch the yeast.

Here is another shocker...we prefer dry yeast for lagers.   Dry yeast is packaged with oxygen and nutrients.  So we don't even rehydrate.  We just pitch the yeast right on top of the aerated wort.   We use the fast lager method so many of you have read about on Brulosophy.   Because we aerate the next day, we generally ferment in plastic buckets.  We aerate with a sanitized paint mixer.  Say what you want, 5 minutes of this gives plenty of O2 for the yeast to use when using dry yeast.  Since we use the quick lager method we are not experiencing any oxidization from the buckets, the beer isn't in there long enough to oxidize.   We generally go 10 days at 52 F, then 10 days at 68 F, then 10 days at 34 F.   It makes clean crisp perfect lagers. 

Fermaid K can help your yeast
finish strong.  Remember it's all
just yeast.

If fermentation gets stuck, which can happen with a lager,  we add fermaid K yeast nutrient and swirl gently.  We dont want oxygen at this point. Gently swirling gets the yeast back up into suspension.   We have had great success with this method.  Jake took a beer that was stuck at 1.030 and got it down to 1.018 by swirling gently daily. 

The total time for the decoction mash will be around 90 minutes.  A full on triple decoction usually takes us around 2 hours and 20 minutes.   So this is way faster than a traditional decoction mash.  And way more fun than just sitting around in the garage during the mash.   

I hope you will give decoction mashing a try at some point.  It really is a ton of fun.  And it improves your beer.   And this recipe is fantastic.

Triple Decoction Munich Helles - Home brew geekery

He can't carry anything, but he can
damned sure grind the grains!
Warning fellow brewers, don't
leave pilsner near John.  He eats
it like pop corn... all day.

Sunday was a beautiful and peaceful day in KC.  A gorgeous day to brew.   Brewing with a team is great.  There are things you can not do by yourself that you can do with just a little help from your team.  Our team is spread out right now.  Jake was at the TPC in Jacksonville.   Mark is still in Brazil and John is hampered by a torn Achilles tendon right now.   But there is still a lot he can do.   Fortunately for us, John's lovely wife stepped up and helped a lot.  (Thank you Beth).

So Sunday, John and I set out to brew a triple decoction Munich Helles with Cargill Europils.   Europils is grown in Canada, but made following traditional European practises.  We think it is fantastic stuff.   Our hops were BSG small package Hallertauer Mittlefruh.

Our goal was to stick to traditional brewing as much as possible, and to make things easy as possible.

We used no water treatments other than camden to knock out the chlorine.   The pH adjustment was made with 1lb of acidulated malt.  Our pH after dough in came in at 5.44.  The wort tasted amazing.   I am not saying we are committed to this approach all of the time.  In fact, I would say generally we will make full water chemistry adjustments.   But today, John and I were geeking out and channelling the wisdom of the German brewers of old.

Silicone gloves are a must have
for a decoction brew day!
In fact,  I would suggest
that they are a must have
for all BIAB brewdays!

We let the grains rest for 15 minutes at 132 F before pulling our first decoction.  This is called the enzyme wash.  It allows the majority of the enzymes to get into the liquid.  Our trusty 1 quart metal mesh strainer broke, So we had to use a pitcher to remove the grains from the mash tun.   I strongly suggest that you, use a mesh strainer.   If you don't have a mesh strainer, just go get one, and know that if you decoct a lot, you will be replacing it once a year.  Using a pitcher was such a pain in the ass, and on a brew day you know is going to be long, it just isn't worth it.   But we made do.  The first decoction rested at 150 for 15 minutes and then was heated to a boil.  Jake's jet burner makes quick work of decoction heating.   Beth, John, and I took turns stirring the decoction boil for the 15 minutes.   And then the entire decoction was returned to the main mash.  The temperature rose to 145 F.  I do need to say, if you do not own silicone gloves, you really need them for a decoction brew day. You will be lifting heavy kettles full of boiling grains and wort.

Decoction Mashing, what it looks like.

We rested at 145 F for 15 minutes and then pulled our next decoction.  The second decoction is faster. You really don't need to rest at 150 on the second decoction.   You can proceed straight to the boil. Once again Beth, John and I all took turns stirring for the 15 minutes.   The second decoction, really all decoctions will seem really dry when you first put them in the kettle.  But they will give off the wort as they come to a boil.   By the time you are done with the decoction it will be soupy.   So don't worry just keep stirring.   We returned the decoction to the main mash and rested for 20 minutes.  The temperature rose to 155 F.


After 20 minutes we pulled a thin decoction.  Now, what the heck is a thin decoction?  It's just wort.  We pulled 4 gallons of wort from the mash and brought it to a boil.  When it boiled we poured it back into the main mash for the mash out.  The temperature rose to 170 F.   We rested for 10 minutes and then collected 11 gallons of wort for the boil.  You can use this techniqe for any mash out.

Our target wort gravity was 1.034.  We were at 1.042.   So we overshot again, but we were with in a reasonable tolerance.  The proteins kept building during the boil.  Even with Fermcap S we almost had boil overs.   I know that decoction completely unbundles the proteins, I'm sure this has something to do with our results.  Hallertaurer is low this year 2.5% alpha acid. So we added  .6 oz of warrior at 60 minutes, just to get our bittering where we wanted it. We added 1 oz of Hallertauer at 60, .6 oz of Warrior at 60, and 1.5 oz of Hallertauer at 5 m.  The beer was chilled to ground water temps of 57 F with our Jaded Hydra Chiller.  We let the chiller run for 10 minutes to get to 57 F.  next time we'll set up a final chiller with a sump pump and the old immersion chillers.  Just get a hydra.  Don't whine about the cost, it's the best money you will spend.  We can chill 10 gallons from boiling to pitch temps in about 6 minutes.

Rigorous Boil.  That was Jake's nickname in college

The boil was too rigorous we ended up collecting only 9 gallons of wort, at 1.068 OG.  4.5 gallons in two plastic fermentation buckets.  The simple solution was to add a gallon of spring water to each fermenter.  The beers were placed into the fermentation chamber which was set to 52 F.   After work tonight I'll be swinging by aerating, and pitching the yeast.   We are pitching 34/70 into one of these, and S23 into the other.    That way we can compare the two Fermentis yeasts and decide which one we prefer for this beer.

Overall this was a really fun and fantastic brew day.  I'll admit, I love decoction.  It is a blast.   And it doesn't have to be intimidating.   And it isn't just for german brews.  You can, and we have, add a decoction to your favorite ipa recipe and really create a great malt backbone.  Now, I know a lot of you will argue that decoction is not necessary.  And to you I say... you are correct.   You can make really fine beer with out decoction.   I know a lot of you will argue that decoction makes no difference, and to you I will say... you are just wrong.   It makes a tremendous difference in color, mouthfeel, and in taste.    So I encourage all of you to give it a try.  You wont be disappointed.

We have some exciting brews coming up.   We have a full team triple decoction Pilsner Urquel clone coming up.   We will be making our amazing tripel, because we are out of it and we all want more.  But we will be making it in a 10 gallon batch.   Then we will be making the fall beers.   A festbier (easy decoction), a BSDA, and for Beth a pumpkin beer.  Then our focus shifts to winter beers.   So by mid to late summer we will be making a fall Saison, and some great big Stouts for winter consumption. But don't fret sports fans, Mark and I will keep making some weird small batch stuff, wine, and sours.  So keep checking in.

This weekend's recipe... triple decoction Munich Helles

If you'll direct your eyes to the beer...then you'll notice
It is certainly not a 1 or 2 SRM beer, more like 3 or 4.

So there is a change to this weekend's  triple decoction recipe.   We are making a Munich Helles rather than a Bohemian Pilsner.   We all just decided that a Munich Helles would be more delicious during the hot summer here in KC.  And since Mark is out of town, and Bohemian Pilsner is a special favorite for him, we are switching to a Helles.

So this weekend we are brewing a 10 gallon munich helles with triple decoction.  A very traditional approach to this beer.   A lot of Munich Helles only have one bittering charge of hops, but we are updating the recipe with a late addition as well.  While this beer is certainly not hoppy, we still want it to taste and smell like beer.




We will be following our easy decoction method.  Our first rest will be at 132 F, we are skipping the protelytic rest on this one.  I am not convinced that modern malt benefits from it, and since we brew with very thin mash (often no sparge), the protelytic rest is somewhat ineffective.   So we'll enzyme wash at 132 and do a brief rest of 15 minutes before pulling the first decoction.  The first decoction will take us to 146 F, the second decoction to 154 F.  The final decoction will be a thin mash decoction (only wort no grains) it will take us to mash out.

The main thing I want you all to get from this brew session is that decoction is a tool that you can use to improve your beer.  Decoction can be used to step mash, to improve the clarity and mouth feel of your beer, and to correct temperature when you dramatically undershoot a rest temperature  (a quick note; there is no reason to correct mash temperatures that are with in a couple of degrees RDWHAHB).   It isn't rocket science, it is just a tool.  In fact, it is the opposite of rocket science, it is a very old technique.  So here is the recipe;

This is what a quiet hero looks like
The great Munich / German composer
Richard Strauss.
Quietly Protected his family during
the Nazi Regime, and preserved
great German Music written by Jews.

Ein Heldenleben-  (A Hero's Life)
10 Gallons
1.048 OG
1.015 FG
21 IBUs
3  SRM
4% ABV

16.5 # of Pilsner Malt (we are using Europils by Cargill)
1.00 # of Munich Malt

2.5 oz  Hallertauer Mittlefruh 4.4% AA  11 AAUs  @ 60 Minutes,  should contribute 20 IBUs
1.0 oz  Hallertauer Mittlefruh 4.4% AA  4.4 AAUs @ 5 Minutes,  should contribute 2 IBUs

Fermentis 34/70 3 packages. Rehydrated in 1000 ml of 1.035 wort during the brew day.

2 tsp of yeast nutrient at 15 minutes
2 whirlflock tablets at 10 minutes

The mash schedule triple decoction.

• Rest at 132 F for 15 minutes 
• Pull thick decoction 2/3rds. rest decoction at 150 F for 10 minutes, then bring to a boil stirring constantly, for 15 minutes. 
• Return decoction to main mash add scoop by scoop till main mash temperature is 146 F.  cool the remainder of the decoction to 146 F then return to mash. 
• Rest for 10 minutes then pull another decoction... rest, boil  return to the main mash scoop by scoop until the main mash is at 154 to 156 F  cool any remaining decoction to 156 F before adding to main mash.  
• Rest 15 minutes.  Pull a thin (schluss) decoction large enough to create a mash out. 
• Boil and add hops / extras.
• Chill to lager temps before pitching 3 packages of rehydrated 34/70 yeast that is also at lager temps. 
• Aerate this wort thoroughly before pitching yeast.  (if shaking, 3 to 5 minutes minimum)

21 day lager Fermentation schedule - you dont need 3 months to make a lager

• 7 days at 50 F
• Raise temperature to 65 F (Raise temperature 8 F at a time)
• 7 days at 65 F
• Lower Temperature to 35 F (Lower temperature 10 F at a time)
• 7 days at 35 F
• Add Gelatin Fining when beer reaches 55 F
• After 7 days the beer should be clear and ready for packaging. 

Trippe Decoction Bohemian Lager... is this the ultimate home brew geekery?

This is real Budweiser by Budvar
Brewery.  Bohemian Pilsner

So, here at Counterbrew we are blessed to have some great sponsors.  Certainly a lot of the brewing we do would not be possible with out the support and advice of the good people at Fermentis, BSG, Cargill, and Jaded.   One thing we do not do is a lot of experimentation and side by side comparison. There are already sites doing that, and quite frankly they do it damned well.   Brulosophy.com  What we do try to do is show you some easy ways to make great beer at your home, in your garage, or on your kitchen counter.   And certainly this coming weekend, I will be making and posting a very easy recipe for a great, simple blonde ale.   If you have never brewed all grain, this will be a good one to check out.  I'll be making Biermunchers Centennial Blonde.  My fathers favoirite summer beer.

The gold standard of Bohemian Pilsner.

But,  then next weekend.  We will be brewing one of the most desired and complicated brews a home brewer can tackle.  We will be brewing a triple decocted hoppy Bohemian Lager.  And we will be doing it the easy way.   It will be Grand Master Jake and me on the brewing, and John at the computer controls for this one.   His first time taking the reigns of the brew log, and piloting the ship.  (actually he has a broken wing right now and really can't stir a decoction for 15 minutes).   To make it even cooler, we will be using the quick lager method.  Mark Anthony is on assignment in Sao Paulo.

In that session we will be showing you how you can easily incorporate decoction into your brewing routine.  So if you have ever wondered about decoction this will be the post to follow, coming up in about 10 days. If you have ever wanted an illustrated, and partially video guide to decoction this will be your post.  I am posting about this early in hopes that those of you who want to try it have time to get your ingredients together.

Jake stirring a mash
out decoction.

I have written about decoction before.  It is one of my favorite home brew methods.  Basically you remove a portion of the mash, and bring it to a boil for 10-15 minutes then you return it to the mash, raising the temperature to the next rest.  You can do 1, 2, or even 5 decoctions if you want.  But most would tell you returns are diminishing after 3 decoctions. Kai Troester, the Braukaiser has posted fantastic videos, and information on his website.  Braukaiser.  Kai's work is so well respected and his process and techniques are so refined that he is often quoted and referenced by leading journals, blogs, and even the major brewing magazines.  If you are a very detailed, precise person, you may enjoy his approach to decoction.   Or you may find our dump it and don't worry about it approach much easier.  Both produce great beers.   No matter which method you prefer,  I strongly suggest you watch this Brewing TV video before you brew.



Soldier Svejk - Triple Decocted Bohemian Pilsner

The Good Soldier Svejk is a Novel
Beloved  by the Czech People.
If you've never read it, it is worth
your time.  Set in World War 1.
The novel displays the author's frustration
with the war, the ruling class, and the
absurdity of the entire situation through
the incompetence (feigned?) of the Svejk.

5.5 Gallons
OG 1.050
FG  1.015
ABV  4.6%
IBUs  44
SRM  3-4  (your software will not adjust for the decoction, trust me it is burnished gold in color)

8.5 # of Pilsner (we are using EuroPils by Cargil)
.5   # of Carapilsner added after you pull 2nd decotion

(remember saaz very wildly in AA% were using 3.75% here)
2.0  oz of Czech Saaz @  75 Minutes
1.5  oz of Czech Saaz @  30 Minutes
1.2  oz of Czech Saaz @  15 Minutes
1.2  oz of Czech Saaz @  0 Minutes

Whirlflok Tablet at 12 Minutes
Yeast Nutrient at 10 Minutes

Rest at 132 for 10 to 15 minutes, this is the enzyme wash  Pull a thick decoction, about 2/3rds of the grain.  Rest decoction at 150  F for 15 minutes, Boil Decoction for 15 minutes.  Return to mash one scoop at a time until mash is at 146 F.  Let any remaining decoction chill to 146 F.  You can add some of the wort from the mash to help it cool.  Rest entire mash for 10 minutes then Pull 2nd decoction.  Bring decoction to 150 F for 5 minutes, then brng to a boil for 15 minutes.  Return the decoction to the mash one scoop at a time until mash is at 154 F.  Let any remaining decoction chill to 154 F.  You can add some of the wort from the mash to help it cool.  Rest for 10 Minutes.   Pull thin mash decoction adequate to raise the temperature of the main mash to 168 F to 170 F.   Probably around 3.4 Gallons of wort.   Bring to a boil then add back into mash to raise the temperature to 168 F.    Drain into boil kettle.

75 Minute Boil.  Add hops as indicated.

Your cold break may look like egg drop soup,
don't stress, it means you did a good job with
your decoction.  It will all settle out. 

Chill to 53 then pitch 2 packs of Fermentis 34/70 yeast.   (the cold break will be insane, it may look like egg drop soup, do not let this worry you.  It just means you did a good job with your decoction)

We can get pretty close to 53 with the Jaded Hydra, but we have to finish the final couple of degrees in the fermentation chamber.

The quick lager method... Yes it works just fine, so don't argue about it.

7 Days at 53 F
Ramp up 5 F every 12 hours until the beer is between 65 F and 68 F
Allow beer to finish 10 days is a safe plan to follow
Ramp down 5 F ever 12 hours till the beer is at 30 F to 35 F (Add gelatin finings when the beer is at 50 F for super clear beer).
Allow to "lager for 7 to 10 days
Total time  is about 26 to 30 days.
Package as you normally do... for us that means bottling.

Decoction brew days...

Ted Williams was arguably the greatest hitter in the history of baseball.   He hit .400 twice in his career,   1952 and 1953 (400 and 407).  And in his career he had over 9700 plate appearances and only 2654 hits.  ( That's right Ted Williams is not in the 3000 hits club. )  But Ted Williams also walked 2026 times.  He literally got on base half of the time he went to the plate.  All because he understood the game.

On Saturday, we struck out on our first at bat... but we understand the game.

So last week, I was here on the interwebs shooting my mouth off about how decoction is just a tool. A tool you can use to raise the temperature of your mash.  Talk about good timing.   This weekend we brewed twice.  One was always supposed to be a double or triple decoction brew day.  The other was supposed to be an easy, no stress, no sparge, session pale ale brew day "Pliny the Petulant".   But things happen...and if you understand what is happening, you can react to it.   If you don't really understand... and you are just following a recipe....well in that case, you get what you get. Fortunately, you are a reader of this, and other brewing blogs.  Fortunately, you know there is a way to raise your temperature, and improve the maltiness and clarity of your beer.  And that method is decoction.

UPDATE:  Pliny the petulant hops were less than advertised.  Not sure if it was our hop provider or the general decline in the quality of hops.  We solved that problem by adding 1 ounce of Simcoe, Cascade and Centennial, and dry hopping for another 5 days.  The bitterness is also too low.  We will solve that by using a bitter hop tea at bottling. I am beginning to suspect that something is wrong with either 1.) Where we are getting the hops or 2.) The hop crop in general.  More to come on this later.  I am looking into it.   

getting ready to pull
the decoction

It's such a little thing, when you are using a cooler as a mash tun, you have to preheat it.  And when the cooler is a cooler that has been sitting in a cold garage, you especially have to preheat the mash tun.   We didn't.   So when we mashed in at 160, our mash temperature fell to 146 F.   This is still firmly in the range for beta amylase enzyme activity.  When you are at 146 you are still getting all kinds of conversion.   But we wanted to be at 152 F.  So we were way low. And then John said..."well, why not pull a decoction?"  and you know that feeling of pride you get when someone you have trained or taught something, out performs you?    That's what I felt.   Of course John was right.  Of course he had actually been reading the blog.  He knew exactly what to do.  He understood that decoction is just a tool. A tool that you can use to raise your mash temp, add some color, get clearer beer, and maximize extraction.  He understood the game.

It's almost comical
but you really do
have to stir the
entire time.

And so that is what we did.   We let it rest for a while at 146.  probably around 15 minutes. (15 minutes is long enough to get the enzymes and starches into the water).  Some brewers call this an enzyme flood/wash.  Then we pulled a thick decoction of 1 quart per pound.  Over the years the easiest way I have found to pull a thick decoction is with a stainless strainer. We scoop the thick mash into a pitcher that has clear markings at every quart and gallon.  We pulled 7.2 quarts for decoction.  That got put into the boil kettle  where it was raised to 156 F for a 15 minute rest.   At the end of the 15 minute rest we brought the decoction to a boil. Of course we stirred constantly through this entire process.  After boiling for 15 minutes we added the decoction back to the main mash and our temperature stabilized at 154 F. Where we rested until mash out.

Decoction will create loads
of break material. Don't worry
(see the next picture)

Then end result... we overshot by a couple of points. (1.045/1.049) But we absolutely destroyed the proteins in the mash.   We will have a crystal clear beer when all is said and done.

It will all settle
out during
fermentation

A single decoction doesn't take that much longer than a traditional brew day.   Especially when you are just pulling the decoction to get to mash out, or to go from beta amylase rest to alpha amylase rest.  It improves your clarity.  It improves your extraction.  It does not add harsh or bitter tannins to your beer. One of the coolest things about being a home brewer is that you can use what ever technique you want to use.     So the next time you are too low on temperature,  I hope you'll consider using this old school technique.

Sunday's double
decoction brew day

Now to be completely honest about double and triple decoction brew days, they can suck.  Yes, you are connected to your wort.  Yes, it is kinda romantic.  But the mash will take as long as it normally takes to brew.   And I for one am not convinced that they add much more clarity, or extraction than a single decoction brew day.   So where does this leave us sports fans?  What is the right way to do this whole decoction thing?

Loads of protein in
the wort after 1st
decoction

Well the right way is to understand that decoction is just a tool.   Understand the game, and you will know when to pull a decoction to change your temperatures.  Understand the game and you'll know when to have a triple decoction brew day.   I for one use decoction for mash out a lot.   I also like to do a step mash on any under-modified or organic grain that i don't know very well.  So I sometimes throw them into those brew day as well, for one of the temperature changes.

Picture doesn't do
the clarity of the
wort justice.

In the past couple of weeks we have learned about step mashing and decoction.   I for one think too many all grain brewers have gotten away from these very valuable techniques.   It is baffling to me that so many brewers are spending so much money on wort production machines, but they are not taking advantage of these techniques.   I think that is because many of the brewers who are brewing now, never had to use under-modified grains. They never had to do a multi step mash just to make sure that they got good conversion.  The end result they don't  know all of the other benefits of  multiple temperatures in a mash.   So you can be sure there will be a series coming up on the mash as well.  

That's all for now sports fans.

By the way the 1 gallon pink pitcher is our trusty brew day pitcher.  it is marked with quarts, and half quarts.   It cost $6.00 and has lasted for over 10 years of brewing now.

Decoction Made Easy...it's just cooking

We will return to the dIPA series, and the yeast series next week...thank you for your amazing support of those posts.  I am truly humbled by the thousands of you who have read them.  I pledge to keep posting, and trying to keep things easy to understand.   Now, on to the show!

Decoction mashing isn't mad science, it isn't even hard
science... it is just another tool you can use to make
great malty, bready, and very clear beer! 

Decoction Mashing is that mysterious, antique, and almost mystical process that some of the most advanced brewers of lagers and ales use to coax extra flavors, color, and clarity out of their malt.   Possibly the most romantic, intense connection a brewer can have with the brewing process.  When you meet a serious decoction brewer, pay heed... give respect... this is a serious brewer, right?  Well maybe... or maybe they just know it isn't that big of a deal.

A decoction mash boiling away.

Yes, I know many of you don't think decoction is necessary... blah blah blah... fully modified malt, blah blah blah... time consuming...  pH levels... blah blah blah...  But I suspect many of you who are posting this ridiculousness about decoction mashing,  have never tried a decoction mash. You wouldn't know decoction mash if it was sitting next to you on a bus. You've never stood at your boil kettle and lovingly stirred Vienna or Munich malt for 15 minutes ( the ultimate connection to your brewing). You've never  experienced the melanoidal baked bread flavor and  the crystalline shimmering clarity that only comes from a decoction mash.   You've never served a Vienna Lager that was triple decocted to other brewers and had them gaze back at you with awe and respect.   You've never had them throw a parade in your honor because you completed a decoction mash...(Don't hate... it could happen).


Let's be honest...the reason you haven't done a decoction... is because you don't really get it.  It is intimidating.   The websites that address it make it seem like rocket science.   "Pull a thick 90/10 mash decoction of approximately 1/3 of the total mash volume x the difference in the current temperature and the desired temperature x the factor, rest at 150F for 5 minutes while stirring constantly, then rest at 164 F while stirring constantly, then bring the decoction to a boil while stirring constantly for 15 minutes"   What?  Well that makes no sense...  The only thing I am sure of from those instructions I found online are that I need to stir constantly.


Decoction mashing isn't actually that hard.  And it does lend a certain melanoidal flavor and color to your beer that you just can not get with any other method of mashing.  If you do not agree and you'd rather not learn about decoction mashing... well that's fine.  Here is a link to some pleasant videos you can watch to pass the time while the rest of of learn about decoction mashing.

Thank God for the ingenuity of the old time brewers!

What is decoction mashing?   Well... it is basically removing, resting, and boiling some of the grains in your mash.  Why would you ever do that?   There was a time when grains were not well modified and brewers found that if they followed this procedure they could extract maximum sugars and make clearer beer.   The brewers who followed this practice didn't have computers, refractometers, or pH meters.   The just had common sense.  They developed a method that worked.  They worked and refined it over time.    You can learn as much as you want to know about Decoction Mashing.  There are books that can educate you to the point where commercial brewers are asking you questions. My favorite book on Lagers and Decoction is by Greg Noonan,  New Brewing Lager Beer.  If you want to become a great brewer read this book.  (Truly if you can master advanced German brewing techniques, there is really no beer you can not brew.)  You'll learn that you can weigh your decoction, check the pH constantly, even check the gravity...


Or...

You can keep it simple. You can embrace the principles, without embracing the complexity.  It will still work just fine.  RDWHAHB, and remember brewing is just cooking.   If you are a regular, or even an occasional reader...you already know what approach we here at counter brew are going to take.

So here are our fundamental easy to follow guidelines for decoction mashing....

• Decoction mashing is just a form of step mashing where you are using thick mash to change the temperature of your mash.
• Decoction mashing creates amazing bread like melanoidal flavors you can not get without a decoction mash.
• Decoction mashing does not create harsh tannins - the sugars and the proteins easily buffer the pH changes in the thick mash.
• When you need to raise the temperature a lot.  You pull 1 quart of thick mash per pound of grain in the recipe. 12 to 20 degrees F.
• What the heck is thick mash?  Well basically, it's mostly grains.  I use a 1 quart ladle (when i can find it) and I scoop out the grains, and drain most of the wort from the grains before they go into the other kettle)
• When you need to raise the temperature a little.  You pull .5 quarts of thick mash per pound of grain in the recipe.  8 to 12  degrees F 
• Rest Boil - 156 F for 5 minutes, then boil for 15 minutes stirring constantly. 
• You can decoct 1, 2, 3, or 20 times if you want too.  But the impact diminishes after 3.  
• A triple decoction is two thick decoctions and 1 thin decoction
• A thin decoction is just running off some of your wort, bringing it to a boil, and adding it back in to get to mash out temperatures.
• BIAB, and  no sparge brewing and decoction are great partners. but you can also sparge 
• Decoction does not have to change your overall mash water calculations (although you should dough in a little thinner with a higher water to grain ratio)
• The easiest way to do a decoction is to rest at beta saccrification temps for 30-40 minutes then pull a thick mash and decoct it to take you to alpha saccrification rest temperatures for 15 minutes.  No mash out.  
• You can also just do a decoction for mash out with any recipe,... you just pull off enough thick mash to raise the temperature to 168 - 170 F.
• Your cold break will be pretty extreme and you may need to siphon your wort into your fermenter.  

So as you can see the possibilities of decoction mashing are endless.  It is just a tool.  A tool you can use to add flavor, color, and clarity to your beer.  For our purposes today, we are just going to do a single decoction mash in the most foolproof way possible.  We are not going to do a protein rest, a beta glucan rest, an acid rest, or a kermit the frog rest.  We are just going to do a beta sacc rest, then an alpha sacc rest, and then a mash out.   We will use decoction to raise the temperature from beta to alpha.  We won't be doing a true no sparge BIAB but we will have a fairly thin mash.

I'll explain the process this week, post the recipe with very specific instructions, and then I'll post brew day photos in the next week or two.  May even put some video in that one.   But remember, if I need to add an additional decoction to change my temperatures, I will.   And that is kind of the point.  Decoction is just a tool. I also reserve the right to brew a Pils Urquell clone, cause I love that beer.  But the technique is the same.

What beers benefit from decoction?  For double and triple decoction,  I tend to stick  with amber and dark German lagers, Scottish ales, and Baltic porter.   A mash out decoction?  Any beer you ever brew can benefit from a mash out decoction.  I have even done a single decoction as a way to raise the temperature of a dIPA that was mashing too cool (wouldn't have had enough body for the hops, so I made a spur of the moment decision, best IPA ever!) Remember, it is just a tool.  A tool you can decide to use on a moments notice if you understand the concept.

Schrodinger's Equation-  Vienna Lager
OG 1.050
FG  1.015
IBU 21
SRM 10 to 12
single decoction with an infusion mash out.
90 minute boil

10 # Vienna
.5 #  Cara Munich
1.6 ounces of Hallertauer Hops.  (6.75 AAU) @ 60 of 90
Fermentis SafLager 34/70
Whirlfloc tablet
Yeast Nutrient

• Mash in at 156.3 F. Your mash should stabilize at 148 F
• Rest for 30 Minutes.  
• A note for you purists who already decoct... yes I know 30 minutes is not truly necessary after the enzymes flood off the grain, remember this blog is for people who have never decocted before. I'm making it foolproof.   
• Pull a thick decoction from the mash.  1 quart per pound of grain, or 10 quarts 
• Bring the decoction to 156 F for 5 minutes, then bring it to a boil stirring constantly for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat.
• Add the decoction back into the mash until the mash is at 154 to 158 F.  (how can you be so loosey goosey with temperatures?... seriously?  
• because it doesn't really matter as long as you are in alpha saccrifi range,  geesh, how can you people not know that?  all kidding aside, home brewers make way way way to big of a deal about precise mash temperatures.  Be in the range for beta, then be in the range for alpha that is all it really takes. 
• Rest for 15 to 20 minutes.  
• If you have left over decoction, don't add it until it is at the same temp as your mash.   Is there a specific formula I can follow to make sure I only pull the correct amount of decoction?   Yes, but I won't tell you in this post.  Part of the purpose of this post is helping you understand that it's not a big deal. My mentor used to say "recipes are for people who can't or won't understand the process".    
• Heat 7.8 quarts of water to a boil during the alpha rest.  Add to the mash at the end of the alpha saccrification rest. This will raise your temperature to mash out.   Let it sit for 5 minutes then stir.  
• You're done, vourlauf and drain your mash tun into your boil kettle, or lift your bag.  
• And proceed forward with the recipe just like any other.

Remember this is a lager beer.  So you'll need to be able to lager.   If you can't lager yet,  I'd suggest you use US05.  It is reliable and fairly clean.   It won't be a true Vienna Lager, but it will be a damned fine amber.  You may even add more hops, or change the hop bill.   

See?  it really isn't that hard.   In the future I will post the specific formulas you can follow, and I will even post a triple decoction mash day for a Marzen I will be brewing at the end of the month.   I hope for now that this made decoction a little easier.   There are lots of videos online about decoction.  But the best and easiest to follow by far is the brewing TV video with Michael Dawson. You can tell when you watch it that MikeD is comfortable with the process, it's no big deal, he's done it a hundred times.   That's where you need to go.  That is where you need to be as a brewer.  A level of understanding, not a set of rules.