I had previous posts about "off tastes" in my PM batches that I wasn't getting in full extract batches...at that time I thought it was due to water (chloramines) but am now thinking it is simply my mash temps based on my last batch which was a Belgian White IPA (I used campden tablets in all water used from start to finish - not the water). I use a 5 gal coleman cooler (round). My strike temp was above 160 and my temp after stirring in the grains I got to right at about 155 so I covered and let sit for couple hours (kids, etc..) and temp at end of mash was low 140's (I tea-bagged in 170 deg water). I was worried of the low mash temp again...but hoped it stayed near low to mid 150's long enough for most conversion. Apparently not, based on how it tastes. The problem with these partial mash kits is the amt of grain is still minimal so there is TONS of air space in the cooler still which I think is why the temp is not staying consistent. BUT:
My FG was 1.015....if it is a more fermentable beer from low mash, shouldn't it have dropped more than that? My other thought is since it still came with like 6lbs of LME, maybe it is enough to keep the FG a little higher, but enough base grain conversion at low mash temp to give it the thinner feel that clearly I do not like?!? I think I need to ditch the PM kits and start my own PM's (I have a few and kept grain amt high and extract low) so I fill most of the cooler and keep the temps more consistent....Any other possibilities you all can think of??
My FG was 1.015....if it is a more fermentable beer from low mash, shouldn't it have dropped more than that? My other thought is since it still came with like 6lbs of LME, maybe it is enough to keep the FG a little higher, but enough base grain conversion at low mash temp to give it the thinner feel that clearly I do not like?!? I think I need to ditch the PM kits and start my own PM's (I have a few and kept grain amt high and extract low) so I fill most of the cooler and keep the temps more consistent....Any other possibilities you all can think of??