Issues with first AG Mash

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
B

brewjamin_Franklin

Active Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
38
Reaction score
1
Location
San Francisco
Took the plunge and am in the middle of my first mash, using a 10 gal igloo cooler for a mash tun. Based on the online calc I used heated strike water to 167 to hit a mash temp of 155. I put some water (didn't measure the volume) to pre heat my tun.

When I finally had all of my strike water and grain mixed up in the cooler i was at 140! I added 1.75 gal of boiling water and it only came up to 150. I decided I didn't want to add to much more water and have things become to thin.

I had 4.75 gal of initial strike water and 13.6# of grain. It took about 20 min to heat up the additional water, and then I decided to mash for 60 min as planned at 150.

TL;DR Missed mash temp and added extra water, what is going to be the end result.

Thanks for the help
 
My first AG batch was similar (couldn't get the temp to 155) and it turned out great. I ended up with 4 gal in the fermenter rather than five but it sure was good. My last two AG batches did not turn out. Maybe you will have beginners luck like me.
 
This is why I always heat up an extra couple gallons of water for whatever step I'm on, plus an extra gallon or so boiling on the stove for heat emergencies.

Your volume shouldn't be a problem. As long as you're mashing for an hour, and not using more than, like, two quarts per gallon, your mash will convert just fine. You'll want to sparge a little less and/or boil a little longer to account for the extra volume of first runnings; if you sparge the same amount you would've and boil longer to boil off the extra volume, your efficiency shouldn't even suffer too much.

The temperature is probably more of an issue; at 150, you're gonna get a super-fermentable wort, which will lead to a drier, thinner-tasting beer when all is said and done. How much this matters depends on what style you're brewing, but, while it will be a little lighter-bodied than you were going for, you're still definitely gonna get beer.
 
Do yourself a favor and record exactly how much heat loss you had so you can calibrate your mash tun for next time. For your first couple AG brews there is gonna be some trial and error. The best thing you can do is experiment and take good notes.
 
feinbera said:
This is why I always heat up an extra couple gallons of water for whatever step I'm on, plus an extra gallon or so boiling on the stove for heat emergencies.

Your volume shouldn't be a problem. As long as you're mashing for an hour, and not using more than, like, two quarts per gallon, your mash will convert just fine. You'll want to sparge a little less and/or boil a little longer to account for the extra volume of first runnings; if you sparge the same amount you would've and boil longer to boil off the extra volume, your efficiency shouldn't even suffer too much.

The temperature is probably more of an issue; at 150, you're gonna get a super-fermentable wort, which will lead to a drier, thinner-tasting beer when all is said and done. How much this matters depends on what style you're brewing, but, while it will be a little lighter-bodied than you were going for, you're still definitely gonna get beer.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm trying to take the RDWHAHB (ok actually its a ninkasi total domination). For obvious reasons I had better luck hitting the right temp with my sparge water, and since I'm doing a batch sparge I figured I'd give it a 20 min rest and see if I can't help increase some fermentability.

I know Ill have beer of some kind at the end of this. But I appreciate the help and an other feed back
 
I put in all of my strike water to preheat the mash tun. I know the mash tun absorbs 5-6 degrees from the water, so I add the 6 degrees to my strike temp and dump it all in. After 10 minutes, tun is ready for grains and my temps are within 1-2 degrees of mash temp. By the time I stir and adjust PH, the mash temp drops to the target temp.
 

Similar threads

hotbeer
What if you bring the malts slowly to mash temp?
Replies
14
Views
1K
hotbeer
hotbeer
micraftbeer
Water Calcs for Blichmann BrewEasy (2V RIMS w/ Full Volume... Seperated)
Replies
1
Views
606
Bobby_M
Bobby_M
T
Mash Volume Higher than Boil Volume eHERMS
Replies
5
Views
618
Town9
T
rmr9
Beta glucan rest in AiO
Replies
16
Views
829
IslandLizard
IslandLizard
S
Rice Mash Method
Replies
22
Views
2K
passedpawn
passedpawn
Brewer's Friend 300

Latest posts

Back
Top