Mash Ratio

jbodkin · 12-17-2008, 05:20 PM

What is the best Mash Ratio Qts/LBS?

McKBrew · 12-17-2008, 05:27 PM

The standard is 1.25 qts/lb. I personally have went down to 1 qt/lb to minimize the water above my grainbed.

mew · 12-17-2008, 05:40 PM

kai did some experiments on this. Here's the writeup in pdf form. He was also a guest on Basic Brewing Radio on November 20th.

To summarize his results, mash thickness does not have a significant affect on attenuation, but thinner mashes (2 qts/lb) resulted in a sizeable increase in efficiency.

One thing I have wondered about, however, is that it may be that the ratio of mash to sparge water is a greater influence on brewhouse efficiency than mash thickness alone. So, thin mashes may increase efficiency for low-gravity brews, but it may decrease efficiency in high-gravity brews because there would be so little sparge water.

thedude123 · 12-17-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKBrew

The standard is 1.25 qts/lb. I personally have went down to 1 qt/lb to minimize the water above my grainbed.

What efficiency do you get with 1 qt/lb?

**Revvy** · 12-17-2008, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mew

kai did some experiments on this. Here's the writeup in pdf form. He was also a guest on Basic Brewing Radio on November 20th.

To summarize his results, mash thickness does not have a significant affect on attenuation, but thinner mashes (2 qts/lb) resulted in a sizeable increase in efficiency.

One thing I have wondered about, however, is that it may be that the ratio of mash to sparge water is a greater influence on brewhouse efficiency than mash thickness alone. So, thin mashes may increase efficiency for low-gravity brews, but it may decrease efficiency in high-gravity brews because there would be so little sparge water.

+1 on this, in fact they even talked about it on a basic brewing VIDEOcast as well...And brought up our very own Kai once again.

McKBrew · 12-17-2008, 06:13 PM

I can't really speak for efficiency yet. I've done it on two batches and my efficiency increased to 70% from 65%, but based on the information here, it shouldn't have. I attribute my increased efficiency to my sparge water being hotter and the grainbed getting close to 170 on the sparge.

Just for the heck of it, I think I'll try a thin mash next time.

thedude123 · 12-17-2008, 06:43 PM

Ya I use about 1.5-1.75 qt/lb.

**ajf** · 12-17-2008, 10:54 PM

I almost always mash as 1 qt / lb, but according to numerous sources, that is a standard for English beers (which I brew).
I have also experimented with a thinner mash (1.25 qts / lb). I did not detect a noticeable change in efficiency, but the thinner mashes definitely resulted in a thinner tasting beer.

-a.

thedude123 · 12-17-2008, 11:09 PM

what efficiency do you normally get?

**ajf** · 12-18-2008, 01:08 AM

85% Mash/Lauter. 75 - 82% brewhouse depending on boil duration, amount of hops, and how much I leave in the kettle.

-a.