 |
02-13-2007, 04:39 AM
|
#1
|
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 86
|
Simple Q: When to stir, when not to
|
|
The question says it all. When do you want to stir the mash during an AG and why.
|
|
|
|
02-13-2007, 11:57 AM
|
#2
|
|
Art by David Shrigley
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Nishinomiya, Japan
Posts: 847
|
Depends on whether you are fly or batch sparging. With both you want to stir the water and grain up when they are first mixed so as to break up any chunks , air pockets etc. With batch sparging you also mix it up between sparges.
If you don't get the right mash temp you will also franticly mix up the mash as you add hot or cold water.
__________________
鯰 a.k.a. なまず a.k.a. Catfish
|
|
|
|
|
02-13-2007, 12:00 PM
|
#3
|
|
10th-Level Beer Nerd
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Adams, MA
Posts: 18,894
|
During the mash, I stir every twenty minutes or so to make sure everything is mixed up well and that no cool spots have developed. If I only get to it once, no biggie. More than a couple times, I lose too much heat from opening the mash tun.
Then, I stir pretty thoroughly before taking both my first runnings and doing the batch sparge, waiting ten minutes afterwards and vorlaufing.
__________________
Come join Yankee Ingenuity!
"I'm kind of toasted. But I looked at my watch and it's only 6:30 so I can't stop drinking yet." - Yooper's Bob
|
|
|
|
|
02-14-2007, 06:20 PM
|
#4
|
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 86
|
A follow up on sparging. When doing a batch sparge do you recirculate the sparge runnings? If so, do you want to try and keep the water level roughly near the top of the grain? Any reasons for this?
|
|
|
|
|
02-14-2007, 07:00 PM
|
#5
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 4,101
|
I mash for 60 minutes and stir every 15.
__________________
Desert Sky Brewing Co.
Sierra Vista, AZ
|
|
|
|
|
02-14-2007, 07:01 PM
|
#6
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 4,101
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by oooFishy
A follow up on sparging. When doing a batch sparge do you recirculate the sparge runnings? If so, do you want to try and keep the water level roughly near the top of the grain? Any reasons for this?
|
I batch sparge also. And I usually put as much water as my mashtun will hold and then stir really, really well. Then recirc as usual
__________________
Desert Sky Brewing Co.
Sierra Vista, AZ
|
|
|
|
|
02-14-2007, 08:23 PM
|
#7
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Long Island
Posts: 4,046
|
I used to stir every 15 - 20 minutes while mashing, but then I got lazy.
Now I stir when doughing in, and stir again while mashing out. In between, I just leave it.
-a.
|
|
|
|
|
02-14-2007, 08:42 PM
|
#8
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 11,620
|
I stir every 15 minutes with a single infusion mash... I do alot of step mashing, so I obvously stir at each step to make certain that the infusions have heated the mash uniformly. I let my Fat Tire clone mash for nearly 2 hours with no stirring and still obtained 78% efficiency.
The Pol
|
|
|
|
|
02-14-2007, 09:11 PM
|
#9
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lakeville, Pa
Posts: 121
|
How about doing 5 lb mini mashes, in a 2 gal cooler? Should I stir anymore then the initial mash in? I have done 2 and my best effciency has been 68% not stiring at all except initially. Would stirring make it better?
|
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
|
|
| Display Modes |
 Linear Mode
|
|
|
|
