Mash Out Issues

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CatalinaBrewing

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Well, I've been looking for a Blichmann BoilerMaker. The reason being is that I can never hit the correct mash out temperature. Lets say I mash in at 154 degrees for 60 minutes. After the 60 minutes the goal is to raise the temperature to 168 degrees for 15 minutes. I've added boiling water to my mash, but I never hit that 168 degree number. I really don't like the idea of adding so much boiling water to reach my mash out goal.

I love my 10 gallon cooler mash tun. Is the Blichmann BoilerMaker the wrong path? I'm just really trying to hit the correct numbers to make the best product that I possibly can.

Should I try doing the decoction method instead? Boil a gallon of my wort run-off and add that back to the mash to reach 168 degrees? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
 
CatalinaBrewing said:
Well, I've been looking for a Blichmann BoilerMaker. The reason being is that I can never hit the correct mash out temperature. Lets say I mash in at 154 degrees for 60 minutes. After the 60 minutes the goal is to raise the temperature to 168 degrees for 15 minutes. I've added boiling water to my mash, but I never hit that 168 degree number. I really don't like the idea of adding so much boiling water to reach my mash out goal.

I love my 10 gallon cooler mash tun. Is the Blichmann BoilerMaker the wrong path? I'm just really trying to hit the correct numbers to make the best product that I possibly can.

Should I try doing the decoction method instead? Boil a gallon of my wort run-off and add that back to the mash to reach 168 degrees? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...


I've been skipping the mash out step, and don't really see a pressing need for it, but maybe I'm missing something. Ceasing enzyme activity with a mash out doesn't seem that worthwhile to me; I fly sparge and can use more of the water for sparging so I get more of the sugars from the grain without the mash out step.
 
I fly sparge too. I've wondered about that. I mean, we sparge at that 168 degree temperature too...

In theory it sounds correct.
 
If you mash for 60 minutes, the mash out step is almost pointless. For a 60 minute mash, all enzymatic conversion is complete (unless you use +50% wheat or mash really low like 146F). When you run off and start to boil it stops all enzymatic activity, so after a 60 minute mash all conversion should be complete.
 
Mpavlik22 said:
If you mash for 60 minutes, the mash out step is almost pointless. For a 60 minute mash, all enzymatic conversion is complete (unless you use +50% wheat or mash really low like 146F). When you run off and start to boil it stops all enzymatic activity, so after a 60 minute mash all conversion should be complete.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say it's pointless, as it is supposed to "lock" in the profile of the wort by denaturing the enzymes. In theory, if you don't mash out before flysparging, and it takes an hour to sparge, you could end up with a slightly thinner result in the final beer as the enzymes continue to work.

I say in theory, because there are other things going on as well. First, you generally start your runnings on to boil as you drain them off, or at least on the heat, so it doesn't take an hour to come to a boil after the sparge is finished. That right there would work as a "mash out". I also don't think the mash profile will change that much during a sparge, but I've heard of a few brewers say that they do have some underattenuation issues.

I mashed in a 10 gallon igloo cooler for years. I just went to a keg MLT this spring. If the only reason to upgrade is to do a mash out, I wouldn't bother. Stainless MLTs lose heat faster, while coolers are already insulated. There are reasons, maybe, upgrade, but there are also reasons to stay with what you have.
 
You should do a brew w/o the mashout step and see how that goes. As soon as you get the first running into the kettle bring it up to 170+. Effectively this acts like a mashout and you won't be wasting sparge water. No need for new equipment.
 
CatalinaBrewing said:
Well, I've been looking for a Blichmann BoilerMaker. The reason being is that I can never hit the correct mash out temperature. Lets say I mash in at 154 degrees for 60 minutes. After the 60 minutes the goal is to raise the temperature to 168 degrees for 15 minutes. I've added boiling water to my mash, but I never hit that 168 degree number. I really don't like the idea of adding so much boiling water to reach my mash out goal.
Click to expand...

If you are coming up short on the temperature then you aren't adding enough water. Add more it isn't going to hurt anything. You can simply adjust the amount of your sparge water to compensate for additional infusion water in the mashout. :mug:
 
Yooper said:
I wouldn't say it's pointless, as it is supposed to "lock" in the profile of the wort by denaturing the enzymes. In theory, if you don't mash out before flysparging, and it takes an hour to sparge, you could end up with a slightly thinner result in the final beer as the enzymes continue to work.

I say in theory, because there are other things going on as well. First, you generally start your runnings on to boil as you drain them off, or at least on the heat, so it doesn't take an hour to come to a boil after the sparge is finished. That right there would work as a "mash out". I also don't think the mash profile will change that much during a sparge, but I've heard of a few brewers say that they do have some underattenuation issues.

I mashed in a 10 gallon igloo cooler for years. I just went to a keg MLT this spring. If the only reason to upgrade is to do a mash out, I wouldn't bother. Stainless MLTs lose heat faster, while coolers are already insulated. There are reasons, maybe, upgrade, but there are also reasons to stay with what you have.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't it be over attenuation not under attenuation? Seeing how it would continue to convert until denature? That is if there were still active enzymes....
 
Personally, so extremely anecdotal and non-scientific, i get better efficiency when i mash out. I assume, and have heard, that the higher temp helps loosen sugars making them easier to wash out. May be BS but i personally have seen better results when i do mash out.
 
I mash in a Boilermaker. I like it. The false bottom is close to the bottom so if you want to put a flame to it you have to recerlate the wort. I use a pump.
You will lose heat during the mash because it is not insulated.
I don't think the beer I make now is better than the beer I made with the cooler. My effency is better and I like the control. But is it worth the extra money? I don't know.
Hope that helps
 
I mash with a 10 gal cooler. Never done a mash out. I single batch sparge and get my sparge temp up to 168. Besides an extra 20 min of conversion while running off, I figure there can't be much of a diff.

I could maybe see the use if you have a sticky mash, though.
 

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