Maris Otter and Dough Balls

Has anyone else noticed a correlation here? This is the second time I've used it and the second time I've had dough balls. I adjusted my grain mill after the first occurence but now I'm wondering if it's the malt not the mill.

I had a stuck sparge as well the first time. Not looking forward to that again.

Are you adding grain to water or water to grain? Also, what is the thickness of your mash? I've never had this issue with MO, and I keep around a 1.5 qts/# thickness. I add the grain to the water and stir while adding.

1/3rd water.
1/3rd grain.
Give a thorough stir with this in your drill:


1/3rd water.
1/3rd grain.
Stir


1/3rd water.
1/3rd grain.
Stir


MO is no more doughbally than any other grain. Start using two big handfuls of rice hulls in your batches and your sparge will be smooth as silk. I don't brew without them.

I add enough water to cover the false bottom, then add the grain, then the remaining water. I've made at least a dozen batches with Briess two row and no issues.

I'll try adding in thirds and stirring. I've been mashing at 1.5 qts/lb lately.

I use MO about half the time, and haven't noticed more doughballs in those recipes, unless I'm using some other ingredients- like flaked barley. Or, if the strike water is hotter to do a higher temperature mash. It seems like hotter water = dough balls, if you don't stir like it's your job.

Gotta stir the mash real good and when you think you've stirred enough then stir some more. I usually know when I've stirred enough when my arm starts to ache. That's my indicator!

I've also found that it doesn't matter what type of base malt I use I still get some dough balls. Like I stated, stir till it hurts. I may take BM's advice and get me one of them paint stirrers from HD or Lowes. Looks like a good idea.

I mash really thin (1.5-2 qt/lb) so doughballs have never really been a problem. I also just add grain to water (all at once), stir it up really good, and set and forget. Works 60% of the time...everytime.

I noticed dough balls with this weekends brew. I was using Maris Otter but I just kept stirring and breaking them up in my cooler and all went well. I also stir like it is my job

My understanding of rice hulls is that they can be added to a mash without any effect on the taste or body of the beer and their function is to loosen the mash up a little. Might work, I have never tried it though.

I use RH when mashing with Wheat Malt or Pumpkin. I did not have any mashing issues this weekend

BierMuncher said:

1/3rd water.
1/3rd grain.
...

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BM, happen to have a link where I can pick up said magical wand? That thing looks like it was engineered by Raytheon.

I think a lot of your stuck sparges are going to be related to the kind of false bottom you have. I've got a Blichmann Boilermaker w/ the nice raised button louvre false bottom and I've yet to get a stuck sparge yet! I did a brew with 38% rye malt (6lbs in 5g) and I didn't use any rice hulls and it drained like a champ.

llazy_llama said:

BM, happen to have a link where I can pick up said magical wand? That thing looks like it was engineered by Raytheon.

Click to expand...

Any decent hardware store that sells paint will sell these paint mixers.

Lowes has that exact one over in the tile section because it's meant for mixing thinset/grout/morters.

Man I just used MO for the first time today in a MO/Amarillo SMASH and talk about doughballs galore! I even mash super thin (2 qt/lb) and it was still by far the worst I've ever had. Didn't change anything else about my technique. Weird that some of you haven't had the same experience though.

I've noticed somewhat more trouble with dough balls using Simpson's MO vs the other base grains I have used. However, I'm not sure I have enough trials to be convinced. It could just be a bag to bag thing more than a brand to brand thing, who knows?

It hasn't been a problem, I just stir more.

I don't recall having had a problem with Crisp MO which I used prior to the bag of Simpson's I know own.

I only use MO in English beers and most of those are small beers so I don't go through a whole heck of a lot.

Used MO for the first time yesterday. I had some dough balls and I also had a stuck sparge for the first time. I'm using a modified cooler with stainless braid. I more or less use two equal batches of water. Add water and then grain.

Looks like a Rice Hull purchase is in my future.

BierMuncher said:

1/3rd water.
1/3rd grain.
Give a thorough stir with this in your drill:

1/3rd water.
1/3rd grain.
Stir

1/3rd water.
1/3rd grain.
Stir

MO is no more doughbally than any other grain. Start using two big handfuls of rice hulls in your batches and your sparge will be smooth as silk. I don't brew without them.

Click to expand...

That thing is pure awesomeness BM!

CharlosCarlies said:

Man I just used MO for the first time today in a MO/Amarillo SMASH and talk about doughballs galore! I even mash super thin (2 qt/lb) and it was still by far the worst I've ever had. Didn't change anything else about my technique. Weird that some of you haven't had the same experience though.

Click to expand...

Ok, I find it wierd that I brewed with MO yesterday and for the first time had doughballs. I've used it numerous times before w/o doughballs & changed nothing. And now, I find a thread about it.

BierMuncher said:

...MO is no more doughbally than any other grain....

Click to expand...

I may have to recant given the anecdotal evidence.

BierMuncher said:

I may have to recant given the anecdotal evidence.

Click to expand...

I'm with you BierMuncher, I don't think MO is any more prone to doughballing than regular pale 2 row. I've used MO as a base malt nearly exclusively and it doesn't take any more work to get it mixed in than anything else.

only my third AG batch ever on saturday using my new MLT (thanks FlyGuy). but I def had some serious dough balls with the 14# MO that the recipe called for. took lots extra stirring with my two big spoons, i like the paint stirrer thingy might try that next time..

...still ended up with 83% eff, but lots more dough balls than my previous 2 batches with 2 row... paint stirrer or rice husks for sure..

I've brewed several batches of Nut Brown Ale wuth Marris Otter and I've never had any problems with dough balls.