Im confused?? short mash, possitive iodine test

So i brewed this week end, and used the iodine test to check for conversion, but it only showed "negative" at about 60min. So I am a bit confused about the new "short mash" techniqes that many brewers use

Type of malt?

Mash temperature?

Mash ph?

Amount of water per pound?

How often did you stir?

^+1

cfonnes said:

Type of malt?

Mash temperature?

Pale malt

Mash ph?

aimed for for 5.4

Amount of water per pound?

3l per Kg

How often did you stir?

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Often

Temperature is important, too. In my experience, a mash at 156-158 converts in under 20 minutes, but a mash at 147 might take 90 minutes.

Yooper said:

Temperature is important, too. In my experience, a mash at 156-158 converts in under 20 minutes, but a mash at 147 might take 90 minutes.

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I was @ 156 constant, but I think the important thing here is that, one can not just decide to one day, "im going to do 20 min mash" it needs to be verified.
Or in other word , malt can be mashed in 20 min but it does not mean it will.

I think the better point is that it depends on where your malt is coming from. I can vouch for most of the common base malts converting quickly but what is this guy using in Ermelo, Mphumalanga?

I think your mindset is correct. There is probably not one magic time that works every time. Sixty minutes is just a good rule of thumb. But as you refered to temp and time go hand in hand.

I'm quite the novice brewer but read, listen and think about stuff too.. sometimes just ignore my thinking and listen and follow.

Thats not what I'm saying you need to do.

Double_D said:

I think the better point is that it depends on where your malt is coming from. I can vouch for most of the common base malts converting quickly but what is this guy using in Ermelo, Mphumalanga?

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HAhah......jip South Africa babe!! I get it directly from a "littel" company call "SABMiller"........... you might know it? (SAB standing for South African Breweries)

There are a couple of factors involved or maybe a lot more. One not mentioned is the crush of the grain. It takes time for water to get to the center of the grain particles and the larger the particles, the more time it takes. If I grind my malt to flour, it gets wet to the center of the particles quickly but whole grains might take hours.

All good questions but I am not fmiliar with a "short mash techniqes” .

I have been doing all Grain for about a year and Conversion is a mystery to me I have had one convert in under about 30 minutes, most around 45 minutes, and one took 75 minutes.

Lots of different beers and lots of different malts,,, (thank goodness I wrote the times down)

Usually do “stepped mashes” but my last two were single infusion (Fat Tire Clone and English Mild at 154)

I hope to try a decoction this weekend, depending on “Isaac”…. If he comes to town this may be off.

My longest mash was the Fat Tire Clone… I went way over my temperature goa1, (in the 160s) and brought it down with cold water… I assume “some” of the enzymes were denatured but there were still enough to convert the mash.

SO as far as I know a Mash will convert at the rate it will convert… I guess you can mess with the PH a bit but if it took an hour,,,, that’s what it takes for that grain.

In the future just be prepared for a little extra time and test as you did.... When its done its done.... It will get done to its own schedule not yours.