Mash In h2o amount

Is it possible to use too much or too little during mash in? What are the results if too much/little is used?

hoptopia said:

Is it possible to use too much or too little during mash in? What are the results if too much/little is used?

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Yes, if you use too little water you may not get proper conversion.

Using too much water shouldn't be as big as an issue, because I've heard of many BIAB brewers going with 3 quarts/pound with no conversion problems.

Good rule of thumb is to try and keep the quart/pound ratio between 1.3 and 1.5. The starch conversion (sacrification) is based on a protein substrate interaction in which a substrate fits into a protein molecule like a lock and key. Too much water and the molecules will float around missing each other and too little the molecules wont be able to move freely and interact. Most of the breweries in my town I've talked to use the 1.3 qt/lb ratio, I get good efficiency with this and also like not having to do much math (1.3 qt/lb = 1gal/3lbs of grain). Hope that helps!

Huh?

I use 2.6 or so as a BIAB'er and 1.75-2.00 when I use the 3 keggle set up and batch sparge. Molecular interactions be damned. LOL