dam on call

got a call just as I dumped my grain into the mash tun...sat for over 2 hours.
any thoughts? was to be a 1 hour mash

I'd carry on like normal. What's the worse that will happen?

My thoughts are go with your normal plan. Thats really all you can do. Unless you have a time machine. That would be awesome.

There should be no ill effects for mashing for 2 hours. At the VERY most you may change the fermentability of the wort, but honestly I don't think it is enough to even be concerned with.

Yeah, just toss in some corn sugar and relax. Worries dont go well with brewing.

I know the feeling brother.

After 16 years of being on call, I was supposed to be done having to take it starting a couple months back. We hired a couple new guys, but ended up letting one go and hiring another. I now get to take it this weekend (Memorial Day ) until the new guy is ready. I don't even bother trying to brew while on call.

In the end, you'll still make beer. Just take notes of what it started/ended at temperature wise. It never fails that these are the kind of brews that end up great, and you're kicking yourself later for not writing down what you did because you were in a panic over something going wrong.

Right on. Make it fun regardless of what happens. Take notes, review em while the wife is watching annoying reality tv, and plan whatcha wanna do next.

God, I don't miss being on-call.

Anyways, I mash overnight (~12 hours) with the grain sitting. You'll be fine.

avidhomebrewer said:

God, I don't miss being on-call.

Anyways, I mash overnight (~12 hours) with the grain sitting. You'll be fine.

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That's interesting. Any reason you do that? Is it something that you've found beneficial to the brew or just to split up the process so it doesn't take up a half a day?

I Hate being on call. Every other weekend for me, and i've only brewed once when I was on call and that was an extract. I won't even bother doing an all grain batch when i'm on call.

Go with it
I picked up about 10% on my efficiencies when I upped my mash time to 90 minutes instead of 60.

KCBrewer said:

That's interesting. Any reason you do that? Is it something that you've found beneficial to the brew or just to split up the process so it doesn't take up a half a day?

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It's a time-saver and I've found no ill-effects doing it this way for 4+ years. I heat up the water to about 175 or so, dump in the grains, stir, and cover the cooler. I live in Wi, so if it is cold, I bring the coolers in the house overnight; otherwise I let them sit in the garage (brewing area) overnight. I don't need to recirculate and I can start the sparge right away the next morning. Give it a try - works great for me.

The extra hour will not do much, it can be tricky keeping the temp up. I would guess your temp dropped over that time. It will have probably increase your efficiency and increased your attenuation, but only slightly.

Take a look at an old school triple decoction...they take 3+ hours.

I think the only thing it does is waste time to mash longer.

avidhomebrewer said:

It's a time-saver and I've found no ill-effects doing it this way for 4+ years. I heat up the water to about 175 or so, dump in the grains, stir, and cover the cooler. I live in Wi, so if it is cold, I bring the coolers in the house overnight; otherwise I let them sit in the garage (brewing area) overnight. I don't need to recirculate and I can start the sparge right away the next morning. Give it a try - works great for me.

Click to expand...

I think I will give this a shot. There have been several times when I was planning to brew the next day, and have been out in the garage getting things ready the night before, wishing I could just do it then. This would cut a lot of time off brew day.

Have you had any difference in efficiency or fermentable sugars versus a 60 min mash?

I'm currently just over halfway through my 36 hour shift... and I'm about to jinx myself...

We're a fairly slow town, both fire and EMS. I can't even begin to describe how desperately I want to lug my equipment to work and just start brewing. But, of course, I'll get called out in the middle of a boil or some other stupid thing.

Needless to say, I feel your pain.

well its in the fermenter,ended up with a 1.072 OG

What was it s'posed to be? Seems 1.072 isn't too bad, unless you wanted to hit like 1.090. Kyle