momobono
Well-Known Member
I'm a beginner AG brewer, but I have a few batches under my belt. I'm also a proponent of tweaking my recipes to make them my own, which means I'm also brewing different styles all the time. Changing mash thickness per style is advice I've gleaned from books and forum posts here, but there's no reference to the "idea" of mash thickness in an operational capacity.
For example, I'm planning a wit recipe and aiming for a mash thickness of around 1.5 qt/lb. My mash schedule includes a 111F ferulic acid rest, a 154 saccharification rest, a mash out, and a batch sparge. All of these steps, on my igloo-cooler and turkey-burner system, require me to add boiling mash water.
The question: where in the mash process do I target my final thickness? On my lowest rest, or in my mash out? Maybe on my saccharification rest, since that will be my longest rest (60min)? I've brewed a few batches where my ending mash thickness (after mash out) has been 2.0 qt/lb or higher, and I'm unsure if that's making it more difficult for me to hit my gravity numbers (I'm usually below my target post-boil OG).
Any help would be appreciated, I already have learned toooo much from the experience that's documented here.
For example, I'm planning a wit recipe and aiming for a mash thickness of around 1.5 qt/lb. My mash schedule includes a 111F ferulic acid rest, a 154 saccharification rest, a mash out, and a batch sparge. All of these steps, on my igloo-cooler and turkey-burner system, require me to add boiling mash water.
The question: where in the mash process do I target my final thickness? On my lowest rest, or in my mash out? Maybe on my saccharification rest, since that will be my longest rest (60min)? I've brewed a few batches where my ending mash thickness (after mash out) has been 2.0 qt/lb or higher, and I'm unsure if that's making it more difficult for me to hit my gravity numbers (I'm usually below my target post-boil OG).
Any help would be appreciated, I already have learned toooo much from the experience that's documented here.