Mash tempurature, time and beer body

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st_nougat

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Hello,
I have recently delved into partial mashes (which was quickly followed by all grain) and I have made a few and they have turned out quite well.

Except for one thing: I'm not getting the body I expect.

This last stout I made I wanted as much body as possible in it so my mash temp was 158-160, basically as high as I could. But when I sampled it the body was as there as I wanted.

Now when I do a mash I usually mash for 3 or 4 hours. I wake up, grind the grains, heat the liquor, start the mash and then go about cleaning and any other duties I have that morning.

So I am wondering, am I shooting myself in the foot in terms of beer body (when wanting a high bodies beer, because if you can't chew it what's the point?) by mashing for so long? (please note that I do not take temp reading when the mash is done).

Or is my little dial thermometer woefully inadequate for calibrating mash temperature? (thermometer upgrade is next on the list)

What are your thought?

Thank you in advance

--SN
 
What is your mash temp after a 4 hour mash? I'm sure it would have to have come down quite a bit, possibly converting more of the wort into convertible sugars. So, yes you may be shooting yourself in the foot. You can also start leaching tannins from the husks if your not careful. Of course your grain bill can greatly change the body, but I you might try the same recipe again in a 60 to 90min mash and see what difference that makes.
 
The time is killing the body. The beta enzymes will continue to work even after all the starch is converted to sugar.

45-60 minutes at 160, or get some iodine and mash out at 170 as soon as you have complete conversion.

Tannis will not be extracted unless both you temperature is above 170 and you pH is high. It's likely that neither will be the case in most circumstances.

graph and further explanation here:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2013/01/mash-temperature-theory.html
 
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