First partial-mash in the fermenter - questions...

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stratslinger

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So, this Saturday I brewed my first partial-mash batch, using ChshreCat's BBD Brown Biscuit recipe. The brew day went smoothly, since I had the forethought to make myself up a good checklist to follow - but I did make one mistake that I'm curious what to expect in my results.

When mashing, for the first 15 minutes or so, it turns out my mash temperature was high - around 158F. I added about a quart of cool water to the mash to get it down to 152F, and for the remaining 45 minutes I kept it in the range of about 149F to 154F.

So, between the hot start and the fact that I wound up with a thinner mash than intended (about 1.65 qts / lb grain, rather than 1.25), what can I expect?

Now, I definitely understand that this recipe, since it's only 2.5lbs of grain and 6.33lbs (in my case) of LME, will definitely still be beer and, judging by others' feedback on the original recipe, probably pretty darned good beer at that. But is there anything specific that this kind of mistake might cause? Just curious, at this point...
 
The higher mash temp may get you a less dry or maltier flavor. Lower temps tend toward dryer taste and mouthfeel.

Nothing wrong with a high mash temp for a darker ale in my opinion.

As far as the thin mash...I think you can get an astringency off-flavor because mash PH gets thrown off. See John Palmer's How To Brew (online). Here is an excerpt regarding astringency:
Astringent
Astringency differs from bitterness by having a puckering quality, like sucking on a tea bag. It is dry, kind of powdery and is often the result of steeping grains too long or when the pH of the mash exceeds the range of 5.2 - 5.6. Oversparging the mash or using water that is too hot are common causes for exceeding the mash pH range. It can also be caused by over-hopping during either the bittering or finishing stages. Bacterial infections can also cause astringency, i.e. vinegar tones from aceto bacteria.

The brown scum that forms during fermentation and clings to the side of the fermentor is intensely bitter and if it is stirred back into the beer it will cause very astringent tastes. The scum should be removed from the beer, either by letting it cling undisturbed to the sides of an oversize fermentor, or by skimming it off the krausen, or blowing off the krausen itself from a 5 gallon carboy. I have never had any problems by simply letting it cling to the sides of the fermentor.
 
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