Stuck mash...911!

Mash has been sitting at 150 for 80 minutes. Iodine says it hasn't converted. I've raised the temp up to 157. Anything else to do?

The iodine test is so often wrong that I advise people to not even bother. If you know you've been at 150 for 80 min., you've gotten conversion.

Taste it. Is it sweet? You need a refractometer for times like these!

Whats the grain bill. Should have easily converted at 150 for 80 mins.

I'm with everybody else, drain it and boil it. I gave up on iodine a long time ago too.

idigg said:

Taste it. Is it sweet? You need a refractometer for times like these!

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This.
And...
Cool a small amount And take a gravity reading with your hydrometer.

Stuck mash refers to the wort not draining from the mash tun. What is the grain bill? 9-1 says ur converted.

bobbrewedit said:

Stuck mash refers to the wort not draining from the mash tun. What is the grain bill? 9-1 says ur converted.

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Stuck sparge...

Nuggethead said:

Stuck sparge...

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Hmmm, my bad.

After a tip from a homebrewer friend via e-mail, I saw that I was getting husk in the test sample. Got a clean sample, and voila! Conversion. Strangely enough, I still hit all my numbers except the FG, which was 6 points high. PBG and OG were on the money.

Thanks for the replies, though! I usually forget the iodine, and it always works out either way. So I guess I'll forget it altogether.

prrriiide said:

I still hit all my numbers except the FG

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You mean OG, right?

Denny said:

The iodine test is so often wrong that I advise people to not even bother. If you know you've been at 150 for 80 min., you've gotten conversion.

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I've never had it be wrong, and i have had wheat mashes take 90+ minutes to fully convert. Eventually it does test negative as long as you have a clean sample. One drop of wort and one of iodine on a white paper towel or piece of chalk, and it's very reliable.