Mash Temps?

Tomorrow I am making a summer ale and the recipe calls for a low mash at 148 for 90 minutes. Should I mash higher to achieve a fuller body, or keep the mash low because I would like to get good attenuation. My O.G. should be around 1.040 if this matter. Thanks for the advice.

I'd go 154F, I prefer to have more body in smaller beers

Piotr said:

I'd go 154F, I prefer to have more body in smaller beers

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Do you think I should just go for 60 minutes, or 90 to make it more fermentable or would the time even matter. I am really looking for good attenuation on this beer I would like a low FG. But I agree I think I will mash Higher for a little more body. Good call.

fixie said:

Do you think I should just go for 60 minutes, or 90 to make it more fermentable or would the time even matter.

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No, I think in 154 you will get full conversion in some 30 min, 60 min is more than enough.

It's a summer ale, it's not supposed to be full-bodied. It's supposed to be dry and crisp. Doesn't matter, I'm sure it will make good beer regardless, but if you're going for a "summer ale", follow the recipe.

I agree with DeathBrewer......Summer Ale is a really light bodied, crisp, clean, ale so your not looking to achieve body.....follow the mash schedule in that recipie designed for that style unless your looking to achieve additional body but it wouldn't be a true Summer Ale.

Agreed. Follow the recipe the first time, then tweak the mash temp next time and see what you like.

Brewed this yesterday to hopefully make summer come faster and the moment I start brewing it starts dumping snow, it hasn't snowed here in ages, and doesn't stop until 11 inches falls, so much for that summer thing. WTF? Oh well I'm going skiing tomorrow!

Anyway I mashed at 149 for 90 min to get that nice light body. Everything went according to plan and hit my expected O.G. of 1.042 but I noticed there where a lot of hops floating around after I transferred to my fermenter. I use pellets and just throw them in the kettle I don't use a hop bag. I strain the wort before I put it in my carboy but there still seems to be lots of little hop particles everywhere, is this bad? Maybe I need a tighter strainer?

They'll settle out, but may get sucked up during the transfer. No worries. I always use a bag for hops to minimize what gets into the fermenter.

I did a PM with 3 oz of hop pellets and just dumped all them in and made no attempt of straining them out. They all settled into the trub and none made it to the secondary.

Relax, don't worry, go skiing, and have a hot buttered rum for me. Man I haven't had a hot buttered rum since 76 at Red Lodge, Mont. I shore do miss them F*cked up ski trips.

beerthirty said:

Relax, don't worry, go skiing, and have a hot buttered rum for me. Man I haven't had a hot buttered rum since 76 at Red Lodge, Mont. I shore do miss them F*cked up ski trips.

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Nice, Red Lodge is right down the road from me. I will definitively take down a hot buttered rum on this cold Montana day. Thanks to all for the advice.