Does mash-out help efficiency or simply stop conversion??

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Conversion is probably complete when you mash out, it should help with eff. since you will get the sugars flowing easier.
 
I see, so its making the wort more fluid, less viscous, so it flows better.

Is there an amount of time to hold at 170 that people prefer?? 10-15 minutes?

Thanks for the responses - trying to dial in my double for the next run.:mug:
 
I don't bother holding it. I have a direct fire mash tun so I simply heat it up to 168-170 and then let is sit for a minute to settle a little and then vorlauf and drain. There may still be some conversion going on if it is not already fully converted, but this would probably be only alpha amylase activity giving you dextrins that probably wouldn't ferment, but might add a little to the body.

As the others said, the heating improves the removal of the sugars from the grain bed
 
Yes, after an hour mash, at most mash temps, conversion is complete. My heating the mash to say 170F, you are making the sticky sugars less viscous, thus allowing them to flow more easily.
 
It certainly helps me when fly sparging, but I haven't noticed any difference with batch sparges (which I don't do very often).

-a.
 
It certainly helps me when fly sparging, but I haven't noticed any difference with batch sparges (which I don't do very often).

-a.

Thats where I was going to chime in. It shouldn't matter to batch spargers. Since a fly sparge takes a lot longer, a mashout is usually necessary to stop conversion and help dissolve sugars.
 
I don't know that a mashout can hurt you all that much, but I don't think it helps a batch sparger much, either. I tend to do them out of habit, but that's about the only reason why.

If you are really concerned about efficiency, listen to Bobby. He get's something like 137% :D :rockin:


TL
 
Just for clarity sake, you need to look at the mashout two ways: Direct heat (or herms) and infusion. If you have a way to heat to 170F without infusing to do it, it's all gravy. Why? Because sugars are more soluable in hotter water. If you can only do it with infusion, you're trading sparge volume for sugar soluability. In the end, it would be a breakeven at best and efficiency loss (ever slight) at worst.

It's further complicated by being dependent on your batch sparge method..

If you usually like one large batch infusion, the mashout WILL help efficiency.
If you usally screw up your sparge temps on the low side, a mashout WILL help.

Tex is close to right. I get a typical 90% efficiency with no mash out. I was able to bump that up to 92% when direct fire RIMS mashouts. When I've tried an infusion based mashout (which steals volume from my fresh sparge infusions), I've dropped down to 86%.

Disclaimer... everyone's system is unique and I encourage experimentation and obscene levels of data collection.
 
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