mashing now who to listen to

everything I read says mash for an hour but beersmith is telling me 45 mins. which is correct? this is my first ag batch

BeerSmith will let you mash for any amount you want.

It has several presets, but they're just "guides". You can edit them to whatever you want.

Mash your first batch 60 minutes, unless the recipe calls for something else. Be sure to tell BeerSmith you're mashing for 60.

Trying BierMunch's Cream of Three Crops today. It'll be my first 90 minute mash.

thanks. I did find where I can set the time. changed to 60 mins. didn't appear to change anything else after, sparge vol etc..

The length of the mash depends on the quality of your crush. Since I BIAB, my crush is very fine and I can get by with a 30 minute mash (maybe even a little less). If your grains need a 90 minute mash its mostly because it takes longer for the grain particles to soak up the water, convert the starches, and leach the sugar back out.

RM-MN said:

The length of the mash depends on the quality of your crush. Since I BIAB, my crush is very fine and I can get by with a 30 minute mash (maybe even a little less). If your grains need a 90 minute mash its mostly because it takes longer for the grain particles to soak up the water, convert the starches, and leach the sugar back out.

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90 minute mash because the recipe calls for just shy of 24% flaked corn and 6% minute rice and I want highest amount of fermentables I can get for a very low FG.

starsman20 said:

thanks. I did find where I can set the time. changed to 60 mins. didn't appear to change anything else after, sparge vol etc..

Click to expand...

Right. As far as I know, BeerSmith only estimates gravity based on a single variable for the grain type, and doesn't break it down per fermentable. Temperature won't change it either.

It's "close enough" for me.

Higher temp mashes usually don't take as long as lower temp (<152). Do an iodine test to make sure all starches are converted

*shrug* It's in the instructions for the [thread=66503]164-page thread[/thread], so I just shut up and colored.

Will get more into the "why" and testing with iodine as I get a few more batches under my AG-belt. OP's probably in the same boat.

Thanks for the responses. Went 60. Darn little tube from the valve to false bottom came off but I got 6.5 gal at 1.050 which was about what I was shooting for. In the fermenter now.