effects of mashing hot to start

[balvey]

I've not had any noticeable issues with this yet, but every time I brew I find myself wondering if it could impact the fermentability of the mash.

Sometimes I get my strike water too hot and the temp is around 160 or 165 for the first 5 - 10 mins of the mash before I can get it back down. Does that have an impact on the wort, or does it straighten itself out after you get it stabilized and let it sit for an hour in the correct range?

 

[jlpred55]

It has an impact for sure. You do get some conversion in that amount of time. If you overheat your strike water, just pour it in your tun and let the tun preheat and rest, then after a few minutes stir it until you get to your strike temp then mash in. No need to let this happen.

 

[balvey]

When this has happened I guess I haven't taken a accurate reading of my grain temp. I do wait for the temp to come down some, but then when it gets to what I think is the right temp for dumping the grain, it doesn't seem to get down to what I expected.

 

[hal2814]

When this has happened I guess I haven't taken a accurate reading of my grain temp. I do wait for the temp to come down some, but then when it gets to what I think is the right temp for dumping the grain, it doesn't seem to get down to what I expected.

Then you'll have to change your expectations. If you're getting your expected temps from Papazian, I can go ahead and tell you now that he's off pretty badly. I guess it works for him but I don't see how. Green Bay Rackers comes to mind as a decent calc site that should help but even its calculations aren't 100%. I started with the Rackers and through trial and error got the temps I need for strike worked out. Shoot for some mid-temp mashes (like 152F) for a while until you dial your system in. That way if you're off either way, you're still at a reasonable mash temp and can adjust next time.

 

[jlpred55]

Yes good advice above. I also believe that a lot of people as you pointed out don't really know or bother with the grain temp. I do and measure that prior to my water heating up and then use tastybrews strike temp calculator or the one on my phone and then plug the numbers in. Before I measured grain temp I usually estimated and my mash was all over the place. Now I shoot for 3-4 deg too high so I can pre heat my tun. It usually takes about 5 minutes for the temp to settle at my strike temp. I usually mash in when my water in my tun is 1 deg too high, then stir until it equalizes, this takes less than a couple minutes. In the last 20 or so batches I have not missed my mash temp by more than 1 deg, usually too high by a deg, but that is quick to rectify by just stirring.

Try some sort of method like this and I will bet you will be hitting your numbers spot on soon. Good luck

 

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Another option would be to keep a gallon of cold water sitting around, and if you mash in too hot, just add a bit at a time until it is down to the proper temp. That should reduce your time at the higher temp to < 1 minute or so.

 

[JerD]

I seem to be right on using Beersmith

 

[CBK]

+1 on Beersmith

 

[david_42]

At those temperatures, you denature the beta amylase completely in a few minutes. Not a problem unless you are aiming for a highly-fermentable wort.