Mash in / mash out -shake it all about?

[ajwaka]

Sorry, that was bad - but I couldn't help it

I am fairly new to AG - did my 3rd & 4th batches this weekend and have some questions I hope you can answer or point me in the right direction. I'll bold my actual questions to help separate them out.

My mash tun is a 5 Gal igloo cooler.

1st batch - Red Lodge Ale - Glacier Ale - from November 07 BYO mag pg 11. First my LHBS only had US Munich Malt (calls for 22oz US Munich & 22oz German Munich). Which is fine, I never tried this beer.

Grain is:
6.6#'s of 2 row pale
44 oz US Munich (instead of 22 of both US and German)
9 oz Crystal malt
3 oz Chocolate malt

Getting to the point - The recipe calls to Mash 3.5 Gals at 168F to stabilize at 150F for 60 minutes - What is meant by the "Stabilize at 150F" - because after 60 minutes my mash was still at 162F !! Am I suppose to let it cool to 150F before I put the lid on and wait 60 minutes?

The OG is suppose to be 1.048 and I hit 1.054 - I told my LHBS and he seemed hesitant and said - "It should still taste all right". What are the effects of having a higher OG? I simply thought it could mean more ABV in the end.

My second batch was this Blue Ballz - Blue Moon clone found in this forum. This I also ended up with a higher than called OG - called for 1.038 and I had 1.042.

I measure my OG after the 60 minute boil - as I'm adding to my fermenter - I collect a sample. Being AG - How to can I make sure I hit my OG if I'm collecting after the boil? Seems too late for me.

Thanks for reading to the end! I appreciate any info/tips/ links you can give me!!

One last tidbit - I live in WI and brew in my Garage - so it was around 32-36 degrees out - but I was out of wind and all.

 

[John Beere]

did you add the grain and then raise the temp to 162? If you add the room temperature grain to 162 degree water, it should balance out at around 150...

 

[ajwaka]

Thanks for the Reply John!

I added the grain to my Igloo Cooler mash tun - then added the 168F water and placed the lid on. One hour later - it was still 162F!

 

[John Beere]

I've never used a cooler to brew with but it sounds like yours is retaining heat very well... from some experience with my setup, I know that I need to have my strike water at 166 degrees to hit 153 degrees after adding the grain bill. Perhaps you only need to hit around 158~160 with your setup...

 

[John Beere]

As for your question about hitting your OG - most software (I use Promash) will calculate your pre-boil OG to measure against...

 

[Orfy]

If you are using software then you need to tweek it to match your set up and the temperature of the grains and mash tun before you add your strike water.
If your grain is at 70°f and you add strike water at 168°f then it will drop usually to around 150-155°F
I'd be very surprised if you only loose 6°f in the strike and mash. That seems very low.
Is you strike temp 160°f?
As for getting a higher OG then you need to increase the efficiency of your brewery in the software.
If you get consistency then it's easy to compensate for.

 

[ajwaka]

I played with ProMash months ago - but I'm still green and learning - so I wasn't too sure about much by the time the trial ended. I'll have to try that again.

As to your answer about Mashing - so I'm assuming you have a Mashing kettle instead of a cooler - so you have to keep a flame on it to keep it around the lower temperature (lower as in the 150F in "168F and stabilize at 150F").

So I'm assuming this is part of the mix with the "Brew House Efficiency" - which I still need to research to figure out mine. (Do you hear that clicking too? My brain is working!!! It's alive!!! Muu-wahh ha ha a ha ha!)

 

[John Beere]

I've just recently replaced my equipment with a HERMS system. Specifically, my MLT is an insulated Keggle. Adding my average grain bill (20~22#) to 166 degree water will balance out to 153 degrees. I then maintain this temp through the heat exchanger.

I posted some photos of my setup here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=39422

 

[Orfy]

No. I have a cooler.

I Put the grain in and add strike water at 170°f
This then stabilises at 155°f due to the temperature difference of the grain and the mash tun.

It normally drops by a maximum of 6°f over 60 minutes.

 

[ajwaka]

So, back to one of my original questions - is there anything negative about having a higher SG (.008 higher) than what is called?

Or do you use a tool like ProMash / BeerSmith - to get your calculations right for grain to achieve the desired SG.

 

[Orfy]

Nothing negative about an higher OG apart from it means your bear will not be as planened.

Yes the software helps you hit target but only if you are consistant.

 

[John Beere]

Nothing negative about an higher OG apart from it means your bear will not be as planened.

Me thinks Orfy's been hitting the sause... heh

 

[Yooper]

Me thinks Orfy's been hitting the sause... heh

Hitting the sauce, or the sause? https://www.homebrewtalk.com/member.php?u=179

 

[Orfy]

Well I think it is bed time....
I lost count at 6 pints of robust porter.
I think it's 8 or nine.

Don't let Yuri see that post, he'll freak.