Mashed To High- Russian Imperial Stout. What now?

[cuse88]

This one is honestly a first for me- mash temp rising during mash. Got a new Hellfire burner, mash cooled to a few degrees under when I mashed in, and added a little late to get it up a degree to and covered. Its 40 degrees and windy as hell, so this was not even a though.

Desired mash temp was 155 and hit 153 when I covered and let it ride, never assuming the temp would rise from all I can guess is residual heat from the burner. When I opened it back up, I read 162 on my thermometer (verified with 2 others). Mash was at 162 for 75 minutes and I am just letting it ,mashing is continuing right now, uncovered. Grain bill is below. Can this beer be saved or should I cut my losses?

4 lbs 10.0 oz Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 26.6 %
4 lbs Pale Ale Malt, Northwestern (Great Western) (4.1 SRM) Grain 3 23.0 %
3 lbs 12.0 oz Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 21.6 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 5 8.6 %
1 lbs Pale Malt, 2-Row (Rahr) (1.8 SRM) Grain 6 5.8 %
12.0 oz Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM) Grain 7 4.3 %
8.0 oz Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM) Grain 8 2.9 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 9 2.9 %
8.0 oz De-Bittered Black Malt (Dingemans) (550.0 SRM) Grain 10 2.9 %
2.0 oz Coffee, Patagonia (230.0 SRM) Grain 11 0.7 %

 

[cuse88]

Well this ended up being a “Garbage Can Beer”. Between the above and winds picking up to 30+ MPH gust midway through my boil I called it a day. All the ingredients were left overs so I wasn’t to hurt.

I boiled for 35 minutes, added some Dark Belgian Candy Sugar I’ve had laying around to the fermenter, transferred, let it cool overnight and pitched 5 vials of expired Berliner Weisse Blend and a pack of expired Nottingham (all over 14 months expired).

This should be interesting one way or the other.

 

[kh54s10]

Since you started a little low, and it is becoming accepted that most of the conversion takes place quickly, This might turn out pretty good depending on how long it took for the residual heat to take the temperature up. If not it will probably just be too sweet.

 

[dmtaylor]

When final gravity is reached at like 1.040 or whatever, you can taste and then decide if you want to do anything drastic like adding Belle Saison or Wyeast 3711. Maybe it will taste good at high FG, it's up to you.

 

[cuse88]

Since you started a little low, and it is becoming accepted that most of the conversion takes place quickly, This might turn out pretty good depending on how long it took for the residual heat to take the temperature up. If not it will probably just be too sweet.

That’s what I’m hoping for, but decided to cut my losses early just in case. Saved the hops and yeast for the next brew day.

 

[kh54s10]

That’s what I’m hoping for, but decided to cut my losses early just in case. Saved the hops and yeast for the next brew day.

You dumped it?

 

[cuse88]

You dumped it?

No, just didn’t complete the full brew-day do to the mistake above but in large part to 30+ mph gust and rain starting at boil. All ingredients used to make the beer were old leftovers and I had bunch of expired yeast due to cancelled brew days do to a new Little one. I figured why not just experiment and see what happens using stuff I already , saving the fresh yeast and hops for another day.

Boiled for 35 minutes, added Dark Belgian Candi Sugar to fermenter, transferred the wort and let it chill overnight.

Pitched 5 vials of expired White Labs Berliner Weisse Blend (18 months to 24 months expired) and a pack of expired Nottingham (15 months expired).

 

[Paulaner]

I don't understand how it was wrecked during the mash? 162 is the perfect temp for A-rest, depending on how long it was at 153 you got a little b-rest granted it was at the max temp of it, but you didn't use any hops, and expired yeast?

 

[cuse88]

I don't understand how it was wrecked during the mash? 162 is the perfect temp for A-rest, depending on how long it was at 153 you got a little b-rest granted it was at the max temp of it, but you didn't use any hops, and expired yeast?

I’m fairly confident it was at 162 or above for a majority of the mash.

I only used 1 oz of nuggets at the start of the boil.

I completely acknowledge this probably will turn out horrible and went against all brewing principles I have ever known ha.

 

[schematix]

Sounds to me like you jumped ship a bit early.

 

[deadwolfbones]

Agreed. Lagunitas routinely mashes around 160 and gets great results.

 

[applescrap]

This kind of thinking makes me sad.....

"Can this beer be saved or should I cut my losses"

I see this sooo much. All the , "you need to" , "you have to" , info people share about brewing, most of it unproved and unfounded leads to this kind of thinking.

Imo, i wonder if you would be able to tell if this beer was mashed at 152 or 162 in a blind triangle. And imo you would also be very unlikely to tell a 35 min boil from 60 min boil in a blind taste test. Hope you turn something out.

 

[schematix]

Single infusion mashing at 152 vs 162 will yield a measurably different attenuation every time, assuming it’s accurate and held.

But on a normal strength beer, the difference between 65% and 75% AA won’t be as noticeable as in a 1.110 imperial whatever. That 10% equals half as much sugar remaining as some beers start with.

Step mashing is great for these big beers.

 

[radwizard]

You should throw some Brett in your new experiment and let it ride.

 

[cuse88]

You should throw some Brett in your new experiment and let it ride.

That’s my next thought if things don’t get started.

 

[cuse88]

This kind of thinking makes me sad.....

"Can this beer be saved or should I cut my losses"

I see this sooo much. All the , "you need to" , "you have to" , info people share about brewing, most of it unproved and unfounded leads to this kind of thinking.

Imo, i wonder if you would be able to tell if this beer was mashed at 152 or 162 in a blind triangle. And imo you would also be very unlikely to tell a 35 min boil from 60 min boil in a blind taste test. Hope you turn something out.

I think at times you have to determine if it’s worth continuing your planned course.This beer was suppose to be a Maple Bourbon Stout that wouldn’t be ready for 8+ months and included other speciality ingredients (Belgian Chocolate, Kona Coffee, Pure Maple Syrup) outside the hops and yeast. The cost of grains is far less than any of the above.

I never intended on dumping, but always had this “everything but the kitchen sink” idea for awhile now and have read about no-boil/short boil brews. So this not planned at all, may turn out to be something special or a turd. An experiment for sure ha.