Quick question about a high temp mash...

[tommysauder]

Ok, so it has been a while since posting on here but have a question the Gurus can hopefully answer.

Here is my grain bill:

4.40 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 36.4 %
2.20 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 18.2 %
2.20 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 18.2 %
2.20 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 18.2 %
1.10 lb Caraamber (30.0 SRM) Grain 9.1 %
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00%] (60 min) Hops 13.3 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00%] (45 min) Hops 6.1 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00%] (30 min) Hops 5.1 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Only difference is I put Marris Otter in for Biscuit Malt and CaraHell for Caraamber (Beer Smith does not have them?)

I brought my mash water temp up to 170F and preheated my Mash Tun (May be the last time I do this). Mixed all the grains slowly and efficiently, a bit more so than usual because it was starting to clump. Put the floating thermometer in there, and closed the lid.

I came back 40 minutes later to check the temperature, it was sitting at 164F?? 6F loss from a CHEAP cooler converted mash tun, and that grain bill startled me completely so I tossed in cold water and got it to 158F for the remainder 20 minutes.

Now here is the thing... I normally get between 70-75% efficiency. Checked my OG and it is at 1.056, which gives me an eff. of 64%. Even though I thought the batch was botched, I finished it up with a good vigorous boil, cooled to 65F, pitched the yeast and put it in my cold room where my other brew is finishing fermenting at 61F. 12 Hours later, the brew is fermenting like crazy. I don't have seals on the lids of my pails so I rarely get much activity through the air lock, but this one is going nuts...

SO after that long story, is it still possible to get that many convertible sugars after mashing so high? I've just never had a brew ferment that vigorously (visually, I'm sure they all go nuts )

 

[RM-MN]

This is just a wild thought but did you measure the temperature in the center of the mash tun or near the edges or both? Your temperature near the walls of the cooler might have been cooler and you got your fermentables from there.

 

[tommysauder]

It's a floating thermometer, so it pretty much touches the bottom of the cooler (the tip) and travels up and sticks out of the mash by 2 inches.
I was aiming for 158F to get a fuller bodied beer, but I'm afraid at 164 for 40 minutes will give me too much body....:cross:

 

[runkelia]

Reading your post it seems to me you were intentionally trying to mash that high.
I usually target 154, 170 stops conversion I thought.
Did you do an iodine test?

 

[tommysauder]

No iodine test, I was aiming for 158 but got 164. I'm just trying to see if anyone has mashed that high successfully? :/

 

[LLBrewer]

That's weird. 170 should have put you in the ballpark for 12.1 lbs of grain. I'm guessing one of your thermometers is not accurate. That said, I believe the risk with mashing that hot is that you will extract tanins from the grain.

 

[chickypad]

Thermometer being off or hot spots as already mentioned are the things that come to mind. Maris otter is in Beersmith but spelled with one "r". To get carahell use the add on button on the toolbar and add the Weyermann malts.

 

[jfk69]

Have you calibrated the floating thermometer? I had one that was off by 8 degrees when I checked it. It quickly and neatly fit in the trash compactor.

 

[tommysauder]

No.... I guess I should calibrate it... But only losing 6F with 12lb of grain seems a bit low. But again could be hot spots. I guess my FG will tell me if it was really too high. As it stands, it is sitting in a room that is 61F and is the most active I have had yet.

 

[govner1]

Even 158 is really on the high end for mashing. You'll certainly denature any beta Amylase & close to the upper end for alpha amylase activity.
You definitely need to calibrate any thermometers, too.
I usually only lose 2F tops in a 60 min mash.
Also agree re adding the grains in BeerSmith. You can get any stats you need on line.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[tommysauder]

I took a reading yesterday when activity seems to have stopped (usually my main ferments are over between 5-7 days) and FG is at 1.028 from 1.056 . I tasted the sample, doesn't taste bad by any means but def. full bodied lol. I guess I will be enjoying a full bodied 3.7% beer for a few weeks from my keg... Thank God I have a deep freezer coming my way this weekend which is going to be converted to a 5 keg dispenser

Oh well, time to brew my high gravity wheat beer today then my stout tomorrow

 

[tommysauder]

BTW -dumping beer in my house is a nono regardless of taste. Even really bad batches I force myself to drink it do learn from my mistakes:cross:

My guests get the good stuff though

 

[kh54s10]

You should have lost more temperature than that at a start of 170 degrees. I would have expected 160 or a bit lower. You need to check the starting temperature carefully before closing up the tun. 158 is also pretty high. I would have gone for about 153 -154 for that recipe.

You should check your thermometers.

I expect this is going to be a pretty malty/sweet brew.