Slow mash today

[C-Rider]

Slow mash today. Doing an Imperial Stout today. Plan was a 90 min mash as OG was to be 1.140 with a pre boil of 1.071. After 90 min pre was only 1.050 so I let it go another 15, and then another 15. It's slowly going up. After close to 2 hours pre boil the SG is 1.054. That's it I'm gonna transfer to the boil pot and give it 90 min at see what happens.

Those readings were from the mash cooler. Now that I've drained it into the boil pot things look much better. SG seems to be up to 1.070 which is just about where it should be. On to the boil. LOL

 

[C-Rider]

Looking better now. I've got the chiller in waiting to see final results.

 

[C-Rider]

Was to have been about 1.114 but OG is now 1.098. APV should be about 8.8 %. Wanted 4 gal into the fermenter but I got about 4.5. I guess I could have boiled a bit more, but what the heck. LOL It's in the freezer set to about 64*. Will forget about it for 5 weeks then check for the first time.

 

[RM-MN]

Where and how you take your sample during the mash makes a difference. I took 3 samples for the refractometer on my last batch, one very near the surface, one 2 inches down, and the third sample as far down as the eyedropper would reach, about 5". The first showed very low gravity, about 1.020. 2 inches down it was 1.045, and at the limit of the reach it was 1.054. I believe that when the starch is converted to sugar, that sugar laden wort sinks because it is denser, just as LME goes to the bottom of the pot but to a lesser degree. When the bag was pulled, the wort was mixed and the gravity was higher. After sparging and boiling I hit my expected OG with a bit more wort than expected.

If a person were to stir the mash well before taking the samples the reading would be correct.

 

[C-Rider]

Where and how you take your sample during the mash makes a difference. I took 3 samples for the refractometer on my last batch, one very near the surface, one 2 inches down, and the third sample as far down as the eyedropper would reach, about 5". The first showed very low gravity, about 1.020. 2 inches down it was 1.045, and at the limit of the reach it was 1.054. I believe that when the starch is converted to sugar, that sugar laden wort sinks because it is denser, just as LME goes to the bottom of the pot but to a lesser degree. When the bag was pulled, the wort was mixed and the gravity was higher. After sparging and boiling I hit my expected OG with a bit more wort than expected.

If a person were to stir the mash well before taking the samples the reading would be correct.

I take the sample after string and pull the spoon up so it's traveled thru all of the mash. But I get your point.