All-Grain Single Infusion Mash

[DonkeyTaming]

Hi all,

Could someone clarify for me how I achieve the correct temperatures during the mash? I've noticed that my beers, as of recently, have come up pretty darn astringent, even when I mashed a beer at 156-4 degree range.

When mashing my beer, regardless of grain temperature, do I need to keep that water temp below 175? I've pushed my water temp near 175 on a few occasions to hit the a high mash temp of 155 or so (I notice, on average (with the exception of summertime brewing) that infusing the mash with water 20 degrees higher than the target usually brings me to my target temperature).

My sparge water is usually at 165-168.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

I commonly have to have my strike water temperature very high, so that is not going to cause any issues. The grain is not going to be in that temperature range, or at least not long enough to care. What you are doing is correct.

If your grind is too fine then you could be getting that astringent issue. Are you milling your own grain or getting it from a shop already milled? You may want to get your grain from another shop if it is a LHBS you normally go to, and see if you run into the same problem. If you do, it is on your end. If not, it is on their end.

edit: Oh, and welcome to the forums!

 

[Bensiff]

When you mash in with hot water it cools down so quickly you aren't going to have an issue with tannins getting extracted. Assuming your temp readings are correct I would be looking at you pH.

 

[phenry]

+1 to the pH as Bensiff said.

Do you have access to a water report for your area?

 

[boomtown25]

I do brew in a bag on the stove. I heat my strike water to 165 and put 10 lbs of grain in it. It reduces to 153 immediately and I cover. I have actually had to come in and stir and add ice because the temp rises on me to about 160. I have recently begun to just leave the top off for 15 minutes then cap it off. It holds at 153-155 for an hour easily. I then have my sparge pot and heat it to 177. When I teabag my grains in the sparge pot, the temp falls to around 160-165. This shuts down the conversion of the starches and rinses the grains. I stay away from 170+ while trying to convert.

 

[DonkeyTaming]

Great - well atleast I'm not as crazy as I thought I was!

@Tall Yotie - I have my grains milled at the shop I go to. I have two shops right near me. I'll try switching out and testing one of my next brews.

@phenry - Good idea! I didn't even think about ph. I don't have access to a water report. I probably won't get one b/c I'm in the process of moving. However, you bring up a spot that I haven't paid much attention to. This might be the issue, most of my beers have been astringent (to some degree - most not so astringent that the beer is terrible, but there's still an underlying astringency).

@boomtown25 - That makes sense. I'm kinda gun shy of that 168 sparge temp.

Could it be the design of my mashtun? I use a copper manifold inside of a 48qt rectangular cooler. I bring the mash up to temperature by slowly adding water from the bottom up.

 

[boomtown25]

I suggest this- add half a gallon of your heated mash water to tun for 2 minutes with it closed. Then pour in all your grains and then top off with rest of water. mix throroughly breaking up all doughballs. stick in thermometer and test temp. if good, then close. DO NOT MESS WITH IT FOR 15 minutes. come back and check. if hanging good shut and leave. if high or low, add boiling water slowly or add ice and stir.

 

[phenry]

Could it be the design of my mashtun? I use a copper manifold inside of a 48qt rectangular cooler. I bring the mash up to temperature by slowly adding water from the bottom up.

Mash tun design shouldn't really have any impact, I use a 40 qt circular cooler with a copper manifold, and I doubt tannins have a shape preference. What do you mean by slowly adding water from the bottom up?