Average mash time

thomasben · Jul 8, 2011

Some people do 60 MIN, some do 90. I've done 75 in the past with decent results would it hurt to change it up and get creative ...say 90 MIN? 2hr?

Vance71975 · Jul 8, 2011

thomasben said:
Some people do 60 MIN, some do 90. I've done 75 in the past with decent results would it hurt to change it up and get creative ...say 90 MIN? 2hr?

I made a 100% Rye Beer that got a 7 hour mash at 145 just so it would come out BONE DRY and it did, came out amazing! Very simple recipe too.

5lbs Rye Malt
1.5 lbs Crystal Rye
.5lbs Chocolate Rye
and a buttload of rice hulls lol
2oz Strisslesplat hops @60
4 Oz Amarillo Dry hop after a month in primary left in for 1 week.

kapbrew13 · Jul 8, 2011

There is an iodine test you can do. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but you take some wort out and drop iodine in the sample. If your mash is finished, the sample should not turn black. Mash is then done.

wolfman_48442 · Jul 8, 2011

It's one of those questions with many answers.
Normally, the lower your mash temp, the longer you want to mash, to give everything time to convert.
If your grain bill is all or mostly grains with good diastatic power like 2-row or vienna, 60 minutes is normally fine.
If you're brewing a light lager or something with adjuncts like corn or rice that have no diastatic abilities of their own, a 90 min mash is preferred to give your diastatic grains time to convert the adjuncts.
I think (but may well be wrong) that going much over 90 minutes doesn't really do a whole lot - conversion wise.

dcp27 · Jul 8, 2011

kapbrew13 said:
There is an iodine test you can do. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but you take some wort out and drop iodine in the sample. If your mash is finished, the sample should not turn black. Mash is then done.

true, but extended time allows the enzymes to keep working leading to a more fermentable wort. it all depends on mash temp & desired attenuation