How long can I mash for?

[Paxton]

I had to leave a mash right after I started it and its been 5 hours and I cant get to it until tomorrow at noon which will make it about 18 hours. I am cloning plink the elder. What adverse effects could this cause and is there a way I could balance it or am I screwed at getting it to taste normal.

 

[Nateo]

You're pretty far off the map on that one. I've never heard of anyone mashing for more than a couple hours. You might end up with some sort of infection if your temp drops too much. That could make it taste weird. But if you can hold at 150+ for the whole time, you should be fine?

 

[motobrewer]

infection? he's going to boil the wort....

op, no idea. let us know how it turns out

 

[wilserbrewer]

While perhaps not ideal, you will get beer. As the temp decreases, the lacto bugs in the mash may have a chance to get to work and sour the beer a bit. This may not be a bad thing, as people do this on purpose at times. The extended low temp mash will also be very fermentable.

Might make a nice beer?? If you can infuse a gallon or tow of boiling water during the long mash it might keep temps from falling too low.

 

[Mateo]

Here is my mash schedule:

95 for 30 to 60 minutes (Acid/Beta Gluc. rest)
122 for 30 minutes via infusion
150 for 10 to 12 hours via decoction
170 for 15 minutes via decoction

No one who has tasted my beers have commented on any difference in taste, or I should say made a comment about a pH imbalance due to lacto activity.

I add a little cara-pils to compensate for any drying affects the long mash might have on the beer.

m.

 

[Brewerforlife]

Less than 150 for the whole 18 Hours+= Sour mash

 

[Bobby_M]

You're more likely cloning Pliny the faux Berliner Weisse.

 

[Paxton]

Some great and funny feedback people I appreciate it. I am going to do a taste test on the wort and if it seems kind of off I'm going to do a different recipe and way off (sour) I'll scrap it.

 

[funkswing]

Expect a sour tasting beer. It may be undrinkably sour, but it may be amazing. Can't really tell.

But "sour mashing" is basically the process you are describing, but when used in brewing you usually only sour mash 1/3 or so of the entire mash to make a beer like a Berliner Weisse.

But you already started, might as well finish her out, but do let us know if its da bomb or da bust.

 

[Paxton]

Tasted like sweet readytobehopped deliciousness and it was at 120 degrees about 20 hours after mash in start. I'm thinking I may just do a Pliny still after all!

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

bump gotta know how this one turns out. Good luck.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Sour mash.

It's all good.

Doesn't smell so great tho'. You've been warned.

 

[Paxton]

First runnings was 1.092 and so far second is 1.05. So even if my wort isn't remotely sour it can become sour after fermentation? It tastes like sweet normal great wort but the more I think about a sour beer that cost $40 to brew with the many hop additions I cringe so unless someone is confident that it won't be sour if it tastes normal now, I will be switching up the hop schedule.

 

[wilserbrewer]

My guess would be normal now, equals normal later. Just guessing, if the souring lacto bugs got hold, i think it would be fairly obvious, no?

 

[Mateo]

Paxton,

It will be great! Just brew it.

Boiling will kill everything and anything that grew in the mash.

m.

 

[Paxton]

For all who wanted to know how this weird accident/experiment turned out it was great! Somewhere around my #25th batch and it definitely goes in the top #3! It was a lot like a Maibock, malty, sweet, and overall excellent at 9.2% and went down really smooth. Considering employing around a 3 hour mash from now on since my mash out efficiency was off the charts. I guess since my temp didn't fall too bad (I think it was from 150>120) that would be why it didn't become a sour mash. Thanks everyone for all the replies and I hope this helps you experiment in the future!

 

[Paxton]

I had a small party this weekend and it was gone within an hour, definitely my smoothest imperial to date.

 

[redalert]

I mashed for 12 hours before as well as overnight in my 48qt igloo cooler. The beers tasted great. I think it's a great way to split your brewday. The night before you can start your brew session by crushing your grains and heating your mash water to mashing temps etc.. Throw in your grain and let it sit. I have no qualms about overnight mashing. Only thing I would recommend is that you mash at an initial higher temp say 155 where you would normally mash at 149-151. You will get more conversion/efficiency from the long mash which tends to lead to a dry beer hence the higher starting mash temp.