Mash reached 175

[ooglassoo]

So I was using a digital therm and it was saying I was at 160. I was ok with that but it didn't change at all. I put in an analog therm and it said 175, I quickly grabbed my other digital therm and confirmed the 175. This was at the end of the steep, my og came out to 1068 but should have been around 1088-1090. Did I screw it up or will it turn out?

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Should be fine but mot the beer you originally planned. It sounds like specialty grains and extract? The term "steep" is what got so I am guessing you were not mashing those grains.

170 is a common mash-out temp so the odds of leching tannins pretty low...I never had it happen so I am not sure what it tastes like.

 

[ooglassoo]

No it's all grain I just couldn't think of the term. But yeah that's what I was worrying about was the tannins. It was supposed to be a imperial stout that is going to get bourbon soaked oak chips and cherries added.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Did you check for full conversion? If you got full conversion you probably have an Export Stout at this point. Still should tastes great.

 

[ooglassoo]

How do I check for full conversion?

 

[ooglassoo]

I just read a whole thread about it. No I didn't check but I will from now on. So what if it turns black from not being fully converted? What would be the next step?

 

[NervousDad]

170F stops enzymatic activity so there is a chance you'll have and extremely sweet low abv beer.

Finish fermenting and check your gravity in about 10 days if it is down around 1018 I'd says you are okay.

 

[aiptasia]

Yep, I'd say you missed your target OG. Once the heat starts to creep up over 168, you'll find that enzymatic activity halts completely and you won't get a good mashing of the malt sugars out of the grain. It's a common mistake and there's only one way that I know to compensate for it:

Add sugar to boost the OG.

As to which type of sugar, that depends on how far off you are your OG. If it's over .010 points, i'd suggest using light DME at a rate of one pound per five gallons for each .010 points you're off. It's always useful to have a few pounds of DME around just for this situation.