Mash Temperature question

[tochsner]

I am brewing a Hefewiezen today. It's my first time using a cooler mash tun. Previously it has been all BIAB. The recipe called for a 90 minute mash at 153*. I missed a little and mashed in at 152*. After 90 minutes it was about 149.5*.
What kind of range works to convert the sugars? What can I expect will be different than if it was 153* for the full time.

 

[logdrum]

Don't know much about Hefe's, but generally the higher the temp ( within range ) the less fermentables. IOW: lower mash temp = dryer beer higher mash temp = fuller, sweeter beer. Of course this is also affected by the amount of crystal, attenuation of the yeast etc. You lost less than 3•F in an hour & a half, next time maybe start your mash a degree higher, then your average will be your target.

 

[bob1006]

Of you missed it by 1 degree you shouldn't worry. That's its not going to harm anything. Now of it were off by five to ten, then worry. You did a good job for the first time to get it within one degree.

 

[ron,ar]

Were you at the brew meeting at Vino's in Little Rock yesterday? I live just south of LR at East End sardis rd area.

 

[bob1006]

No, I was not. I was brewing up a session lager clone and bottle another. Then ended up drinking a 12 pack of American wheat I made. Bob was not going any where!

 

[bob1006]

No, I was not. I was brewing up a session lager clone and bottle another. Then ended up drinking a 12 pack of American wheat I made. Bob was not going any where!

I'm going to quote myself, I thought it was a fine way to celebrate national homebrewers day and cinco de mayo!

 

[tochsner]

I wasn't really worried about that temperature drop. I just wondered how it would effect the taste of the finish product.

Thanks for the replies and I agree, that was a perfect brew day celebration!

 

[djfriesen]

I predict you won't be able to tell the difference. It might dry out a little more, but that's not the worst thing in a hefe, in my opinion. Honestly, you spent a great majority of your time between 150° and 152°, so you'll be fine. Those are great mash temps for almost every style of ale.

 

[WhiskeySam]

I am brewing a Hefewiezen today. It's my first time using a cooler mash tun. Previously it has been all BIAB. The recipe called for a 90 minute mash at 153*. I missed a little and mashed in at 152*. After 90 minutes it was about 149.5*.
What kind of range works to convert the sugars? What can I expect will be different than if it was 153* for the full time.

You're absolutely fine. Enjoy your beer.

 

[Gameface]

My very basic understanding is that most of the conversion (starch to sugar) happens pretty fast, like 20 minutes. Once converted you have either a fermentable sugar or you have an unfermentable sugar. If the mash continues and drops from 153 to 150 you don't start turning the unfermentable sugar into fermentable sugar, you might just eek out a little more fermentable sugar from the starch still in the grain.

However, I also have heard that conversion happens faster at higher temps, so if you start way too high you might create a bunch of unfermentables and have no starch left to create fermentable sugar. Which isn't really a concern based on what you've said, just wanted to make the point that most of your starch to sugar conversion probably happened at 153, which is pretty good if your target was 154.