Protein Rest plus Decoction

[Carter5112]

Had 33% wheat in the grain bill, did a protein rest at 133 then decocted up to 148. This ugly bastard was how the grain bed looked after draining the runnings. Is this normal?!

 

[beerspitnight]

Looks pretty save for the space around the sides....
We use a lauter tun and our grain beds are always tight against the sides of the tun. My only concern (and I don't know much!) is that you had some channeling issues with the runnings taking the past of least resistance by flowing down the sides of the tun.

 

[drkaeppel]

I've never done a decoction mash, but based on vids I've seen on it, that looks totally normal. Apparently the proteins will settle on the grain bed like that.

Here's a link to a decoction mash sticky. Your mash looks a lot like his in video 3.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/decoction-mash-video-59872/

 

[Carter5112]

Indeed I noticed the channeling. Is this much of an issue, considering I'm batch sparging?

 

[valhallabrewing]

doesn't a true decoction mash have to be boiled

 

[SirJoshuaIV]

I have had my mash look like that before, It's never been an issue.

What was your efficiency? If your efficiency was good, I'd say nothing to worry about.

 

[TyTanium]

Indeed I noticed the channeling. Is this much of an issue, considering I'm batch sparging?

Don't have to worry about channeling if batch sparging.

 

[Carter5112]

I don't know what a "true" decoction definition would be but in my case I pulled out a thick 6 QT portion, raised temp to 155 for conversion, held for 15 minutes, then raised up to boiling and held for 15 minutes before adding back to raise main mash to sach temp of 148.

I think the large amount of protein shown in my pic at the top of the mash is a by-product of boiling the decoction, but I'm not positive.

 

[valhallabrewing]

agreed

 

[VladOfTrub]

It's normal sludge. It's a good thing. Not as much goop needs to be boiled out.