The MASH! It's to HOT~!

[D-AB]

I realize that the reselts of your brew are very temperature dependent, especially during the mash.

A Blackberry Red Ale was the recipe.

Basically when the grains were added the temperature seemed to keep rising, it hit about 180 (using a stove top). It took about 30 minutes to bring it down to 160 F and another 15 minutes to get it around 154 F. We didn't realize we could add small amounts of cold water to bring it down, instead we removed it from the heat and even used a ice bath to try and lower the temperature.

I bottled it just the other day and scooped out a sip, it was very sweet and lacked the alcohol component in the flavour.

First of all how far off the 154 F can you be before spoiling it and not extracting any fermentable sugars? If that is the case is it still drinkable just slightly less alcoholic?

And when using a stove top is there a better / more efficient way to reach and maintain that optimal mashing temperature?

Thanks again for all your comments and support, it's been a huge help!

 

[gmcapone]

Once you get above 160 the beta amylase becomes deactivated and you won't have any sugars converted that are fermentable. Above about 176 the alpha amylase is deactivated and you wont have any conversion of sugars at all. I'm not too familiar with stove top mashing, but besides calculating the heat loss when you add the grains and keeping the flame on as low as possible I'm not sure what else you can do. Just keep checking the temp and adjust.

 

[gmcapone]

By the way, you could use that beer as the water for another beer. Mash at a very low temperature with it to get as many fermentable sugars as possible. You may have to mash longer than normal since they won't dissolve as easily into the wort vs water.

It could make an interesting and bigger beer.

 

[h22lude]

180* is extremely high. If it took you that long to get it down to even 160* you might have halted all sugar conversion. Did you take a gravity reading before and after fermentation? That will really be the only way to determine what your alcohol content is. If you took an OG reading, that would have told you if you had any sugar in the wort.

Buy a program like BeerSmith. It will help you determine your strike water temp based on your equipment and how much grains you are using. It is pretty accurate. I am usually only 1 degree off, if that.

Was this a mini mash or AG recipe?

 

[D-AB]

It was an all grain! And that's what I thought, we figured once hitting 180 it was a little late! I'll check out that program, thank you!

 

[D-AB]

And using it over sounds great, at least nothing is wasted. Unfortunately I already went and bottled it. I also never took gravity reading, I keep meaning to start doing that but forget! Thanks again, it is good to get clarification on it! I guess this will be the first non-alcoholic brew!

 

[bja]

What was the OG and FG?

 

[Smithman]

And using it over sounds great, at least nothing is wasted. Unfortunately I already went and bottled it. I also never took gravity reading, I keep meaning to start doing that but forget! Thanks again, it is good to get clarification on it! I guess this will be the first non-alcoholic brew!

If you just brewed it "the other day" what are you doing bottling it already? This isn't like making iced tea. You are scaring me.

 

[h22lude]

If you just brewed it "the other day" what are you doing bottling it already? This isn't like making iced tea. You are scaring me.

He never said when it was brewed. He said he bottled just the other day so he could have brewed it a month ago

 

[homebrewdad]

Oi. If you never took a gravity reading, there is nothing much we can do to help you. No OG reading means that we can't help you figure out how much sugar was in your wort, and how much is left after fermentation.

If very sweet and no noticeable alcohol, with such high temps... doubt you got much conversion.

 

[Smithman]

He never said when it was brewed. He said he bottled just the other day so he could have brewed it a month ago

You are correct. My honest mistake.