So, I have let the grains steep for an hour or so inmy mash tun. When I poured it out, my iodine test failed to test the conversion. Let it sit or try something new?
the other stupid thing was that I took a reading of the temperature when it entered... 154 ish - upon the 60 minute period when I tested it again, it was like 180. Dunno how... dunny why... problem?
180 would have denatured the enzymes and prevented conversion.
let the mash cool below 154 and add some more crushed grains to get the enzymes back in. and mash until the test shows conversion
are you sure your thermometer is accurate?
what was the temp of the water you added at the start of the mash?
was it boiling or just over your desired mash temp?
if the real mash temp was 180 then you need more enzymes, either from more grain or amalyse enzymes. a last resort would be beano - but this could give you a very thin dry beer.
well - if you added 170 degree water to 8 lbs of grain - the temp would have had to get below 160( i add 180 degree water to 12 lbs grain and end up at around 152 degrees) no way it would have increased in temp.
that means you should have had enzyme activity.
were there any grain husks in the wort you did the iodine test on? that can give a false starch reading.
also -does the liquid taste sweet - that would indicate conversion.
what iodine did you use?
some is a blend and won't react properly.
so if the wort tastes sweet - i would go ahead and brew.