Mash length (time) advice

General beer chit chat
Post Reply
User avatar
sgrhyno
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:20 pm
Name: Shaun Rhyno
Location: Lewis Lake

Mash length (time) advice

Post by sgrhyno » Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:16 am

ok....Until yesterday I had pretty much a whole day Sunday to brew, so I was going to do 2 batches, which on my system is usually a pretty long day. Of course that got completely kyboshed and at best I'll be able to devote my whole attention to brewing at around 12:30-1:00. That doesnt leave me much time to get 2 batches off. My question is this...

If i get everything ready Saturday night, get up early and get mashed in at around 9:30am Sunday and get back to it when I get home, will I still be ok? Any detrimental effects on my mash setting it set for 3+ hours. I'm not worried about losing too much temperature...my tun is usually pretty good and I can put it inside where its warm.

Any advice at all is great! Thanks.

User avatar
GAM
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 5402
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 2:50 pm
Name: Sandy MacNeil
Location: North End HFX

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by GAM » Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:23 am

Yep. I do this all the time. If your outside holding mash temp may be an issue. I mash high and hope for the best when I do this.

Sandy

User avatar
sgrhyno
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:20 pm
Name: Shaun Rhyno
Location: Lewis Lake

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by sgrhyno » Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:27 am

Awesome Sandy. Thank you!

I do brew in the garage, but it's easy to take the cooler inside and leave it there. I'm going for it.

Cheers!

User avatar
Woody
Award Winner 4
Award Winner 4
Posts: 1182
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 12:39 am
Name: Derek
Location: Truro, NS

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by Woody » Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:33 am

I mash 5 to 6 hours all the time. With one child in school on days off I mash in after lunch when the other child is napping and finish when we get the troops down to sleep that night. So I dough in around 2pm and start back up at 730 pm ish. I would not mash dark grains this long for fear of astringent flavours but I add them for 10 mins and get all the flavours, colour and complexities they add if brewing that style. So you do get a very fermentable wort (excellent for IPA's etc) and I find my efficiency goes up. Make brewing work for you. I insulate my pot with a winter jacket and sleeping bag and loose maybe 10F in 5.5 hours. I just wouldn't want the mash temp going below 130f. Sounds like that wont be an issue for you. I've read others say the boil would fix any issues that could cause but haven't let the mash temp go too low. :cheers2:

User avatar
mckay75
Award Winner 6
Award Winner 6
Posts: 750
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:36 pm
Name: Mark
Location: Truro
Contact:

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by mckay75 » Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:25 am

afternoon mashes for me always. Love how it splits up my brew day. I mash in typically on my lunch hour and then sparge when i get home from work and have supper. I wouldn't do it any other way!

User avatar
LiverDance
Award Winner 6
Award Winner 6
Posts: 4011
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:50 pm
Name: Brian
Location: Sprybeeria

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by LiverDance » Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:34 pm

i'm in the same boat, mash in at lunch - go back to work - boil after supper.
"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.

User avatar
jacinthebox
Award Winner 16
Award Winner 16
Posts: 3047
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:44 pm
Name: Justin
Location: Hubley
Contact:

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by jacinthebox » Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:04 pm

same thing I do when trying to get other stuff done during brew day
Brathair Brewing



Brew Hard...Stay Humble

User avatar
Tim Gregory
Award Winner 8
Award Winner 8
Posts: 1150
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:18 pm
Name: Tim
Location: Downtown Dartmouth

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by Tim Gregory » Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:09 pm

How long would you guys risk letting it go? I've thought about mashing in before bed and finishing first thing in the morning.

User avatar
jacinthebox
Award Winner 16
Award Winner 16
Posts: 3047
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:44 pm
Name: Justin
Location: Hubley
Contact:

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by jacinthebox » Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:11 pm

as long as you can stay close to your targeted mash temp...I'd say go for it
gets risky when it drops below 115f. it could sour
Brathair Brewing



Brew Hard...Stay Humble

User avatar
LiverDance
Award Winner 6
Award Winner 6
Posts: 4011
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:50 pm
Name: Brian
Location: Sprybeeria

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by LiverDance » Thu Nov 30, 2017 4:39 pm

I've done overnight before, just wrapped the tun in a sleeping bag which helped.
"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.

User avatar
RubberToe
Award Winner 13
Award Winner 13
Posts: 3743
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:47 am
Name: Rob
Location: Dartmouth
Contact:

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by RubberToe » Thu Nov 30, 2017 4:45 pm

One thing to note is that longer mashes _generally_ produce higher attenuating wort. This is the case, partly at least, because the enzymes work until they break down. They break down faster at higher temperatures.

If you mash low be careful of drying out your beer too much. Something I've done in the past for overnight or day long mashes is to mash at slightly higher temperature so the amylase breaks down in due time.
Electric Brewery Build
On tap at RubberToe's:
Sometimes on a Sunday Belgian Dubbel, Oaked Old Ale, Ordinary Bitter

User avatar
oceanic_brew
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 625
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 6:14 pm
Name: Glen O'Keefe

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by oceanic_brew » Thu Nov 30, 2017 6:46 pm

jacinthebox wrote:as long as you can stay close to your targeted mash temp...I'd say go for it
gets risky when it drops below 115f. it could sour
I know just from leaving my grains in the vessel post mash for 24 hrs how true this is.

Although I've read on the internets that it's somewhere around 8 hrs before there's any problems in that regard. The source was a distiller who I'm guessing was trying to achieve a sour mash.

I can see mashing high intentionally and then after a few hrs hopefully temp hasn't dropped too much. Although I make mostly Belgian ales, I mash around 149-150 for 75 mins. The carb level is so high that the beer still perceivable has a lot of body. It certainly is not thin or dry considering the attenuation is very high on some.

I don't make many beers that call for a high mash temp so I can't speak to how a super long mash or missing those temps to the lower side has really had a negative outcome as is suggested by almost every piece of literature I've read.

I just can't see how a super long mash wouldn't end you up with a highly attenuated beer.







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar
Halifax_Jeff
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 553
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 1:12 pm
Name: Jeff
Location: Beaver Bank

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by Halifax_Jeff » Thu Nov 30, 2017 7:28 pm

Works great I would suggest you try it... your beer will attenuate like a son of a gun. keep that in mind.

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk


ackes
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 279
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:31 pm
Name: Mike
Location: St. Margaret's Bay

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by ackes » Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:19 pm

This sounds great. With kids around - always trying to find a way to make the process more efficient. And as Woody says - nice to be able to make it work with my schedule. Being able to start the mash and finish when kids are asleep.

Any notable differences for BIAB'ers? I recently finished making a mash tun cozy, and I wrap that in 2 comforters and then 2 quilts on the lid. Should this be enough to hold mash temperature?

I have a 15 G kettle from OBK - with a 2" temperature probe. The problem I'm having when checking mash temp - is that it seems like the grains will aggregate around the probe and 'insulate' it and give me a falsely low temperature reading. I've found that if I open the lid and use my mash paddle to push the grains away from the probe that the temp will raise immediately. It just makes it frustrating - not knowing how accurate I am with my mash temp and I don't like having to open the lid all the time. Would a 6" temp probe help here?
Kegged: House honey wheat, Honey Brown ale.
Fermenting: West Coast IPA
On deck: Mad Elf Clone to age until Winter
In the hole:: NEIPA / Honey Wheat./ Sour season !
Kegged and aging:: RIS

Swine
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:30 am
Name: Ryan Swinamer
Location: Hammonds Plains

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by Swine » Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:57 pm

I'm trying tonight for the first time!
Brewed 2 batches earlier (A 5gal and a 10gal) and was planning another for tomorrow. With the rain coming, this may allow me to be done before the rain hits!!!
Great advise everyone, thanks.

User avatar
mckay75
Award Winner 6
Award Winner 6
Posts: 750
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:36 pm
Name: Mark
Location: Truro
Contact:

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by mckay75 » Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:21 am

ackes wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:19 pm
This sounds great. With kids around - always trying to find a way to make the process more efficient. And as Woody says - nice to be able to make it work with my schedule. Being able to start the mash and finish when kids are asleep.

Any notable differences for BIAB'ers? I recently finished making a mash tun cozy, and I wrap that in 2 comforters and then 2 quilts on the lid. Should this be enough to hold mash temperature?

I have a 15 G kettle from OBK - with a 2" temperature probe. The problem I'm having when checking mash temp - is that it seems like the grains will aggregate around the probe and 'insulate' it and give me a falsely low temperature reading. I've found that if I open the lid and use my mash paddle to push the grains away from the probe that the temp will raise immediately. It just makes it frustrating - not knowing how accurate I am with my mash temp and I don't like having to open the lid all the time. Would a 6" temp probe help here?
Its not likely to make much difference...and a 6" probe may end up costing you a new bag or a new temp gauge as the bag will catch in it at some point, if not regularily. I would stick with what you have right now...and just learn to trust the fact that the temp is in and around where you want it to be. Every time you open the lid and stir it around to check you are letting heat out. Just leave it.

User avatar
Woody
Award Winner 4
Award Winner 4
Posts: 1182
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 12:39 am
Name: Derek
Location: Truro, NS

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by Woody » Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:51 am

ackes wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:19 pm

Any notable differences for BIAB'ers? I recently finished making a mash tun cozy, and I wrap that in 2 comforters and then 2 quilts on the lid. Should this be enough to hold mash temperature?

I have a 15 G kettle from OBK - with a 2" temperature probe. The problem I'm having when checking mash temp - is that it seems like the grains will aggregate around the probe and 'insulate' it and give me a falsely low temperature reading. I've found that if I open the lid and use my mash paddle to push the grains away from the probe that the temp will raise immediately. It just makes it frustrating - not knowing how accurate I am with my mash temp and I don't like having to open the lid all the time. Would a 6" temp probe help here?
Definitely stick with your 2 inch probe and yes your in good shape to maintain temp with all that. Dough in and check your temp with a thermometer and leave it. I stopped worrying and was surprised how the temp doesn't drop that much in 5-6 hours if you insulate the pot. Don't open it for the reasons Mark mentioned and don't worry about what the pot temp probe says. It does give false readings compared to stirring the mash and checking. With all the grain and liquid in your pot it will take awhile to loose temp. Most conversion happens in the first 20 min anyway. I'm a BIAB'er and always brew 10-12 gallon batches in my 19 gallon pot with a sparge.

X)

User avatar
sgrhyno
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:20 pm
Name: Shaun Rhyno
Location: Lewis Lake

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by sgrhyno » Fri Dec 01, 2017 10:51 am

That thread got way more attention than I was expecting. Thanks for all the great advice folks!

Cheers!

ackes
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 279
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:31 pm
Name: Mike
Location: St. Margaret's Bay

Re: Mash length (time) advice

Post by ackes » Fri Dec 01, 2017 12:21 pm

Awesome. Thanks fellas. Can't wait to try this on my next brew day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Kegged: House honey wheat, Honey Brown ale.
Fermenting: West Coast IPA
On deck: Mad Elf Clone to age until Winter
In the hole:: NEIPA / Honey Wheat./ Sour season !
Kegged and aging:: RIS

Post Reply

Return to “General Beer Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests