53 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

Without discussing the why just yet, what temperature do you personally mash at and still arrive at a mostly dry beer (maybe some residual sweetness, but definitely a dry finish. NO cloying sweetness.)

 

We'll get to the why later. I just want to know what temp you usually use without explanation.

 

Me: 148-150. 

 

GO!

[positiveContact]

I usually mash around 151-153F.  two recent beers in this range finished below 1.010 which I would consider pretty dry.

[neddles]

147-156F

 

Too many other factors involved including yeast selection, grist composition, and OG.

[positiveContact]

147-156F

 

Too many other factors involved including yeast selection, grist composition, and OG.

 

true enough.

[djinkc]

148 more or less.  I'm starting to think it doesn't matter all that much with American malt anymore.  I started using Rahr lately and they have the Lintner tagged.  Pretty high from what I expected for 2-row.  I used to get Canada Malting - no obvious label on those, or I just didn't look.

[HVB]

I would also say 148-149.

[realbeerguy]

148

[Big Nake]

Yeah, I don't think you can just say "mash temp" without talking about water, grain bill or attenuation of the yeast. That said, I am in the 149-150 range for "low mash temps".

[BlKtRe]

I'm in the Schwanz camp.

[matt6150]

Yeah 148-150.

[Steve Urquell]

135F/10min, 140F/40min, 158F/20min

 

But I think yeast selection plays more a part in it than mash temp.

[Brauer]

148-150 F for 40-60 minutes, then 158 F for 10-20 minutes.

 

That seems to get most average beers dry, down near 1.010 no matter the yeast, but OG and grist play an important part for those last couple points and for perception of sweetness.

Edited by Brauer, 05 March 2015 - 05:12 AM.

[dmtaylor]

My goal is usually 150 F plus or minus a degree or two.

[HVB]

148-150 F for 40-60 minutes, then 158 F for 10-20 minutes.

 

That seems to get most average beers dry, down near 1.010 no matter the yeast, but OG and grist play an important part for those last couple points and for perception of sweetness.

This is a good point.  While I said 148-150, and that is true, I do that for 40-45 minutes and then ramp up to 165 after that.  It takes about 20 minutes to get to the 165 so it spends some time at a higher temp too.

[positiveContact]

this reminds me I need to check out some mash calculators so I can step up my next brew.  I'm guessing I'll miss but I'll just live with it

[BlKtRe]

You can ramp up in the kettle as well. An advantage of fly sparging is it's easy and quick to mash out in the kettle since runnings are moved into the kettle at a slower rate than batch sparging.

[positiveContact]

You can ramp up in the kettle as well. An advantage of fly sparging is it's easy and quick to mash out in the kettle since runnings are moved into the kettle at a slower rate than batch sparging.

 

I typically do an overnight mash so if I want to ramp the temp up I kind of have to do it in the cooler.

[HVB]

You can ramp up in the kettle as well. An advantage of fly sparging is it's easy and quick to mash out in the kettle since runnings are moved into the kettle at a slower rate than batch sparging.

True, and I do that as well I guess.  As soon as my element is covered I am turning it on.  But that is really only something I do for a 10g batch as the element is not covered till the sparge is done with a smaller batch.

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

I usually mash between 152-154 for most fermentability based on an AHA seminar. I try to control body and sweetness with the recipe.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Good info guys!

 

So, Denny commented in the PH thread that there isn't a lot of need to mash lower, much like CG suggests. My personal experience has been that low mash temps = higher attenuation for most beers. But, now that I have good O2 capability, more yeast, and really good fermentation temperature control I think that I may be able to raise the mash temps a little. That excites me a bit because I've noticed that I get better conversion efficiency from a 150 mash rather than a 148 mash. I'm sure there are diminishing returns there, but that could mean a shorter brew day as well.

 

I'm hesitant to try to increase the mash temp too much though. I hate overly sweet beer.

Edited by SchwanzBrewer, 05 March 2015 - 08:46 AM.