Homebrewing Stack Exchange
Homebrewing Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [mash]

A mixture of water and crushed grains (usually malted) in which enzymes convert complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars that can be utilized by yeast during fermentation.

186 questions
7
votes
2 answers

Does a longer mash time lead to more fermentable wort?

I saw a reference to this recently and took pause. As I understand it, mash temp and the effects it has on the various enzymes effect fermentability (that is, the amount of fermentable vs non-fermentable sugars), not mash time.
uSlackr
  • 982
  • 5
  • 14
7
votes
2 answers

How do I adjust mash temperature and thickness to add body to a beer?

My most successful brew to date has been Northern Brewer's Scottish 80/- extract kit. It was a dead ringer for Belhaven, but lacked Belhaven's body and mouthfeel, maybe due to the fermentability of the extracts in use. I'd like to do a mini-mash…
Rich Armstrong
  • 5,197
  • 4
  • 39
  • 61
5
votes
2 answers

How do I do a sour mash?

I might want to do a sour mash, if it's easy. How's it done?
Rich Armstrong
  • 5,197
  • 4
  • 39
  • 61
5
votes
1 answer

How does cereal mashing not produce off flavors due to above 170F boil temperatures?

I have always read that over 170F grain mashes will get a very distinct off flavors. How is it that during a cereal mash of grains (where you typically hold a mid-range temperature for a duration and then slowly increase to boil and hold) the…
Greg
  • 75
  • 2
4
votes
1 answer

What's the maximum mash time?

In this question, Basic Brewing Radio was quoted as saying longer mashes (up to 90 minutes) were "better". It seems as if there are practical limitations with maintaining temperature, as well as just wanting to limit the amount of time spend on the…
Dale
  • 3,375
  • 2
  • 27
  • 42
4
votes
1 answer

Step Mash Calculation

I just brewed my hefeweizen for the 3rd time. At the time of the first batch I'd read an article that suggested a ferulic acid rest at 110°F to accentuate the banana notes in the aroma. I mash in a picnic cooler a la @DennyConn and am having issues…
uSlackr
  • 982
  • 5
  • 14
3
votes
2 answers

Is it possible to recover from mashing at an incorrect temperature by stablizing the mash temperature for a longer duration?

After 30 minutes of mashing, I checked the temperature at it was 142F/61C. I added 3/4 gallon of boiling water and brought the temp up to 155F/68C. It maintained between 152-155 for 60 more minutes. Mashing at different temperatures causes different…
Matthew Moisen
  • 3,847
  • 6
  • 42
  • 83
2
votes
3 answers

How much strike water can I expect to lose to grain hydration?

Let's say I have a pound of milled barley malt. Let's say American 2-Row, for the sake of specificity. And let's say I have a gallon of warm/hot water that I mix with the grain and let sit for some longish period of time before straining. How much…
Rich Armstrong
  • 5,197
  • 4
  • 39
  • 61
2
votes
1 answer

Why some brewers mash-in for two hours?

Some brewers mash-in for two hours, whereas it seems that most of the sugar is extracted during the first 30mn. While the difference between 30 and 60mn mash duration have been explored, I still don't understand what mashing for two hours would be…
Alexis Métaireau
  • 256
  • 2
  • 8
2
votes
2 answers

Lower mash temperature

I missed my mash temperature by 4 degrees a few days ago. I was shooting for 152 but got 149.5. Then I checked my calibration today and my Thermometer was 1.2 high. So I mashed at around 148.3. Its an IPA, from what I see it will just dry it out…
Bowlcardo
  • 41
  • 1
1
vote
1 answer

What effect does conversion have on mash temp

We're mashing our second batch (after a year of extract) and seems like we cannot keep the mash temp low enough. We struck at 165F in an attempt to hit 152 for mash (grain was at 65F). We saw a higher temp at first (~156) so we left the cooler…
uSlackr
  • 982
  • 5
  • 14
1
vote
2 answers

Late Mash Additions for Color

I was looking for color in a recipe without any of the roastiness from dark crystal malt I would get from using it as steeped specialty grains. When I asked the manager at the LHBS about cold steeping, he instead recommended "late mashing". He told…
Chino Brews
  • 2,967
  • 11
  • 29
0
votes
1 answer

I'm going to do my first IPA soon, how do I do my mashing?

I'm doing my first beer from scratch soon. I've been assisting a friend of mine with making beers before. I've also searched on the internet on the steps involved. One thing I've noticed is that there are seemingly different ways and steps for…
Lucas Kauffman
  • 1,127
  • 1
  • 7
  • 15