Mashing Out

[Horners]

Evening team

Quick question re masing out. For those who use an Ace/ Klarstein type, without recirculation pump how does one go about mashing out? Applying heat from the bottom and manually recirculating doesnt seem to cut it so, add v hot water from the top? What kind of temperature and volume to raise say a 67C mash to 75C. Is it even worth it.

How do other folk do it?

Cheers

Horners

 

[Dutto]

Hmmm! I use a modified Cool-Box as a Mash Tun and heat the Sparge Water up to 80*C in summer (85*C in winter) in order to Mash Out at the end of the mashing period.

I use 2.6 litres to 3.0 litres of Strike Water for each kilogram of grain and after the mash period is completed, I sparge until my Boiler is at its 30 litre maximum capacity.

My understanding of theMash Out system is that, by increasing the grain-bed temperature to above 75*C, I stop the enzyme action that converts starch into sugar and thereby preserve the sugar "as is" at the end of the mash period.

I increase the level of liquid in the Mash Tun when introducing the sparge water (this takes the grain-bed temperature above 75*C) and then cut it back to the "one litre per minute" rate that I use to take off the wort. This increase in liquid volume makes the grain-bed more fluid (I usually give it a few stirs during the sparge) and ensures that the grain is properly rinsed.

"Is it worth it?" I don't really know because I've always done it.

 

[steve123]

I drain some of the wort from the mash and heat in a large pan on the stove to boiling and re-add it back to the mash to increase the temperature. I also factor a late addition of boiling water into my mash/sparge volumes.

I use Mash Infusion, Strike Water, and Rest Schedule Calculator on brewers friend. As duto said is it worth it, I don’t know I don’t aways do it and can’t say I notice any benefit from doing it!

Moving forward I’m going to make a RIMs system as doing the way I do it is a bit of a pain and not the quickest process.

 

[Sadfield]

I generally don't bother. One of those commercial brewing techniques that doesn't translate to to the small scale of homebrewing, such a short time between the end of mash and the start of boil.

 

[Dutto]

........ and not the quickest process.

"Why shorten a process that takes a minimum of six weeks?" I ask.

Almost without fail, most of my cock-ups have happened during those times that take up most of the actual work. i.e. weighing, milling, mashing, boiling, cooling and bottling!

From this I have concluded that if the process ends in ".. ing" I should take my time over it ...

... and thank my lucky stars if I manage to do it properly.