Long Mash time

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grapat

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Morning All

I am brewing this beer today but i am off out this morning is it OK to let it mash for 3-4 hours? what problems will i have?

I loose about 1 degree an hour

Thanks
Graeme

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 21.72 l
Post Boil Volume: 18.72 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 17.00 l
Bottling Volume: 17.00 l
Estimated OG: 1.064 SG
Estimated Color: 22.4 EBC
Estimated IBU: 60.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 68.8 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4.40 kg Maris Otter (Crisp) (5.0 EBC) Grain 1 81.5 %
0.40 kg Munich 10L Malt (25.0 EBC) Grain 2 7.4 %
0.20 kg Caramalt (30.0 EBC) Grain 3 3.7 %
0.20 kg Caramel Malt 60L (150.0 EBC) Grain 4 3.7 %
0.20 kg Melanoidin Malt (70.0 EBC) Grain 5 3.7 %
15.00 g Citra [14.80 %] - First Wort 20.0 min Hop 6 18.3 IBUs
20.00 g Citra [14.80 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 18.2 IBUs
20.00 g Citra [14.80 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 13.3 IBUs
25.00 g Citra [14.80 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 9.1 IBUs
20.00 g Citra [14.80 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 10 1.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 11 -
85.00 g Citra [14.80 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
 
You'll be fine - fling a couple of towels or something else on top of the mash tun to help maintain temperature :thumb:
 
Is a long mash time a way of getting decent efficiency when you struggle to maintain temperature? Or does it not help once the mash falls below the temperature at which the enzymes are active?
 
The main benefits, at least from my perspective, are in shortening the brew day, i.e. mashing overnight. You'll only convert the sugars in the magic temp range and I believe there could be issues if the temp falls too low (I forget what exactly). Increased efficiency is a secondary benefit.
 
My last overnight mash was 16hrs. Lost about 12c, but it doesn,t really matter as long as you maintained the correct temp during saccrification which is probably only the first 2-3 hrs.

The plus side was the 85% mash efficiency.
:thumb:
 
graysalchemy said:
My last overnight mash was 16hrs. Lost about 12c, but it doesn,t really matter as long as you maintained the correct temp during saccrification which is probably only the first 2-3 hrs.

The plus side was the 85% mash efficiency.
:thumb:
So are you saying that you would have got the same efficiency whether it was 3 hours or 16 hours? I can see the advantage of an over night mash for fitting AG brewing in to a busy weekend but it sounds like it can't be used to avoid properly insulating the mash tun (or BIAB boiler in my case).
 
Thanks guys I am hitting about 67% at the moment all of the beers i have made are aver 6%, Cheep homemade mash tun I guess. I will look at this over the coming weeks doing some overnight mashes.

I am loving some of the the AG Brews I have made. Onwards and upwards.

Cheers Graeme
 
rpt said:
graysalchemy said:
My last overnight mash was 16hrs. Lost about 12c, but it doesn,t really matter as long as you maintained the correct temp during saccrification which is probably only the first 2-3 hrs.

The plus side was the 85% mash efficiency.
:thumb:
So are you saying that you would have got the same efficiency whether it was 3 hours or 16 hours? I can see the advantage of an over night mash for fitting AG brewing in to a busy weekend but it sounds like it can't be used to avoid properly insulating the mash tun (or BIAB boiler in my case).

No you are right you need a very well insulated mash tun as if you don't it will lose to much heat in the critical first 2 hrs. You need to maintain your mash temp in this time. My mash tun is insulated with Silver bubble insulation and i also wrapped it in layers of bubble wrap and two thick blankets. Sleeping bags are very good for this job.

I do it because fitting a 55L brewday into a limited day means if i mash overnight I can effectively do it in about two hrs less and split it over two days. Now It takes about 2 hrs to get the mash on (getting to strike temp) and then usually about 5hrs the next day, so If I get the sparge water on at 8 am i am usually fiished by 2 in the afternoon. If I was doing 25L then this would be a lot less as it takes less time to sparge and raise the temp of the sparge water etc.
 
I've mashed overnight with no issues both BIAB and with my MT, in theory you might end up making a beer with not much body if the mash temp falls. Also too much protein breakdown can lead to poor head retention in theory. However it has not been my experiance, it is helpful to shorten you brew day. T
 

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