Boil and Mash times

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What are your Boil/Mash times?

  • 1 hour mash + 1 hour boil

  • 1 hour mash + 1.5 hour boil

  • 1.5 hour mash + 1 hour boil

  • 1.5 hour mash + 1.5 hour boil


Results are only viewable after voting.
I've voted, although I am being converted to the over night mash for convenience and better efficiencies apparently
 
Picked option 3. 75 minute mash and 15 minute mashout for me. I used to do a full 90 minute mash, but shortening the time made no difference to mash efficiency (up in the 80's with BIAB).

You might want to add an "other" option, I think quite a few on here do an overnight mash...

It might be interesting to hear from people what made the most measurable difference to their efficiency. For me it was water treatment which made the biggest difference, followed by stirring the mash more often. The mashout seems to make b***er all difference, but I do it anyway - it gives me something to do while heating the wort to a boil :)
 
My main alteration was to the boil times. As stated in many recipes and instructions for all grain brewing I use to boil for 90 mins.
However I've now dropped that to 60 mins and I can't honestly say its caused me any noticeable problem. The benefits to time and electricity saved is obvious, I've asdked around for someone to tell me if I'm doing something terribly wrong but no-one has enlightened me. So I'll stick to the 60 min boil from now on and perhaps up the bittering hops if needed.
 
Other - 2 hour mash and 60 minute boil here - I usually brew with a mate and this 2 hours is perfect time to mash in, insulate, go over to the pub have a round then get back to get the sparge water in my HLT up to temperature. Sorted.
 
I'm currently in the 90 mins + 90 mins camp

Have wondered about trying overnight mash and 60 min boil :hmm:
 
I'm finding it hard to vote....ev you bugger :lol: :tongue:
With modern modified UK malts mash times can be as little as 40 mins, or even less, you can do a starch test to check this for yourself with iodine and runnings on a plate, if it stays brown it's done, if it turns purple it's not.
However regards the boil, if I'm making a 'quick drinker' I'll do an hour boil, but if it's a keeper/high gravity ale I'll do a 1.5 hour+ as shorter boil times affect stability over the long run...so I've read..though non have survived long enough to test the theory :drink: :drunk:
 
I mash overnight now but used to do 90 minute mashes I also boil for 90 minutes as that is what most recipes stipulate and obviously if you do a shorter boil you need to increase the the bittering hopping. :thumb:
 
piddledribble said:
I've voted, although I am being converted to the over night mash for convenience and better efficiencies apparently
Me too though I equated this with a 90 min mash. Would be intersting to see how many do the over night which is my now my favoured option (purely for conveinience).
 
graysalchemy said:
I mash overnight now but used to do 90 minute mashes I also boil for 90 minutes as that is what most recipes stipulate and obviously if you do a shorter boil you need to increase the the bittering hopping. :thumb:
Two post in a row, oops...

BeerSmith doesn't seem to account for boil times, i.e. you'll get the same bitterness from a 60 min boil as a 90 min boil. Any idea how significant 60 vs 90 is in IBU terms?
 
I'm quite new to all grain, certainly not as expert as yourself. However an overnight mash certainly helps with efficiency and cuts down your brewday. Also I've not found any major problems with a 60 min boil as long as the bitterness hops are adjusted. I've also had some beers in bottles for going on 12 months and all have remained in good condition, ( as they say 90 min boil helps with the beers keeping properties )
 

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