Help, mash too hot!

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Mikeyd

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I’m in the middle of mashing, made a right mess up and misread the thermometer and I’ve just mashed for an hour at 75 degrees. I’ve now cooled it to 67 and wash going to mash for an extra 30 mins (will this even help?)
Have I totally ruined this batch or might it be saved?!


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I've never done this myself but as I understand you're going to have converted a lot of unfermentable sugars, perhaps to the extent that it'll end up a very low ABV beer.
 
It will not be ruined, just not as it should be. 75c will have denatured beta-amylase, but alpha-amylase will still be able to convert starch into sugar at 75C. The sugars you will have will be quite complex, resulting in a beer with more body and lower attenuation. The extra time will help, but the drop in temperature won't make much difference. What are you brewing? Do you have Iodine for starch testing? Does the wort taste sweet?
 
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I don’t have iodine unfortunately. It’s just a basic pale ale recipe.
2kg marris
100g crystal
20g flaked barley
10g fuggles
10g first gold


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And yes the wort does taste sweet!


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Might be worth chucking a little bit of sugar in to get the abv up and preparing for not the driest beer in the world (or ferment slightly warmer at the end and use a super attenuating yeast?)
 
Might be worth chucking a little bit of sugar in to get the abv up and preparing for not the driest beer in the world (or ferment slightly warmer at the end and use a super attenuating yeast?)

I agree, although I'd defer the sugar addition until fermentation is well underway. The risk of adding some simple sugar earlier is that the yeast consumes the simple sugars first and flocculates before tackling the mass of complex sugars this brew will have.

If you are using a dry yeast, I would definitely consider re-hydrating it as you'll need the healthiest yeast possible. Over-pitching yeast will help boost attenuation. Adding a handful of hops when you pitch the yeast may also help.

What yeast are you using?
 
It’s just the wilko Gervin. It’s rehydrating as we speak.


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It’s ended up at 1.062, before topping up. Will just have to see how it turns out I guess! Hopefully it’ll still be drinkable!


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It’s ended up at 1.062, before topping up. Will just have to see how it turns out I guess! Hopefully it’ll still be drinkable!


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I hope so. A lot of those sugars will be unfermentable though. What yeast are you using? It may be worth going with something very attenuative to get every last point out of it that you can...
 
Thanks for the replies! Think I may just have to crack on with the Gervin for now as that’s all I have in the house and see where it finishes.
 
Maybe a champagne yeast after the original yeast finishes?
Could work: a lot of champagne yeasts are clean and thorough.

ALSO: I split a batch of wort (spring bock) with a brew mate, we pitched different yeast and I ended up at 1026 (measured over the course of a week) and he at around 1005. We both find our brews drinkable, and we'll take a few liters each to our next brewing guild gathering, for tasting purposes.
 
For a start, what amount of liquid did you use to get an SG of 1.062 from just "2kg marris and 100g crystal"?

Personally, I wouldn't worry at Mashing at 75ºC. It's right on the line.

Two weeks ago, I mashed at 74 degrees for a Belgian Pale Ale and only finished up with an OG of 1.032.

The FG of 1.011 gives an ABV of 2.76% which, as I brewed it for Summer Session drinking, was spot on!:thumb:
 
It’s was just a 10L batch. So used 6.5L for mash and 9L for a dunk sparge.


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