Stuck mash

[Fritzpoll85]

Two brews on my old 30L Grainfather over the past few days - same issue is that the mash sticks (and the sparge) even with today's 5.5kg of grain in 18.76L water. One of these is on a recipe I've brewed many times - only difference now is I have the rolled plates instead of the seals

Grain was crushed by the Malt Miller - only thing was it looked very floury, and I'm getting what looks like pizza dough (sticky, tacky dough) on the top plate, and so presumably a lot of gummed up stuff in the grain as well.

I've had to try stirring the mash and the sparge to get them moving sensibly, which isn't ideal. Is this something I'm doing or shall I blame the ingredients?

 

[MashBag]

Grains do not stay the same. Tbh I would use a lot more water in 5.5kg.

Oats also make everything really sticky. Beer, pastry and bread.

Just add more water

 

[Fritzpoll85]

This was on an all-barley bill. With wheat and oat I'd expect it.

3.3L per kg seemed quite high on a GF - and it's definitely getting dough in the top, which I haven't seen in 30 brews. You reckon just water?

 

[Agentgonzo]

My recirc is slow on my G30 if I don't stir the mash. I don't do a particularly fine crush either. I normally have to close the recirc valve about halfway to prevent it going down the overflow pipe.

However, my SOP now is to give the mash a really good stir as I dough in, and then about 5 minutes into the mash. Probably stir for about 1 minute. You can feel it loosening up at that point. From then on, I can open the tap on the recirc arm full-bore and wort never goes down the overflow. This increases the recirculation rate, and by the end of the mash it's crystal clear.

 

[Clarence]

Two brews on my old 30L Grainfather over the past few days - same issue is that the mash sticks (and the sparge) even with today's 5.5kg of grain in 18.76L water. One of these is on a recipe I've brewed many times - only difference now is I have the rolled plates instead of the seals

Grain was crushed by the Malt Miller - only thing was it looked very floury, and I'm getting what looks like pizza dough (sticky, tacky dough) on the top plate, and so presumably a lot of gummed up stuff in the grain as well.

I've had to try stirring the mash and the sparge to get them moving sensibly, which isn't ideal. Is this something I'm doing or shall I blame the ingredients?

I know nothing about Grainfathers, but I do know that MM do a "crush" and a "fine crush". Did you opt for the latter? A while ago, I saw the writing on the wall for grain prices and stocked up with whole grain and a Brewferm Grain Gorilla. To be honest I've never looked back. Unlike your difficulty, I've been getting better extraction by milling finer than the crushed grain I used to use. Sure it's another operation, but I forked out another £20 for a cheap, electric drill with a cable and it doesn't take long to crush 5kilos of grain.

 

[Fritzpoll85]

My recirc is slow on my G30 if I don't stir the mash. I don't do a particularly fine crush either. I normally have to close the recirc valve about halfway to prevent it going down the overflow pipe.

However, my SOP now is to give the mash a really good stir as I dough in, and then about 5 minutes into the mash. Probably stir for about 1 minute. You can feel it loosening up at that point. From then on, I can open the tap on the recirc arm full-bore and wort never goes down the overflow. This increases the recirculation rate, and by the end of the mash it's crystal clear.

This sounds like it could work. I have another brewday coming up fir a saison and will give this a try

 

[Fritzpoll85]

I know nothing about Grainfathers, but I do know that MM do a "crush" and a "fine crush". Did you opt for the latter? A while ago, I saw the writing on the wall for grain prices and stocked up with whole grain and a Brewferm Grain Gorilla. To be honest I've never looked back. Unlike your difficulty, I've been getting better extraction by milling finer than the crushed grain I used to use. Sure it's another operation, but I forked out another £20 for a cheap, electric drill with a cable and it doesn't take long to crush 5kilos of grain.

No, made the mistake of getting the fine crush once and it just burnt the heating element

 

[RoomWithABrew]

It does sound like you have too much fine crush.
I don't think they will a load and then distribute it as orders arrive. This would allow settling so more " flour" at the bottom of a bag or drum of milled grain.
Always worth mixing the grain and checking the crush before mash. I do this even milling my own grain, just in case anything slips or changes.
Rice hulls, a glucanase rest or glucanase could help. But better to get the root cause under control.