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Author Topic: Mash thickness?  (Read 8167 times)

Offline a10t2

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #30 on: October 28, 2015, 09:47:01 am »
Isn't up to 2 qts/lb safe with limited pH worries.

Up to at least 4 qt/lb is fine. I haven't personally gone any thinner than that.
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Offline charles1968

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #31 on: October 28, 2015, 11:22:58 am »
Bear in mind also that a dilute mash has less buffering capacity than a thick one so you need to take care with water chemistry to hit your target mash pH.

Do you step mash? If so, have you seen pH swings based on the temp (the higher the step the higher pH rises) with low amounts of minerals (i.e. pilsen type water)?

I only do single infusion mashes so can't say unfortunately.

Offline charles1968

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #32 on: October 28, 2015, 11:23:47 am »
Capacity is a good reason to mash thick.

Yes that makes sense. Probably simpler than buying a bigger mash tun.

Offline charles1968

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #33 on: October 28, 2015, 11:25:52 am »
Isn't up to 2 qts/lb safe with limited pH worries.

Up to at least 4 qt/lb is fine. I haven't personally gone any thinner than that.

Me neither, but it would be pretty low abv if you went any thinner.

Offline erockrph

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #34 on: October 28, 2015, 10:09:54 pm »
Isn't up to 2 qts/lb safe with limited pH worries.

Up to at least 4 qt/lb is fine. I haven't personally gone any thinner than that.
You may want to increase your mash times for mashes that thin. I know I started to see my efficiencies fall off once I got close to 4qt/lb until I started mashing longer.
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Offline BrewBama

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #35 on: October 29, 2015, 07:26:37 pm »
I gotta say, once I read this and similar threads and started mashing thinner, I experienced a nice jump in my efficiency.

Offline charles1968

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #36 on: October 30, 2015, 07:38:11 am »
I gotta say, once I read this and similar threads and started mashing thinner, I experienced a nice jump in my efficiency.

Same here, up from high 60s to just over 80%. I use about 80% of the liquor in the mash and the remaining 20% for single batch sparge.

Offline PORTERHAUS

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #37 on: October 30, 2015, 11:30:14 am »
I have seen higher effeciency with thin mashes as well. Most likely the times I noted a change in fermentablity with a thinner mash it was some other factor I overlooked...I would have to check back on notes. You guys have no problem answering questions and that is nice to see. I love a topic or question that gets wheels turning and people responding with their thoughts and experience(s).

Offline ultravista

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #38 on: October 31, 2015, 10:11:17 am »
This is a great thread. I have been using Beersmith's default 1.250 for years now. I may go thinner (Denny's recommendation) for the next batch.

Offline denny

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #39 on: October 31, 2015, 10:15:11 am »
This is a great thread. I have been using Beersmith's default 1.250 for years now. I may go thinner (Denny's recommendation) for the next batch.

Brad smith is a great guy and Beersmith is a wonderful piece of software.  Unfortunately, though, too many people look at it as instructions on how to brew and never change the defaults.
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Offline ultravista

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Re: Mash thickness?
« Reply #40 on: October 31, 2015, 10:21:19 am »
Good stuff Denny, I always heed your advice :)