Averagely Perfect ESB - Poll #18 - Mash Length

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by VikeMan, Apr 4, 2017.

?

What should the recommended mash length be ?

Poll closed Apr 6, 2017.

  1. 30 minutes

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  2. 45 minutes

    10 vote(s)
    30.3%

  3. 60 minutes

    20 vote(s)
    60.6%

  4. 75 minutes

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  5. 90 minutes

    3 vote(s)
    9.1%

  6. Other (write it in)

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
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  1. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    -> Poll #17 <- determined that the recommended mash temperature will be 154F.

    This poll will determine recommended Mash Length. This will be "recommended" because YMMV when it comes to making a wort with the attenuability needed to hit this recipe's numbers, so some may need different mash parameters. That said, the recommended mash length will be at least a starting place for less experienced brewers.

    I recommend you think about this in terms of the parameters needed to hit apparent attenuation between 77% and 78% with the fermentables, yeast strain, and mash temperature already selected.

    When this poll is done, I will look at the data a few different ways to determine the central tendency. It may or may not be as simple as a plurality would indicate. There may or may not be a runoff. It all depends on the data.

    This poll will be open for 48 hours.

    If you have issues with or suggestions for methodologies used in this project, please send them via beermail. Let's keep the threads themselves on topic to the question at hand and not about how you would have asked the question differently.

    The Averagely Perfect ESB Recipe so far...

    Target ABV: 5.4%
    OG: 1.053
    FG: 1.012 (77.4% Apparent Attenuation)

    Grain Bill:
    ---Maris Otter (89%)
    ---English Crystal Malt (~55L) (5%)
    ---English Dark Crystal (~80L) (2%)
    ---Invert Sugar #2 (4%)

    Mash Temperature (recommended): 154F
    Yeast Strain: Wyeast 1469
     
    #1 VikeMan, Apr 4, 2017
  2. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    I'm tempted to say 60 minutes because that is usually what I aim for, but I would like to hear arguments in favor of a different length. In the previous poll, there seemed to be some concerns about too dry or too chewy. This seems like the place to address those concerns.

    So, what do you think? And why?
     
    #2 wspscott, Apr 4, 2017
  3. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I think a shorter mash length could help with concerns about shooting past the FG, but I have never experimented with this. Therefore it feels easiest to stay close to what I know. I went with 45. Part of me wants 30, and part of me thinks this is not the time to experiment and wants 60. A compromise.
     
    #3 pweis909, Apr 4, 2017
    dmtaylor likes this.
  4. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    45 minutes is good enough. The rest of you can go 60 if you don't mind wasting time on brew day. I mash every batch for 40-45 for the past 10+ years with no ill effects.
     
    #4 dmtaylor, Apr 4, 2017
    pweis909 likes this.
  5. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Sounds like you do not think 45 instead of 60 would have an impact on fermentability. Did you ever go 30? I suspect there are brulosopher or other experiments out there...

    Edit... And google confirms: http://brulosophy.com/2014/09/01/does-mash-length-matter-exbeeriment-results/
     
    #5 pweis909, Apr 4, 2017
    dmtaylor likes this.
  6. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    Yes. At 30 minutes, I get full attenuation about 50% of the time. But it's too unpredictable. Still get full efficiency. At 40 minutes, I get full expected attenuation within a couple points every single time.
     
    #6 dmtaylor, Apr 4, 2017
    pweis909 likes this.
  7. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Do you ever use adjunct grain, and if so, does this alter your strategy?
     
    #7 pweis909, Apr 4, 2017
  8. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    Ever go longer than 60 minutes?
     
    #8 wspscott, Apr 4, 2017
  9. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    @pweis909 and @wspscott, I mash at least 60 minutes for Munich based beers, maybe even 75, due to reduced enzymatic content. But otherwise, with 10 or even 20% flaked grains or whatever, no, I don't adjust mash time.

    For saisons or other beers where I want it bone dry, I mash for 90 minutes. However, I'm not a huge fan of saisons so this is rare.
     
    #9 dmtaylor, Apr 4, 2017
    wspscott and pweis909 like this.
  10. FeDUBBELFIST

    FeDUBBELFIST Pooh-Bah (1,765) Oct 31, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I mash for 90 minutes for all beers these days as this gives me a nice down time to do other things: bring sparge water to temp, sanitize fermenters, recirculate for twenty minutes, weigh hops, clean and more. I'm never in a rush to get brew day over with so I don't mind it at all. I adjust my recipe and mash temp for wort fermentability.

    If my process or mindset ever changes, I will certainly consider switching up mash length to save time.
     
    #10 FeDUBBELFIST, Apr 5, 2017
  11. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Median, Mode (and Majority): 60 minutes
    Mean: closest to 60 minutes

    Calling this one for 60 minutes.
     
    #11 VikeMan, Apr 6, 2017
  12. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    #12 wspscott, Apr 6, 2017
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