Doughing in Cold

[Aces High]

There are a few similar threads, but nothing that covers exactly what I am thinking.

I have a 115L pot gas heated biab system, but also a herms unit. The Herms unit is an 8L breville urn with one of Nev's stainless hermit coils mounted through the lid. The urn only has an 1850W element, so its not fast for ramp up, but when holding 66 degrees with an STC1000 it makes for a very steady mash.

I have left the herms running overnight with 70L of water and wake up to perfect 68 degree mash in water.

But what if I mashed into cold tap water at 6am, go to work, then come home and start the boil, making for an easy mid week brew.

I'm not too clued up on different rests and their affects. S

So what would be the effect of heating a mash up to 66 degrees over possibly 2 hours (I haven't ever timed it)

I almost always do Ales, I read one of the commercial lager brands did this, but I am wondering if for Ales, the beer would end up thin and without mouthfeel or if there could be some benefits, or even no difference at all.

any thoughts?

 

[manticle]

It depends on how long you are within certain ranges as to what the effect will be as there's a bunch of different enzymes that are optimised within particular temperature ranges.
I believe there are others on the forum who do similarly.
One benefit will be complete lack of doughballs and proper grain hydration.
If you are mashing in from 30ish degrees up you will perform beta glucan rest, acid rest, ferulic acid rest and protein rest for a start (probably loads of other enzymes I know nothing about will get optimised too) so time at each of these as well as pH will influence results one way or another.
Too long, too cool can also encourage bacterial growth but I doubt you'll get much effect in the time you are talking.

 

[MHB]

If you can ramp at 1/2oC/minute, you don't need to stop until you hit mash out.
You will spend long enough going through each "rest" for the enzymes to do anything they are going to do.
It makes for a very simple mash program, I often mash in with tap water (~20oC) do any required water chemistry after the mash has been recirculating for about half an hour and everything is in solution and its stabilised and I have checked the pH.
You do want to time your rate of rise however, too much faster than 0.5oC/minute and you will need to stop for rests.
Mark

 

[nala]

Off topic, but, I have one of Nev's coils and use it as per the attached picture. A $10 kettle from BigW is the most efficient heat exchanger for doing what you are currently using an 8ltr Urn for. Does' nt look all that blingy but a 1.7ltr 2.400 watt electric kettle takes some beating.

 

[manticle]

Another thing to consider is that cool liquid takes on heat at a faster rate than hot liquid - this may influence ramp times - whether significantly within the temp range and time we're talking I'm not sure.

 

[Aces High]

Off topic, but, I have one of Nev's coils and use it as per the attached picture. A $10 kettle from BigW is the most efficient heat exchanger for doing what you are currently using an 8ltr Urn for. Does' nt look all that blingy but a 1.7ltr 2.400 watt electric kettle takes some beating.

2014-06-11 10.02.10.jpg

yeah but the urn is designed for constant hot water. The kettle is designed to hit 100 degrees the cool down. If Im heating overnight or all day I am much happier with the stainless cylinder of an urn to not catch fire in some $10 kettle kinda way. I like my 6 x 9M man cave and I would like it much less if it was charred and blackened.

If you can ramp at 1/2oC/minute, you don't need to stop until you hit mash out.
You will spend long enough going through each "rest" for the enzymes to do anything they are going to do.
It makes for a very simple mash program, I often mash in with tap water (~20oC) do any required water chemistry after the mash has been recirculating for about half an hour and everything is in solution and its stabilised and I have checked the pH.
You do want to time your rate of rise however, too much faster than 0.5oC/minute and you will need to stop for rests.
Mark

Thanks Mark, I'll try heating some water and see how it goes. Slow and steady sounds like the way to go for once

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

The kettle will be ok if you wanted to do that but your ramp times are not a consideration.
A long mash in the lower 60s will give your wort super fermentabilty akin to super dry, I would go right on the edge of the high 60s.
Nev

 

[Aces High]

The kettle will be ok if you wanted to do that but your ramp times are not a consideration.
A long mash in the lower 60s will give your wort super fermentabilty akin to super dry, I would go right on the edge of the high 60s.
Nev

This is what I was worried about. Great if Im making a lager, but no good for an ale. I'll time the ramp up temp over the weekend and that should give me more idea of things.