High Mash Temps

[sluggerdog]

I have just got myself a new thermometer and have found that my old one was way out.

I have just mashed as I normally do using the same temperatures as I have in the past and found that with the new thermometer that my old one was reading a lot lower then it was.

I was doing a brew in the past to be mashed at 66C. Today the same brew conditions and the new thermometer reads 70+ (only goes to 70C)

Could this be an indication of my low efficency at all? (I'm getting around 55% avg)

If I have been mashing at over 70 what other effects could this have had on my brews?

 

[Batz]

I have just got myself a new thermometer and have found that my old one was way out.

I have just mashed as I normally do using the same temperatures as I have in the past and found that with the new thermometer that my old one was reading a lot lower then it was.

I was doing a brew in the past to be mashed at 66C. Today the same brew conditions and the new thermometer reads 70+ (only goes to 70C)

Could this be an indication of my low efficency at all? (I'm getting around 55% avg)

If I have been mashing at over 70 what other effects could this have had on my brews?

[post="98103"][/post]​

It will make your brews too sweet for sure

Batz

 

[Ross]

I have just got myself a new thermometer and have found that my old one was way out.

I have just mashed as I normally do using the same temperatures as I have in the past and found that with the new thermometer that my old one was reading a lot lower then it was.

I was doing a brew in the past to be mashed at 66C. Today the same brew conditions and the new thermometer reads 70+ (only goes to 70C)

Could this be an indication of my low efficency at all? (I'm getting around 55% avg)

If I have been mashing at over 70 what other effects could this have had on my brews?

[post="98103"][/post]​

sluggerdog,

have you tested them both with water to see which is correct & checked what temp thet both read accurately at?
Your pilsner certainly didn't taste like it had been mashed too high...
Maybe borrow a refractometer, if you haven't got one, to compare SG as well...

cheers Ross

 

[sluggerdog]

I have just got myself a new thermometer and have found that my old one was way out.

I have just mashed as I normally do using the same temperatures as I have in the past and found that with the new thermometer that my old one was reading a lot lower then it was.

I was doing a brew in the past to be mashed at 66C. Today the same brew conditions and the new thermometer reads 70+ (only goes to 70C)

Could this be an indication of my low efficency at all? (I'm getting around 55% avg)

If I have been mashing at over 70 what other effects could this have had on my brews?

[post="98103"][/post]​

It will make your brews too sweet for sure

Batz

[post="98105"][/post]​

Too easy, have noticed this in the past. Cheers

I have just got myself a new thermometer and have found that my old one was way out.

I have just mashed as I normally do using the same temperatures as I have in the past and found that with the new thermometer that my old one was reading a lot lower then it was.

I was doing a brew in the past to be mashed at 66C. Today the same brew conditions and the new thermometer reads 70+ (only goes to 70C)

Could this be an indication of my low efficency at all? (I'm getting around 55% avg)

If I have been mashing at over 70 what other effects could this have had on my brews?

[post="98103"][/post]​

sluggerdog,

have you tested them both with water to see which is correct & checked what temp thet both read accurately at?
Your pilsner certainly didn't taste like it had been mashed too high...
Maybe borrow a refractometer, if you haven't got one, to compare SG as well...

cheers Ross

[post="98106"][/post]​

Thanks Ross, Good Idea.

Yep my pils in the xmas case came out nicely howver I have been super lazy in the past and only half measuring my temps so this one probably read around 62-64 on the old thermometer so I lust left it.

Remember the brew I brought in the keg, this was super sweet so maybe that was the cause here?

It's time to look at my brewing process and start putting a little more effort into it. Thus I am using the new thermometer

 

[jayse]

Morning slugger,
I haven't ever found mash temp effects effiency, I have always got the same effeincy wether it was mashed at 64c or 70 odd.
I would be checking out your thermometers to make sure what you think the mash temp is and what it actually is are the same thing.

Anyway have a great brewday
Jayse

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Mash temp will affect FG. The higher the temp the higher the FG...

 

[devo]

When I started out I had the same problem. Though I did make some good accidental brews due to the difference in mash temp.

My brew now are much more text book and acurate to what ever style I'm making.

 

[PeterS]

When I started out I had the same problem. Though I did make some good accidental brews due to the difference in mash temp.

My brew now are much more text book and acurate to what ever style I'm making.

[post="98136"][/post]​

Slugger, I have a very similar problem regarding different readings with different thermometers. Added to that you might note that the temperature at the top of the mash is different from the bottom even after some stirring. I am still not happy with my set-up. I have a Bimetal thermometer at the same level at the bottom as the outlet valve. When I Mash In with the recommended temp as per BeerSmith, I find that I can't get the result as predicted. There is as much as 10 to 12 degree difference from top to bottom (using a digital Thermometer to measure the top or middle of the mash). I am concerned that if I increase the temp higher than the recommended one it will be too high. The question is where do you consider within the mash that the temperature is correct. Top, Middle or Bottom of the Mash Tun. I tend to correct the difference by recirculating during the Mash using the Herms Setup. This will give a very nice and clear wort, but it seems to take for ever to reach the desired mash Temp of say 65C. Any comments from anyone?

Cheers,
PeterS....

 

[wessmith]

Peters, what is the liquor/grist ratio you are using?

Wes

 

[Mercs Own]

I have a mash tun with a thermometer in it that reads the bottom half of the vessel. I found there was quite a difference between its reading and the reading I took from the top of the mash with my new thermometer. I rang Grain and Grape whom I bought the thermometer from and who also sell the mash tuns with the probe in them and was told that if I inserted the thermomenter too far into the liquid to be measured I would get a distorted reading from the thermometer. I now only put the thermometer in to the liquid to be measured just past the 0 degree mark and have found the probe and the thermometer normally agree on temperature.

Strange but true.

 

[warrenlw63]

This is why I always laugh quietly when you hear homebrewers say such things as... "Oh I mashed at 64 for fermentability" or "I mashed at 69 for a dextrinous wort".

Sometimes due to primitive mashtun geometry, uneven temps. Badly calibrated thermometers etc. Chances are the mash could be mashing in both worlds. Could it be the bottom of the mash is mashing for a dextrinous effect and the top for a fermentable effect? :lol:

As long as it comes out beer all is good.

Warren -

 

[Batz]

Another reason to go HERMS and constantly recirculate the mash

Batz

 

[tangent]

Chances are the mash could be mashing in both worlds. Could it be the bottom of the mash is mashing for a dextrinous effect and the top for a fermentable effect?

That's why I just target good old 66C and not worry about it too much. Beer's been great out of 2 mayo buckets (absolute best beers I've ever made!), so I don't care what temp is where atm