I guess I am Stuffed

[skb]

I was making a lager ,..... was at 50c rest then put heater on and left it got distracted came back it was 90c ! cooled it down to 63c.... However I am guessing I have denurtured the enzymes is it a complete write off ! any idea

 

[Mardoo]

How long did it take to go from 50C to 90C? The enzymes would have kept working up to 76-ish degrees C, so you will have gotten some conversion, but won't get any more out of it. Did you check the Specific Gravity? That will tell you how much sugar is in there. Taste it and see. It may be a bit astringent as tannins start extracting from the hulls around 80C. If it tastes OK you can always add some liquid or dry malt extract to get it to the gravity you want.

 

[skb]

ok I should add one fact given my limited knowledge of chemistry Enzymes are not destroyed when being used I added 1.5Kg of extra grain and will up the volume at the end and probably throw out. My theory is that the 1.5kg added at 63c will add back the enzymes I destroyed .. so will convert the starch however given the volume at a lower rate so I will extend the mash to 3 hours instead of 60 minutes, because enzymes are not consumed when used the lower rate will still covert everything just at a low slower rate..... Does this make sense or am I completely off track ??

 

[Matplat]

How big was the original grain bill?

Yes, the enzymes from the added malt will be able to convert the starches from the initial grist. Not sure what the limitation is to this though.

 

[Mardoo]

Yep, they're not destroyed by acting on the starch/substrate, but they do have a lifespan based on time from activation to denaturisation. You'd get the majority of the enzyme activity within two hours, but would get tails for the third hour.

Adding more malt is the right direction, AFAIK, but taste it first. If too much tannin got extracted the beer will taste unpleasant no matter what.

 

[skb]

Thanks for feedback was lucky on the tannin side tasted like minimal extraction, but being a rice later may still be a little strong.

 

[skb]

grain bill was 3.5k pale and 3.5 kg pilsner now with the extra it is 5kg pale and 3.5 pils

 

[Mardoo]

What gravity did you end up with?

 

[skb]

it is a work in progress... was a real time post pre-boil was 1.044 so spot on .... which I am questioning !

 

[skb]

Overshot OG was 1.059 so will be a fairly strong lager ! So a bizzare brew day all round here is hoping that it is a partially recovered one

 

[Mardoo]

Working out the unexpected on the fly, the key to successful brewing

 

[Mardoo]

Overshot OG was 1.059 so will be a fairly strong lager ! So a bizzare brew day all round here is hoping that it is a partially recovered one

You can always dilute if you want. You can use the dilution calculator on Captain Brew to work out how much boiled water to add to reach the gravity you want. Ideally add it to the ferment, but you can also add it to the keg, of course.

 

[skb]

Thanks for the tip I think I will do that 6.6% is just a little to much for a lager

 

[Mardoo]

Yeah, I just diluted a 6.8% Vienna Lager back to 5.5%.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I would expect a high FG on this beer, depending on your heating rate. As the temperature rises so does also the rate of conversion. Whatever starch was left as it passed through the low 70deg rage would have been converted in under 10mins.

 

[manticle]

Yeah but converted to longer chain starch which the later extra added extra enzymes are capable of further breaking down.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Oh yeah.

 

[skb]

Well I thought I would close this out with a summary in the end it turned out at 6.3% a little too high for a lager ... but other than that really nice, and no real taste of the high ABV... It is only just of 2 weeks of lagering but surprisingly good