Increasing Drinkability Of My Beers?

[Trent]

Gday all
I know that there has been alot of discussion lately about what water to grain ratio's are used, and I dont need to know what everyone uses, but the benifits of mashing thinner. I seem to be one of the few that mash thickly at 2.1L/kg, and while I am very happy with (some) of my beers, I have noticed that when I try and have a session on them (more than 4 in a sitting), they become quite filling, despite being fully attenuated (between 1010 and 1015). I am just wondering if increasing my ratio to 3L/kg for a few brews may improve this "drinkability"? Obviously, things like a mild, or a really big beer will still warrant a low ratio, but has anyone ever noticed a difference in fillingness, or lack of, due to the different mash in ratio's? If no-one has any real evidence or theories one way or the other, I will try a few batches and see how it goes and report my findings. I dont mind thickish beers, as I usually only have one or 2 at a time, but I would still like to have some that I can drink all night without getting too "bloated".
All the best
Trent

 

[razz]

G'day Trent. For a side by side comparison you would need to do the 3/1 mash at the same temp as the beer you did at 2.1/1. You never mentiones SG , but I would say that for a session beer you may need to keep the SG done compared to the beer you have described. FG 1.010 as compared to 1.015 will make a huge differece in the mouthfeel of the beer. Many peoples comments on this forum about ratio's are due to the size of there mash tun as well as fermentability. Good luck with the different ratio's, it's one of the great things about this hobby ! :beerbang:

 

[Aaron]

Lowering your mash temperature will probably have a bigger impact on the body of your beer than the water:grain ratio.

 

[Trent]

Gday
Even the beers that I have mashed at 66 or 65 seem to be fairly filling, so I am thinking that possibly it is residual dextrins from mashing so thickly. I think that the next APA that I make later this week, I will try it at 3L/kg, or even 2.7L/kg just to see. Admittedly, alot of my beers are 1052 - 1056 OG, so they are bound to be reasonably heavy, but SNPA is 5.6% from memory, and I used to be able to drink that all night, though I was a little bit younger then! Anyway, I iwll try and mash a little thinner this next beer, and see how it goes. As you said, Razz, messing about is one of the great things about this hobby, but as far as mashing temps go, I notice quite a difference in fg in a beer I mash at 2.1 and a beer I mash at 2.3, usually get a few more points drop on the thinner one, at the same (or as close as I can get to it) mash temp. I'll let ya know how it turns out in a month or so
All the best
Trent

 

[apd]

Does carbonation also contribute to a bloated feeling?

 

[Tony M]

Trent,
If I want to make an "Aussie" style lager, ie. thin & dry ("Why would you want to" they cried.), I mash at 62-63C. It makes a difference and is still good to drink. There are a couple of recent threads here on mash ratios and I seem to recall that the general consensus was that it did not greatly matter. I mash at 2 1/2 : 1 and I can still make a very sticky beer.
A couple of years ago I got from this forum "Doc's Brewing Cheat Sheet". I just tried a search to no avail, so maybe Doc can find it if you PM him. It is very handy to have pinned up near the mash as part of it gives the temp. range over which the mash can be conducted.

 

[tangent]

agree with Aaron & Tony there. My beers were 1st described as dessert beers. Like a cognac after a meal, and definitely not session beers. Now I'm using lower mash temps, they're a lot more drinkable & not so thick.
(3 weeks cold conditioning in stainless making another massive improvement in mouthfeel and drinkability)
I also adjust my w:g ratios per style (don't ask me any figures) but i think most of the difference comes from the temps. ie ~62C compared with ~69C.

 

[Barry]

Good day
Have you checked your thermometer? I used one for many batches then found it was under reading by 2oC in the mash (ie it read 66 when the mash was really 68). The beers were good IMHO but rather full.

 

[Doc]

A couple of years ago I got from this forum "Doc's Brewing Cheat Sheet". I just tried a search to no avail, so maybe Doc can find it if you PM him. It is very handy to have pinned up near the mash as part of it gives the temp. range over which the mash can be conducted.

Hey Tony and Trent,

Here is the topic with the Cheat Sheet.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Trent]

Gday
Well, they say ya learn something new every day, and I just learned reading the last few responses, that ya can mash down as low as 62-63C. Maybe I will try that with my next beer, mash around 64C and see how it turns out, cause to be quite honest, some of mine taste like Tangent described "dessert beers", so it appears that I should mash around with that first (then maybe get some stainless if it doesnt work ). I havent actually checked my thermometer, Barry, so it could be that I am mashing higher than I think. I have always mashed my beers at around 68C and only the last 6 months or so have dropped em down to 66 sometimes 65, and I really though that was as low as I could go and still get conversion :huh: . Anyway, thanks heaps to TonyM for bringing up Doc's Cheat Sheet, and a huge thanks to Doc for directing us to it. I am about to print it up and hang it in my "brewery". By the way, apd, it doesnt seem to matter if it a heavily carbonated beer, or a lowly carbonated one, so that couldnt have TOO much influence. Cant wait to brew on weds night now, better get that starter cracking!
All the best, and thanks again :super:
Trent