Ramp time to mash temp

[Bonenose]

Hi all,
I have had a couple of brew days now when I have had to go out for a half hour or so. On these occasions I have set up and mashed in then set my mash temp and left with the small element on so brew ramps up slowly to temp while I am away. Normally mash in at around 50 degrees and can be close to an hour to achieve mash temp this way. Any pros and cons on this method? Using grainfather if that makes any difference.
Cheers

 

[EmptyB]

Conversion occurs within around 20min from mash in, so at that low of a temp, you'll be getting very dry beers I suspect.

What was the FG of your batch when brewing it this way?

 

[EmptyB]

Sorry I should correct the above - conversion occurs within 20min of hitting conversion temp. For beta amylase that's 54C. So yeah, very dry beers I'd say
Someone knowledgeable like MHB might chime in and clarify that further tho

 

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

There is a long tail effect. You will get most of the conversion in 20 mins. BIAB with a more dilute grist may need longer. Low enzyme mashed may take longer, and conversion will be slower at 54c than at 64c.

But a GF recirc pump will speed up conversion and either way I would expect the majority of the OPs beers to b mostly converted before the enzymes responsible for dextrin conversion even get a chance to work.

So yup dry dry beers.

If the GF element is that slow to hit strike temps can’t you preheat some liquor on a stove top? It’s pretty much the same thing as using a HLT.

Or you could set the GF to heat to strike earlier. Is there a schedule option? Can you use a timer plug with it?

My 100L urn takes 1hr 45 mins to heat 80L to 72c usually, so I usually set it to come on around 5am with a timer plug on a brewday, and mash in around 7am.

 

[Bonenose]

Have done it twice now and gravity was low, first time I put it down to old grain but new grain this time so started wondering...

 

[RobinW]

My favourite Pilsner recipe uses a step mash.
20 min 52.0 C
30 min 63.0 C
30 min 72.0 C
My 3V herms setup takes longer to move the mash 10C the higher the temp.
So moving from 63 to 72 can take 20 minutes.
I'm guessing I'm just converting everything.
It normally comes out the keg very drinkable.
Am I wrong?

https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/my-holy-grail-of-pilsner-recipes.19268/

 

[Rocker1986]

Have done it twice now and gravity was low, first time I put it down to old grain but new grain this time so started wondering...

OG or FG?

Robin, I use a similar mash schedule with my pilsners and other lagers and they also come out really good. The only difference is I don't bother with the 52 rest, it just starts at 63, sits there for 35-40 minutes then up to 72 for 25-30 minutes before mash out at 78.

 

[Bonenose]

Sorry should have said OG

 

[Nizmoose]

With todays modern malt assuming a pretty normal grist I'd ditch the low rest and even some of the higher ones and do a single saccharification rest of your choosing between 60 and 70, then get it to mash out (75-78) then call it a day. Especially with electric elements which are slow to ramp I wouldn't worry too much about the protein rests. There's very little to suggest much proteolysis occurs in a modern mash because the kilning of anything darker than pale pils malt means most proteolytic enzymes are for the most part destroyed anyway. Makes your brew day a little shorter and easier too