Reducing Mash Time

[Cortez The Killer]

Hi fellas

I was reading this article http://byo.com/mrwizard/1641.html and it suggests that as we are using well modified malts - that a 60-90 minute mash is no longer required as conversion is completed between 20-40 minutes

I have also noted a couple of posts on AHB about shorter mash times

I was wondering whether anyone here has actually tried short mash times - and if there is any truth in it?

Knocking a bit more time off a brew day would be great if it is not detrimental to the final product

Thoughts?

I've stuck a poll in too

Cheers

 

[mikem108]

I think it can depend on the gravity of the beer you are trying to make and the mash thickness.
Doing a regular 1.050 beer I reduced the mash time to 20mins, having stirred the mash after 10, and check it for conversion (iodine), then began to recirculate for about 10 to 15 mins, also did not put the heat on under the wort until it was all collected (enzymes are still active), efficiency actually came up higher than expected. Will be kegging that beer tonight, so should know how it came out next week, but all measurements showed it hit the right numbers. Wort smelt and tasted pretty good.
I also read the same article and thats what promted a change, having said that when making the barley wine with the mash tun packed to the hilt, full conversion seemed to take well over an hour and a half.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

What sort of efficiency did you end up getting?

 

[mikem108]

82% from memory, was shooting for a 1.044 wort and got 1.051

 

[Sammus]

dunno if i want to try a reduced mash time- I'd often thought about it, even seen recipes that call for a 45min mash. Then a couple nights ago I put down a kolsch and 60 minutes after dough in (recirculating the whole time through my herms) the gravity was about 14 or 15 brix, I kept it going for another 40 mins and it had gone up to 18. It was late and I was impatient, so I mashed out and sparged after than (ended up coming in on target for once- after having lowered my brewery eff in beersmith to 59 % ). anyway, so after that I dont plan to reduce my mash times...

for the record the crush looked pretty awesome, and I was using mostly IMC pilsner malt. My eff. into the boiler was about 70% but I left the boil unattended for a bit during which I think it boiled over - dunno how bad it was though, wasnt much mess anyway...still mustve been big because I came out 7L under target...

 

[blackbock]

Have no plans to reduce mash times here - the time saving isn't that much compared to setup and cleanup.
If I cut back on anything when short of time, it's boil time, or sparge time. I batch sparge and it doesn't seem to make any difference whether I do it slowly or really quickly.

 

[tangent]

i like a relaxed brewday, then there's time to do other stuff.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I would have though that there would have been a couple of advocates

I might give it a go and report back

Cheers

 

[bconnery]

One of the guys at BABBS club meeting was talking about this last night. He's planning to do a 30m for his next brew. He's an infrequent poster here so I'll hassle him for an update about how his brewday goes when he does it...
I'm torn between the idea of shortening the day and having a more relaxed time.
I find the mash time and boil time gives me time to get other things done, which reduces the home life impact of brewing

 

[oldbugman]

If my mash time was halved I'd have to mow the lawn twice as fast.

 

[Maple]

Can't say that I'd be looking to try this in the near future, but certainly not going to discount it. Consider me as an official fence sitter on this one. I like the fact I have that "down time", allows to prep other things or attend to matters that are out-of-scope in my brewing session... SWMBO appreciates this time, it's the whole work-life-hobby balance.

Maple

 

[Lukes]

Last weekend I did the lawns thing and a quick tidy up of the garden while doing a 90 - 120 min step mash.
Not as keen as some (painting houses and such) but all good.

Neat garden.
Happy SWMBO.
Converted mash.
Happy brewer.



- Luke

 

[AnthonyMac]

I'd certainly be interested in seeing more results from those who try it. I could be swayed to give it a crack. but at this stage, like others, I like the time during the mash - 60-75 mins is a good amount of time to make sure everything is well in order for the rest of the brew, and makes the whole process a lot easier.

 

[Guest Lurker]

Wouldnt the obvious approach be to test the conversion of your particular mash, rather than ask other people how long they leave their mash?

 

[Cortez The Killer]

This topic discusses http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=16343 starch testing

I reckon that it'd be the go before committing to shorter mash times

and would be especially important when changing malts or using particularly suspect (eg old) malt

Cheers

 

[Steve]

No short mash time for me thanks. My brew day is timed by glasses of beer. A short mash means I would have to have another beer! :chug:
Cheers
Steve

 

[mikem108]

I appreciate the extra time for prep that a longer mash time gives but when pressed for time I'll take short cuts where ever possible, and its interesting to do from an experimental & comparison point of view.

 

[fraser_john]

I was searching for a supplier of beta-amylaze enzyme when I found this PDF stored on Brisbane Amatuer Brewers website, it has an article that mentions shorter mash times, as short as 20 minutes!

Newsletter

It also talks about Water/Grain ratios of as much as 3L/kg to improve the enzyme action.

 

[capretta]

have you ever seen a product named turbo pils? meant to be the quickest converting malt EVER!! just in america at the mo from what i see..

 

[matti]

have you ever seen a product named turbo pils? meant to be the quickest converting malt EVER!! just in america at the mo from what i see..

budweiser???