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Mash Channeling

 
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Walts Malt




Joined: 27 Sep 2013
Posts: 119
Location: Farmington, MN

Drinking: Two Hearted Clone

Working on: Planning my Fall Brewing Schedule


PostLink    Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 1:56 am    Post subject: Mash Channeling Reply with quote


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During the last few mashes, the grain tends to get pushed up against one side. I'm just using a length of 1/2" tubing inside the tube and at some point open the valve wide open on the mash. Hopefully you can see in the picture what I'm talking about. For the last few mashes my efficiency was done from where it was. Everything else seems to be consistent. I did check my mill gap, so I don't believe that has changed.

Any thoughts? Should I be concerned? How long of tubing inside of their mash tun to most people use? I did cut mine down about 8" on my last brew hoping that might help. Using 1.25 qts/lb for mash water.



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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 2:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don’t see anything to be concerned about. Looks similar to what I see often and I still get extremely high mash efficiency (95%).

I wouldn’t cut the tubing any different from my instructions. Shouldn't make a difference. If you have kettles considerably larger than 20 gallons you may want to go even longer. Cheers!

Kal

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701pilot




Joined: 10 May 2016
Posts: 50
Location: northern california

Drinking: Bohemian Pilsner,Caribou Slobber, Munich Helles, Weissbier, Black Bute Porter, RIS, Irish Red Ale

Working on: Milk Chocolate Stout


PostLink    Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Walts Malt,

I use the ss SS Brewtech recirculation manifold. I modified it to use a 1/2" hose for better circulation. I was having a very uneven grain bed using the loose hose methed. I gained about 3% mash efficency, now i have a very leval grain bed.

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Ozarks Mountain Brew




Joined: 22 May 2013
Posts: 737
Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri


PostLink    Posted: Sat May 30, 2020 4:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use 1.6 qts/lb for mash water and it covers everything fine, I think that's your issue
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Walts Malt




Joined: 27 Sep 2013
Posts: 119
Location: Farmington, MN

Drinking: Two Hearted Clone

Working on: Planning my Fall Brewing Schedule


PostLink    Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2020 12:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks. I think I’ll try using a higher qts/lb and see where to go from there. I’ve looked at the SS Brew Tech manifold and it looks pretty nice.
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:47 am    Post subject: Re: Mash Channeling Reply with quote

Walts Malt wrote:
For the last few mashes my efficiency was done from where it was.

I assume you mean "it was down from where it was". What was your mash efficiency before? What is it now?
Again, what you're seeing is not an issue. It's likely something else. I wouldn't go changing things until you understand what the issue is (if anything).

Your liquor to grist ratio shouldn't matter. That doesn't affect mash efficiency.

What kettles / false bottom are you using? I'm just curious because at the end of the day it shouldn't matter as if you were happy before but are not now, something changed. The trick is figuring out what you changed and going back to the way you were doing things before. There may be setups that give you higher mash efficiency, but at homebrew levels, who cares? It's only a few dollars more per batch for grain if you're lower. To me what's most important is consistent mash efficiency. I don't want my beers to be all over the place.

Cheers!

Kal

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We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
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Walts Malt




Joined: 27 Sep 2013
Posts: 119
Location: Farmington, MN

Drinking: Two Hearted Clone

Working on: Planning my Fall Brewing Schedule


PostLink    Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reflected on this a bit and started to wonder if it was as simple as having a lower boil off rate this time of year. I think 1.052 was the OG I was shooting for on the Hop Candy Jr Recipe. Ended up at 1.048. Didn’t measure post boil volumes so it could have been that. Wound up with more than 10 gallons in the fermenter as I still had a little left when I kegged it yesterday.

What I ended up was a beer that is around 4.5% ABV vs. 5% projected by BeerSmith if I hit my numbers. However, since the OG ended at 1.015, it still tastes amazing and I am pretty confident I’m going to enjoy this. It will be really good once I crack one open while sitting in a boat in northern MN catching walleyes in a few weeks.

Thanks for everyone’s feedback.

Kal, another great recipe. Thanks.
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2020 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Walts Malt wrote:
Reflected on this a bit and started to wonder if it was as simple as having a lower boil off rate this time of year. I think 1.052 was the OG I was shooting for on the Hop Candy Jr Recipe. Ended up at 1.048. Didn’t measure post boil volumes so it could have been that. Wound up with more than 10 gallons in the fermenter as I still had a little left when I kegged it yesterday. What I ended up was a beer that is around 4.5% ABV vs. 5% projected by BeerSmith if I hit my numbers.

Ah! You definitely need to measure you pre-boil gravity if you want to be sure that your mash efficiency hasn't changed. Otherwise there are other factors involved as you mentioned. I assumed when you said rhat your efficiency had dropped that you meant mash efficiency. My mistake!

If you only measure at the very end (your 4.5% ABV) you don't know where the issue was exactly. It could be lower mash efficiency, it could be lower boil off rate, it could be both, it could be some other things too possibly. If you want to troubleshoot, it's important take measurements along the way.

Enjoy the beer!

Kal

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We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
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