Ugh Mash temps too high? What next?

perogi

Hey all,

Brewing an NEIPA today. Mashed in and was wondering why the temperature of the mash wasn't going down as I was adding grain. After about 8 minutes, I realized that I didn't have the water pump running so the HLT kept on heating up the water. Highest temp in the mash tun was 168 degrees. I added cool water to the mash tun and HLT and got the temps where I want them now (152) - ~ 10 mins after initial mashin

What should I do next? Dump the grain and start over or continue with the brew?

The hops cost a lot more than the grain so wondering if I should bite the bullet and just start over.

Any advice is appreciated!
perogi.

**kal** · Posted: Sat May 05, 2018 3:54 pm Post subject:

Hard to say! All depends on how long the grains were actually at 168F and if they were actually at 168F. Denaturing of the enzymes doesn't occur instantaneously and it probably took a few mins for the grains to hit 168F if they did at all...

Kal

perogi · Posted: Sat May 05, 2018 3:58 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the quick reply Kal. With the cost of the hops for this brew and a relatively short time loss, going to dump it and start again. Live and learn!

mvakoc · Joined: 19 Sep 2011 Posts: 152 Location: Evergreen, CO

I did this once and I think my mash temperature reached even a bit higher, at least at the top of the grain pile. IIRC the beer had a very low conversion and an incredibly high final gravity. I didn't dump it but it wasn't a good batch either -- that is to say it was consumable at best. It was so long ago I really can't remember what the recipe was.

If the downstream investment (hops, yeast, etc) would be high -- I suspect you made the right call.

perogi · Posted: Sun May 06, 2018 12:56 am Post subject:

Thanks mvakoc. After the initial cleaning of the mash tun, I knew it was the right call. Otherwise I would have been thinking about it until it was ready to drink.