5 experiments then boom!

[jon1163]

So I've read a lot but generally only learn from trial and error I figured I'd run five experiments. Hopefully you guys can explain in detail what exactly is going on here.

So I ran five separate matches of Honey Bear bourbon with the original recipe. Using Igloo cooler as a mash tun and one pack each mash of Safale US 05.

The first one strike temperature was 155 starting gravity 1.05 final gravity 1. 00. Good taste good run.

The second strike temperature was 160 starting gravity 1.05 final gravity 1.00 good taste good run.

The third strike temperature was 165 starting gravity was 1.055 Final Gravity 1.00 good taste good run

The fourth strike temperature was 170 starting gravity was 1.05 final gravity 1.00 good taste good run

The fifth strike temperature was 175 starting gravity was 1.05 and it's now on day 2 of fermentation and nothing is happening

Each one I pitch the yeast at 75 degrees everything else was conducted the same exact way

All of my grains were Ground using a mill and I used flaked maize for the corn. All grains were pitched at the same temperature together. I'm guessing that I finally got to the temperature where I denatured my enzymes in my malt?

Thanks for the help

[RedwoodHillBilly]

I'm guessing that I finally got to the temperature where I denatured my enzymes in my malt?

Thanks for the help

No Chit. If it were me, I'd keep the strike temp to between 145 and 150 deg F, preferably to 140 - 145 final temp. Your enzymes will be more happy that way, but to each their own. Especially if you don't care about conversion efficiency.

[Chixter]

You didn't mention what your FG was for #5. Mayhap ya kilt de enzymes and are now trying to ferment a starch pool?

[jon1163]

You didn't mention what your FG was for #5. Mayhap ya kilt de enzymes and are now trying to ferment a starch pool?

There is no fg yet... It's sitting in the living room staring at me silently.... Not even polite enough to bubble a little

[jb-texshine]

You do a iodine starch test?

[jon1163]

You do a iodine starch test?

No, I'm not that high tech. I need to learn how to do that

[jb-texshine]

Use the HD Google,hit space and then type "iodine test" and you should find something

[zapata]

Of course could be anything. But occams razor says the wash was effectively mashed out at mash in. You denatured those enzymes

Does it taste sweet?

[jon1163]

Of course could be anything. But occams razor says the wash was effectively mashed out at mash in. You denatured those enzymes

Does it taste sweet?

So the last one just started to ferment... Never had a mash wait two whole days to ferment. It tasted sweet but not brown sugar oatmeal sweet lime most times.

[still_stirrin]

So I've read a lot....but generally only learn from trial and error...

Well....you’re learning....by error.

Hot strike temps will denature enzymes in varying degrees. I’d suspect the terminal gravities of the various mashes will vary as well, yielding less fermentable sugars as the strike temperatures increase.

But, you have “test evidence” of the effects of strike water temps on your saccharification process. Lesson learned.
ss

[thecroweater]

Not even sure how you got your last one two ferment, I can only assume the grain cooled it down enough to save enough Enzymes to give you the DP to get it done. 160'f is right about as hot as malt enzymes will take and at 165 it would be all over, I guess at 170 it would have denatured in seconds.
Heat it and add more malt or enzymes or make a sugar head and you won't get squat otherwise.

[NEGaxSEGa]

I'm guessing that I finally got to the temperature where I denatured my enzymes in my malt?

Thanks for the help

No Chit. If it were me, I'd keep the strike temp to between 145 and 150 deg F, preferably to 140 - 145 final temp. Your enzymes will be more happy that way, but to each their own. Especially if you don't care about conversion efficiency.

Mash temp is great in that range, but to get there, adding to 10lbs of malt, the strike temp of your water would have to be around 155-160 degrees.

175 is too hot, though. Probably mashed up above 160 with that batch.

[jon1163]

I'm guessing that I finally got to the temperature where I denatured my enzymes in my malt?

Thanks for the help

No Chit. If it were me, I'd keep the strike temp to between 145 and 150 deg F, preferably to 140 - 145 final temp. Your enzymes will be more happy that way, but to each their own. Especially if you don't care about conversion efficiency.

Mash temp is great in that range, but to get there, adding to 10lbs of malt, the strike temp of your water would have to be around 155-160 degrees.

175 is too hot, though. Probably mashed up above 160 with that batch.

So I just ended my experiment. My hotter batch ended up finishing at 1.025 my second hottest Mash ended up at 1.0125.

So basically I just found my perfect strike temp by being very wasteful. And I did all this just in time when I got my new 30 gallon fermenting barrel.

so now I have to learn a new way to do it all

[corene1]

Something to consider, it was mentioned above about the high temps denaturing your enzymes. At higher mashing temps you will also have to deal with a high amount of unfermentable sugars. You will still get a nice staring gravity but a large amount of that won't convert to alcohol. I am surprised that you even got the first mashes to finish at 1.000. Just out of curiosity you are mentioning strike temps. What is the amount of grain and water and what were the resting temps during the mashing process? Here is a link to a nice calulator for figuring strike temps to resting temps for your mash. It will adjust for the pounds of grain per gallon amount you are using. https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[still_stirrin]

...Here is a link to a nice calulator for figuring strike temps to resting temps for your mash.... https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Wow, Corene...that calculator is excellent! Thanks for the link. I’ve got it bookmarked.
ss

[Single Malt Yinzer]

No Chit. If it were me, I'd keep the strike temp to between 145 and 150 deg F, preferably to 140 - 145 final temp. Your enzymes will be more happy that way.

That ^. You want the enzymes to stay around even after you pitch your yeast. Any remaining startches & non-fermentable sugars can be converted, albeit at a slower rate. Sugars left over after fermentation don't affect the flavor of the distillate, they stay in the pot. It ends up being a waste. Former beer makers tend to do that, they are used to leaving some sweetness to the wort. Distillers want to convert every last sugar they can to be fermentable to increase alcohol yield.

Oh - and don't boil your wort. It will also denature your enzymes and decrease yield. Distillers don't need pasteurized wort. The fermentation is (should be) fast enough that any infections shouldn't matter, and some infections may be beneficial.

[RedwoodHillBilly]

No Chit. If it were me, I'd keep the strike temp to between 145 and 150 deg F, preferably to 140 - 145 final temp. Your enzymes will be more happy that way.

That ^. You want the enzymes to stay around even after you pitch your yeast. Any remaining startches & non-fermentable sugars can be converted, albeit at a slower rate. Sugars left over after fermentation don't affect the flavor of the distillate, they stay in the pot. It ends up being a waste. Former beer makers tend to do that, they are used to leaving some sweetness to the wort. Distillers want to convert every last sugar they can to be fermentable to increase alcohol yield.

Oh - and don't boil your wort. It will also denature your enzymes and decrease yield. Distillers don't need pasteurized wort. The fermentation is (should be) fast enough that any infections shouldn't matter, and some infections may be beneficial.

Well said.

[thecroweater]

...Here is a link to a nice calulator for figuring strike temps to resting temps for your mash.... https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Wow, Corene...that calculator is excellent! Thanks for the link. I’ve got it bookmarked.
ss

+1 very cool, I haven't seen that before, due to the way I mashed it was a non issue but I think I'm about done with ole step and rest mashes for awhile and I'm changing from oat to barley malt for a bit.
Well strike me! They got a ton of calculators and a fair swag of em could be handy to a stiller from time to time, guesswork is guesswork and knowledge is grand ain't it

[Single Malt Yinzer]

jon1163, Read this: http://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/index.php ... rification" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[jon1163]

jon1163, Read this: http://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/index.php ... rification" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Thank you SMY