Is conversion complete?

[Btaz]

I tried doing an iodine test at the end of my mash to see if the conversion was complete. But after doing it I thought I would get a more solid result than this picture. Was the conversion complete?

View attachment 1429908609182.jpg

 

[Stiffy]

That looks complete by my understanding. Iodine color= good, dark/black= bad. I'm having trouble with a mash as we spaek. does this same test apply to a wheat beer?

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

How long have you been mashing for? The pic looks good, I dont see any dark colors which would indicate starch remnants.

 

[brewkinger]

I had a similar situation recently and this is what I found.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=523340

 

[RM-MN]

Iodine turns a dark blue when starch is added to it. Your sample doesn't show the dark blue so there is no starch in the wort. What you don't know is if you converted all the starch in the grain. That isn't terribly important to the making of beer but it will indicate if you have the best efficiency. If you left unconverted starch in the grains, a longer mash may help to get them converted too and your efficiency will increase as you dissolve those sugars into the wort.

 

[Daveyg]

I tried doing an iodine test at the end of my mash to see if the conversion was complete. But after doing it I thought I would get a more solid result than this picture. Was the conversion complete?

Can You explain what you did as I wold like to try this test, what type of Iodine (if there is even different types)?

 

[Btaz]

I simply added a couple of drops to some of the mash (you can make it the drops in the dish).

 

[theseeker4]

Can You explain what you did as I wold like to try this test, what type of Iodine (if there is even different types)?

Iodine tincture, the same used to clean minor wounds, works well. Your LHBS will likely sell it. This is what I bought from my LHBS:

http://www.homebrewing.org/Iodine-Tincture_p_1456.html

 

[RM-MN]

Can You explain what you did as I wold like to try this test, what type of Iodine (if there is even different types)?

Yes there are two types. The old one is a reddish liquid (Povidone iodine) which is the one you want to use. The other is a decolorized iodine or white iodine which might be fine to kill bacteria but won't color to tell you your starch in the wort.

I take a white plate and drop a few drops of the iodine in different places, one drop each place. Then I drop a drop of wort on one of them. If it turns blue I know I have starch in the wort and wait a while and try again. When it no longers turns the iodine blue there is no starch left in the wort. Then I might take a sample with some bits of grain and try that. Don't be overly concerned if the iodine turns blue around the grains but if you leave it to mash longer you may get those starches to convert also.

 

[Daveyg]

Thanks for the answers folks.