temps are way off

[BierGut]

Since switching to all grain I've used BeerSmith and never questioned the amount or temps of the water it tells me to use. I always do a single infusion, batch sparge and light, medium or full body depending on the style of beer that I'm brewing with great results. So I tried something different this time for a Saison that I want to brew. I was going to do a protein rest before my Sacch rest and mash out. It instructs me to add 120.7F water (to reach 113F), which sounds right, but then for my sacch rest it tells me to add water at 198.4F (to reach 148F), then at 198.7F (to reach 158F). Glad this isn't my first attempt at all grain because I wouldn't have caught the mistake and made something undesirable. So what is it in my profile that is giving me these wacky temps?

 

[Yooper]

Are they very small infusions of water? That would be the only thing I can think of.

 

[b-boy]

Are you adjusting for grain/equipment temperatures? Are your grain/equipment temperatures correct?

 

[BierGut]

Are they very small infusions of water? That would be the only thing I can think of.

No not at all. 13.83 qt for the protein rest, which again seems normal but 11.4 qt and 6.84 qt for the sacch steps. Then, what seems kind of funny is that I'm instructed to fly sparge @ 168F.

for 13.5lbs of grain btw

 

[Yooper]

No not at all. 13.83 qt for the protein rest, which again seems normal but 11.4 qt and 6.84 qt for the sacch steps. Then, what seems kind of funny is that I'm instructed to fly sparge @ 168F.

for 13.5lbs of grain btw

Those are pretty small infusions for the saccrification rests. That's why the temperature has to be so hot. You'd never hit the next temperature otherwise.

With such little water in the mash (total), starting at 1 quart/pound makes sense, but to do two more means either having to have a thinner mash in the end, or settle for those smaller infusions. In your case, it's both.

You're at 2.38 quarts/pound by the end, so that's why you have high temperatures. You don't want to go much thinner, I'd wager, unless you want to forgo the sparge. And you'd really have to be more conscious of your mash ph when you get over 2 quarts/pound.

Are you sure you want to do a protein rest and two saccrification rests with this beer? If you wanted to do a protein rest, you could do just one saccrification rest and/or go with a higher rest. I normally do a protein rest at 131/133F if I'm dealing with well-modified malts and then it's an easy jump to saccrification rest temperatures.

 

[BierGut]

Those are pretty small infusions for the saccrification rests. That's why the temperature has to be so hot. You'd never hit the next temperature otherwise.

With such little water in the mash (total), starting at 1 quart/pound makes sense, but to do two more means either having to have a thinner mash in the end, or settle for those smaller infusions. In your case, it's both.

You're at 2.38 quarts/pound by the end, so that's why you have high temperatures. You don't want to go much thinner, I'd wager, unless you want to forgo the sparge. And you'd really have to be more conscious of your mash ph when you get over 2 quarts/pound.

Are you sure you want to do a protein rest and two saccrification rests with this beer? If you wanted to do a protein rest, you could do just one saccrification rest and/or go with a higher rest. I normally do a protein rest at 131/133F if I'm dealing with well-modified malts and then it's an easy jump to saccrification rest temperatures.

Thanks Yooper. 198F just seemed way too high and I thought I'd better ask the forum. I brewed yesterday and ended up bypassing the protein rest. But now I know and knowing is half the battle.