what happens if you mash too high for too long?

[angryyoungman]

So I normally use a cooler mash tun, but I had too much grain so I did a BIAB straight in the kettle. It's a recipe I found on here, "fresh squeezed ipa" with a little different hop schedule. To get to the point, my stove can be finicky. I walked away for like 15 minutes, temps rose to about 170, I took it off the burner, dropped some ice cubes, maintained temps around the 148- 154 range for the rest of the mash. I measured the pre boil gravity and chalked it up to human error (I'm a newbie, this is like my fourth AG). Then I actually checked my hydrometer (it's was fine) and checked the post boil OG and it was high. Like 1.103 high. So I am curious what has hapened. I was thinking that the starches converted into like crazy non- fermentable sugars due to the high temps and that I'm going to end up with a really high FG or zero fermentation. I also fully expect an astringent brew, but I'm stubborn and will trick myself into drinking it because I don't want to dump it. Any opinions though? Why has my very regular IPA gone into Imperial IPA territory?

 

[unionrdr]

With a post boil OG like that,I'm thinking you got a lot of boil off. I stopped trying to maintain mash temp on the stove. Just wouldn't work. So I use my heavy thinsulate & synthetic goose down lined winter hunting coat to wrap the BK/MT in during the mash. It gains one degree over the hour mash,never looses any either. My beers come out better as a result of that.

 

[duboman]

You will have a lot less fermentables in the wort so the FG will be higher than anticipated.

It sounds as though your boil off was a lot higher than anticipated as well resulting in a more concentrated wort.

I would suspect an FG around 1.025-1.030. Definitely taste your pre packaging same to be sure it is not cloyingly sweet and be sure it fully ferments and doesn't get stuck.

How much wort did you actually get into the FV? That will clue you in on the boil off based on your pre boil volume for next time.

 

[angryyoungman]

hmmm... I hadn't considered excessive boil off last night when I posted. That's probably exactly what it was. But if I can get the FG down to 1.25 I'll be happy. My other brews have attenuated very well, so I'll hope for the best. If it's too sweet I think I might pitch a different yeast with higher attenuation and see if that does anything. Or maybe experiment with ice concentration. Then dry hop it and see how it all turns out.

 

[zzARzz]

I've also read of people making a "hop tea" for bittering in similar situations. Some good info posts here and here. I've not made/used one myself and they seem to have some drawbacks such as grassy flavors and astringency, but it's worth reading about if you find your beer turning into a carbonated liqueur.

 

[angryyoungman]

Quick update if anyone is still following, i checked the gravity today in anticipation of dry hopping and was amazed that it fell all the way to 1.016. I mean that puts it at 11%, but it tastes pretty good. Not overly bitter at all. And it went down to 1.016 really fast. So I was spectacularly amazed. Just dry hopped it and will bottle it in like a week.

 

[zzARzz]

That's great that it worked out. Nothing worse than thinking you did the labor of love for nothing.