grain:water

[buckfast]

Hello all
A quick question. What is an ideal grain to water ratio in the mash tun?

I'm starting to panic a bit, I'm having a bash at my first AG on Saturday for the first time in about two years.

Cheers

[mysterio]

Whatever you feel comfortable with, anywhere between 2 & 3 L per kilo of grain is fine, I find 2.5L/kg gives a good consistency to stir.

[buckfast]

Thank you.
It's a bloody good job I found this forum.

Cheers

[Aleman]

I use around 3 to 3.5 L/Kg, its a bit runny, but I have a large mash tun. I have dropped as low as 2.3L/Kg when brewing bigger volumes. and on one occasion dropped below 2L/Kg . . . . It was a nice barley wine, but very chewy, as the increased thickness of the mash caused the beta amylase to work much more slowly . . . Its a factor that is more obvious with larger beers than smaller ones.

[johnh]

I always start on the low side (2-2.5) just in case I have to correct the mash temp with hot/cold water additions later on. Not that I ever have to of course...

[Martin the fish]

its a bit runny, but I have a large mash tun

Sorry Aleman, couldn't resist.

[stevezx7r]

So, what chemical reactions occur if using more water i.e. 4l per kg?

[johnh]

So, what chemical reactions occur if using more water i.e. 4l per kg?

I just found the answer to that in Palmer's How To Brew.

The grist/water ratio is the least significant factor influencing the performance of the mash. A thinner mash of more than 4 l/kg dilutes the relative concentrations of the enzymes, slowing the conversion, and leads to quicker denaturing, but could ultimately lead to a more fermentable mash, because the enzymes are not inhibited by a high concentration of sugars.

[nobby]

I use around 3 to 3.5 L/Kg, its a bit runny, but I have a large mash tun. I have dropped as low as 2.3L/Kg when brewing bigger volumes. and on one occasion dropped below 2L/Kg . . . . It was a nice barley wine, but very chewy, as the increased thickness of the mash caused the beta amylase to work much more slowly . . . Its a factor that is more obvious with larger beers than smaller ones.

Aleman: How does using a higher ratio water:Grain effect your PH ???

[Aleman]

I use around 3 to 3.5 L/Kg

Aleman: How does using a higher ratio water:Grain effect your PH ???

It doesn't really, our water is so low in alkalinity that we get a pretty stable mash pH regardless of how much or little we mash in with . . .



Thinking about it though . . . as long as you treat your water to reduce the alkalinity then there should be little effect on mash pH from different liquor to grist ratios . . . if you have high alkalinity and don't treat your liquor then your pH will be higher in a thin mash that a thick one . . . . Measurable??? Don't know, never brewed in an area with High alkalinity

[AT]

Aleman forgive the stupid question but what is considered high? my water is
alkalinity 161mg/l (hardness 190mg/l), how does that fair up?

[Aleman]

Aleman forgive the stupid question but what is considered high? my water is
alkalinity 161mg/l (hardness 190mg/l), how does that fair up?

Mine averages around 18mg/l, so anything higher than that could be considered high (as far as I am concerned ) The preferred maximum for brewing purposes is 50ppm (ales), so I would consider anything over that to be high and require treating . . . . Yours isn't the highest though, I have heard of brewers with alkalinity in the 300mg/l which are a PITA to brew pale ales with.

[Aleman]

Mine's 266mg/l. 200-300 is classed as hard, above 300, hard.

Yeah, I try and avoid the use of the word Hard in relation to alkalinity as people tend to get it confused with Hardness . . . . When its really totally unrelated, just the stupid water boards way of reporting it.

You can for example have a water with low alkalinity and yet have incredibly high Hardness - High Calcium and Magnesium (derived ffrom sulphate salts rather than carbonate ones).