Starch end-point testing

[Paul_S]

Does anybody still do the iodine test for starch end-point or it it just taken as read that an hour or so mash time is sufficient?

[oblivious]

I have not

But I use the taste test, fast and tastier!

[BarrowBoy]

Yes, I do - because Dave Line tells me I should and it just gives me that little bit of reassurance that I've got that bit right.

[ColinKeb]

ive never bothered , i just calculate my efficiency at the end which hits the 87.5% mark which is good enough for me, as long as you stick to the same routine i'd imagine you cant go wrong . dave line does expect a 90% extraction though which is a bit hopefull i think (not that im an expert)

[Scooby]

I don't but then I mash for 3hrs or so and if it's not converted by then it never will be.

BTW it is widely accepted that DL's recipe's are formulated at 86%

[ColinKeb]

BTW it is widely accepted that DL's recipe's are formulated at 86%

excellent ! ive exceeded dave lines expectations

[Scooby]

[Jim]

I always do a starch test between 45 minutes and an hour into the mash. It's more for reassurance than anything else, because it's always OK after an hour.

[tubby_shaw]

I performed the starch end test for the first 3 mashes that I performed, they were all fine and I haven't bothered since and I haven't experienced any problems
Now I've said that the next mash won't convert wil it
Pride comes before a fall and all that

[SteveD]

I almost always do the test, and if I haven't it's because I've mislaid the iodine, or forgotten. 60+ mashes always tested negative for starch. Then...last brew;


Yep, pride comes before a fall It needed another hour to convert beyond the 90 mins. Maybe strike heat at 77c was too hot, but then again I don't think so as I underlet, and the mash-in is very fast. It was over 70c for maybe a minute. Probably a very rare dodgy batch of malt.

If I hadn't tested, I'd have been in the sh1t. It takes 2 seconds. It's not worth not doing, just for peace of mind. Sure, you can test your efficiency aftwerwards to see if it converted....you can also bolt the gate once the horse has gone!!!

[mysterio]

Used to test, now I never do. Never had any starch problems. I only mash for an hour unless i'm making something unusual like a tripel. Even then, enzymes are going to be working all the time it takes until your kettle comes to a boil unless you mash out.

[SteveD]

Never had any starch problems.

.....yet

Neither did I.

[ColinKeb]

I presume most people like me havent got two boilers , once ive mashed i empty the grain into a fermenter with a grain bag in for sparging , then i cover it while i use the boiler to heat the sparge water and that can take almost an hour sometimes . so i supose all my mashes get an extra hour to convert and that may be why i havent had any problems. if you use a cool box or a seperate mash tun i spose youd have the sparge water ready and waiting

[SteveD]

I get my mash bed to 77c fairly quicky at the onset of sparging as the HLT is virtually at boiling point when the mashtun lid comes off after the 90 mins are up. PH is always within acceptable limits - in the low 5's. I just got dodgy malt, simple as that, and for that reason I feel the test is always worth doing. I mean really, how much extra effort and equipment does it take? Let's see..

Gear:-
1 white plate
1 teaspoon
1 £2.00 bottle of indicator solution - that lasts 10 years

Method:-
take a few drops of wort, drip onto plate, drip one drop of indicator solution into it, observe result. Time taken.......20 seconds.

It's simply good brewing practice. We check the temps, the PH, the gravity, everything else....EXCEPT a simple precautionary check on wether the single most vital stage in brewing has been successully achieved!