It has been quite a while since I last posted on here so hi everybody and I hope you had a nice Xmas!
Anyway, following on from the post "Original Gravity 1061" earlier, I have a very similar situation. I did a bitter last Thursday where the recipe SG states 1045 but mine turned out at 1060 in a 23L brew length. I mashed at a higher than wanted temperature during the first 10-15 mins because I wrongly increased the strike water temperature beacause it was very cold in my garage (it was so cold my hose pipe in the garden had frozen so I could not use my immersion chiller!) and the grain was stored there. I initially mashed at around 71/72C and kept rapidly stirring the mash for 10 mins (I really should have gone and fetched some cold water to get the temperature down) until the temperature came down to about 68C (took about 10-15 mins). I then put the lid on my mash tun and left the mash for another 1hr 15 mins or so. The temperature at the end was about 67C.
Would this initial high mash temperature have such a big effect on the SG? I did sparge very slowly so I reckon my efficiency was at least the 75% assumed rate in the recipe. It seems to me that you are best at mashing higher than lower if you don't get bang on 66/67C.
I just checked the SG 5 mins ago and it is now down to 1014 and I used SO4 yeast (goes like a rocket that stuff). I was actaully expecting the final SG to be quite high as I was under the impression that a high mash temperature gives more body to the final beer but has less fermentable sugars, so a lower alcohol beer. Is this correct?
I just had a sip of the beer from the hydrometer and it tastes nice already, with a lovely cascade aroma so I have no reason to believe I will end up with a crap beer at this stage. I was hoping for a session bitter but this seems like it will be a strong one!
As always, thanks for any help guys!
