Stuck mash
Please check back later for additional changes
During recirculation or lautering (in a mash/lauter tun), wort outflow from the mash tun may slow down and/or stop—the dreaded "stuck mash".
How to fix a stuck mash
- Stir to loosen up and reset the grain bed
- Rice hulls may be added along with stirring
How to avoid a stuck mash
- Preserve husk integrity during milling
- Slow down the recirculation rate or lautering rate[1]
- Use a low oxygen brewing process[1]
- Use rice hulls as part of the grist, around 2.5–10%
- Use a quality false bottom in the mash/lauter tun
- Brew in a bag (BIAB), even in a traditional mash/lauter tun
Sometimes wort run off becomes slow or even ceases. This is liable to occur if poor quality malt has been used, if the grist has been milled too finely, if the grist contains a high proportion of adjuncts, or if the operator has tried to draw off wort too quickly and has pulled the mash down onto the plates and caused the bed to become compressed.[1]
In the past some brewers used a proportion of "husky" malt or even added chopped straw or oat husks to "open-out" the mash and aid drainage. The addition of such materials is undesirable as unwanted flavours can be conferred to the beer.[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ a b c d Briggs DE, Boulton CA, Brookes PA, Stevens R. Brewing Science and Practice. Woodhead Publishing Limited and CRC Press LLC; 2004.