Mash times

[tommiwommi]

 So I'm just kinda curious, I've built my MT about a year ago and I have fallen in love with the idea of all grain brewing ever since.
 When I do my mash I keep it at 155 f. for an hour and then onto my other steps and boil and so on.

My question is "What are the perimeters of mash time?" Like how long is tooo long , or what are the minimum time frames that you can work within?
 
 I know that it's a very loose question and there are a limitless amount of other factors as well.
Any knowledge would be great

 Cheers!

[Maine Homebrewer]

I don't mean to be rude, but I'd say you should buy a book.

[Smurfe]

It really varies on the grains used and the type of beer used. Simple answer is you mash until starch conversion takes place. How do you know when that happens? You can do the iodine test. I to believe you ought to buy a book and I recommend How to Brew by John Palmer. It explains it quite well. You can view the first edition free online. Here is the All Grain section  http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/index.html

Also, are you mashing EVERY beer at 155? Different styles require different mash temps. It will cover all that in How To Brew. I mash very few beers at that high temp. Also, do you check the temp in different areas of the mash? It can vary greatly.

[MaltLicker]

+1 on How to Brew.  As long as starches are still converting to sugars, you should continue the mash.  The lower the mash temp (i.e., 149/150-ish) the longer conversion takes to complete, so it depends.  I tried the iodine test but found it difficult to read and it's easy to botch it.  I've used a refractometer to measure the Brix of the mash, and when the Brix level stops increasing, conversion is complete. 

[Maine Homebrewer]

I tried the iodine test but found it difficult to read and it's easy to botch it.

Either it turns black or it doesn't.  Not much to botch.

[MaltLicker]

Well, ya know "they" warn about avoiding bits of husk, and I read somewhere about using a stick of chalk.  I preferred the more informative refractometer and it gave me another use for it.  After checking several mashes with a refractometer, I found that the "typical" 60 minutes was sufficient for the single infusions I usually do. 

[tommiwommi]

Sorry, I worded that one wrong the other day, I'm mainly curious about if there is a too long of a time period. Like how long is too long.
 
I do own actually lots of books on beer making but I bought a house in the fall and have been renovating, so all that stuff is buried in boxes at the moment. Thats kinda why I was asking.

I've been working off of a pale ale recipie for awhile, where the mash temp is to be kept at 155, I've re-brewed it several times and making slight changes to things and recording it everytime so that I can on a first hand basis understand and see whats changing with the beer.

 I was thinking that the next time around I was going to go for a way longer mash time. And maybe at some point yes, probably different mash temps as well.

Cheers

[Maine Homebrewer]

The lower the mash temperature the longer it takes for full conversion, but once it's done it's done. 
You gain nothing (that I know of other than a tang of sour) by mashing longer than it takes to turn the starches into sugars.
I typically mash around 150 and it takes 90 minutes to do the job. 

Like how long is too long.

When it starts to foam up and smell bad like the one time I tried to mash overnight. 

[CR]

You gain nothing (that I know of other than a tang of sour) by mashing longer than it takes to turn the starches into sugars.
I typically mash around 150 and it takes 90 minutes to do the job. 

I've found the same thing.

When it starts to foam up and smell bad like the one time I tried to mash overnight.

Oh that's too funny.  It was the perfect temperature for  wild things to grow and  clearly where were some in that wanted to.
Sorry about the wasted grain bill. 

[Maine Homebrewer]

Oh that's too funny.

I thought I'd same time by mashing before bed and sparging when I woke up.
All of my food service training completely left my mind as I set something up to spend hours in that danger zone of bacterial heaven.

As Homer would say .. Duh-oh!

[CR]

Go here:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14.html
Read chapter 14.

As to your other questions:
As a general proposition modern malts are fairly well modified giving them enormous diastatic power.  Which translates to: You can usually  do everything you need to to in a single infusion at about 155?F for an hour.

Progressing to the other steps afterward is (I suspect) a toe jam 'cause you needed to do the lower temp steps first.  Specific enzymes  work at certain temperature ranges better and, I believe, may possibly be denatured by the enzymes needed to work at a higher (later) temperature.   That's assuming you needed to do the step rests at all.

On another issue you raised: Time 
Too much time in the mash can produce astringent and sour beer with a nasty bite.

 

[Darbee]

No standard answer fits.  Iodine test, 60 min mash...........really depends on the malt and your kit and process.  Mashed religiously for 60min for years before leaving mash for 75min.  Was a house beer recipe I'd brewed many times and a bit of a no brainer, this time it fermented out gaining 4 points extra attenuation, same yeast, pitch size, new yeast, fermentation temp etc.  Liked the result better as it was more of a quaffer.  Since then tried 90 min mash and gained a little more dryness, much preferred so now I always mash this local malt for 90 min.  It converts quite quickly at 152, could mash lower but a 90 min at 152 provides good attenuation and good mouthfeel.

 

[Maine Homebrewer]

It converts quite quickly at 152, could mash lower but a 90 min at 152 provides good attenuation and good mouthfeel.

I prefer a more watery beer that has flavor, aroma, color, a punch, and can be consumed in mass quantities.
Mouthfeel translates to a full stomach, and that's the last thing I want when I've got a pitcher of homebrew sitting on a card covered table in a smoke filled room.

The one I'm drinking now took three hours (of yard work) before passing an iodine test.  It started at 145 and dropped to 140 before it was done.
S.G. was 1.052, F.G. was 1.010 using Safeale 04.

[CR]

I thought I'd same time by mashing before bed and sparging when I woke up.
All of my food service training completely left my mind as I set something up to spend hours in that danger zone of bacterial heaven.
As Homer would say .. Duh-oh!

I have often wondered about brewing Ergot into one's beer.

I've read more than a few posts in various places describing  a multi-hour mash while the home brewer is gone off to work or to bed.
But there  lots more besides ergot that can get going on wet starchy sugary protein rich meal.