How Long Does Moonshine Mash Take To Ferment?

Download Article Download Article Moonshine mash is a popular way to make an alcoholic beverage using a few basic ingredients. Start by mixing the cornmeal, sugar, water, and yeast together. Then, ferment the mash so it becomes alcoholic and distill it so it tastes great as a drink. You can then sip moonshine mash on its own or add it to cocktails or other drinks for a little kick.

2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) ground cornmeal
10 pounds (4.5 kg) white granulated sugar
10 gallons (38 l) of water (distilled if possible)
1 ⁄ 2 ounce (14 g) active dry yeast, preferably Turbo
1 to 2 cups (0.24 to 0.47 l) water
1-2 bags dried fruit (optional)

1 Boil 10 gallons (38 l) of water in a 20 gallons (76 l) stainless steel pot. Allow the water to reach boiling temperature, with large bubbles on the surface of the water.
- Use a pot that has been sterilized and cleaned. Do not use a pot that appears dirty or stained.
2 Stir in 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) of cornmeal and boil for 5-7 minutes. Once the water comes to a boil, pour in the cornmeal and use a wooden spoon to mix it in. Continue to stir it until it becomes thick. Advertisement
3 Reduce the heat to 150 °F (66 °C). Turn down the heat so the cornmeal stays warm but is no longer boiling. Use a thermometer in the cornmeal to ensure it stays at the right temperature.
- Cooling down the cornmeal will ensure it interacts properly with the yeast when it is added.
4 Add 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of sugar and 1 ⁄ 2 ounce (14 g) of yeast. Pour the sugar and yeast into the cornmeal. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Stir it for 5-10 minutes. The mixture should become soupy and thin.
- Remove the mash from the heat once the sugar and yeast have been mixed in.
5 Put in dried fruit mash if you’d like more flavor. If you’d like to give the mash a more fruity flavor, soak 1-2 bags of dried fruit in 1 to 2 cups (0.24 to 0.47 l) of water. Then, mash the dried fruit up in the water so it becomes more of a juice. Pour the dried fruit mash into the cornmeal mixture and mix it in with a spoon.
- Try a fruit mash with bananas, apricots, and pineapple to add flavor. A dried fruit mash with blue berries, cherries, and strawberries can also give the mixture a nice fruity taste.

1 Cover the mash and place it in a cool, dark place. You can leave the mash in the pot and place a lid on it or lay a cloth over it. Put the mash in a basement, cellar, or in the back of a closet so it can ferment. The temperature of 60 °F (16 °C) or lower is ideal.
- You can also pour the mash in an empty cooler and put the lid on it so it can ferment.
2 Allow it to ferment for 4-5 days. Moonshine mash made with Turbo yeast will ferment within 4-5 days. If you use bread yeast, it may take up to 1 week for the mash to ferment.
3 Check the mash for large bubbles on the surface. After 4-5 days, check the mash to see if there are large bubbles that are moving very slowly or sitting on the surface. This is usually a sign the mash is ready to be distilled.
- If the mash still has a lot of smaller bubbles on the surface, it may not be ready to distill and need more time to ferment.

1 Distill the mash in a copper still if you have one available. Rent a copper still from your local brewing supply store or buy one. Look for a copper still made for homebrewing, as they will be smaller and more compact. Then, pour the mash in the still and distill it, following the directions attached to the copper still.
- You may want to invest in a copper still if you plan to make moonshine mash, and other home alcoholic beverages, often.
- A 13 gallons (49 l) copper still can range in price from $900-$1,300 USD.
2 Use a pressure cooker and a copper pipe as a makeshift still. Bring the mash to 173 °F (78 °C) in the pressure cooker. Attach a coiled copper pipe to the vent of the pressure cooker with electrical tape. Run the copper coil through a bucket of cold water and put the end in a clean container.
- This is a homemade approach to a copper still, so you may need to monitor it to ensure it works correctly. Check that the mash stays at a constant temperature so it can condense into moonshine.
3 Allow the mash to cool. Once you have distilled the mash, let it come to room temperature. The mash should look like a clear liquid with impurities still floating in it.
4 Filter the mash using cheesecloth and a strainer. Place a large plastic strainer over a large soup pot. Then, drape the cheesecloth over the strainer. Put a smaller strainer over the cheesecloth, holding it over the cheesecloth with your non-dominant hand.
- You can then squeeze the cheesecloth to remove any smaller impurities from the mash. The cheesecloth should get rid of the stuff sitting on the surface of the mash, or the head, so the mash runs clear.
- Repeat this process until you have strained out all the mash. It should appear clear and clean in the soup pot.
- Throw away the impurities once you have strained them out of the mash.
5 Store the moonshine mash in airtight glass jars. Make sure the glass jars are sterile and clean. Keep them in a cool, dark place, sealed tight. You can then sip moonshine mash on its own or add it to cocktails and other drinks.
- Moonshine mash should last for at least 6 months-1 year, if stored properly.

Add New Question

Question How can I add flavor to my moonshine mash? You can buy flavoring or put sliced fruit, like peaches and apples, inside the bottle for a month or two.
Question Should I stir the corn mash before distilling to make the mash work more if there is still starch? Yes, as results tend to be better when you stir it before distilling, to make the mash work.
Question Do I strain the mash before putting it into the boiler? Yes indeed. If you allow any solids in your wash, they will settle to the bottom of your cooking pot and burn. If you’ve ever had a few pinto beans burn in the pot, you’ll know what kind of taste you’ll have in your liquor.

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Producing mash for alcoholic spirits or moonshine, either for private consumption or sale, is illegal in the United States and many other countries without proper licensing and permits.
Making moonshine with a home still can put you at risk of bacterial contamination and alcohol poisoning. Proceed at your own risk.

20 gallons (76 l) stainless steel pot
Stove top or outdoor stove
Liquid thermometer
Long-handled wooden or metal spoon
A pressure cooker
A coiled copper pipe
Electrical tape
A copper still

Article Summary X To make moonshine mash, boil water in a 20 gallon pot. Add cornmeal and boil for 5-7 minutes. Then, reduce the heat and add sugar and yeast. Stir the mixture for 5-10 minutes, until it becomes soupy, and remove it from the heat. If you want to add more flavor, mash dried fruit in water until it becomes more of a juice and add it to the mash.

Contents

- 0.0.1 How long should I let my moonshine mash ferment?

1 How do I know when my moonshine mash is done fermenting?
- 1.1 Can moonshine mash ferment too long?
2 Can mash ferment in 3 days?
- - 2.0.1 What happens if you put too much sugar in moonshine mash?
3 Why is my mash not bubbling?
4 How long should you mash for brewing?

How long should I let my moonshine mash ferment?

How Quickly Can You Make Moonshine? – The quickest you can properly make moonshine is about two weeks. However, you really should let mash ferment for at least a week itself, so the best moonshine will usually take closer to a month to complete. Moonshine recipes all have their own timelines, so this may vary depending on what you want to make.

How do I know when my moonshine mash is done fermenting?

Measuring Fermentation – the Easy Way – We like to call this the “set it and forget it” method. This applies to a mash that is fermenting in a carboy or a bucket with an airlock. After pitching yeast, simply check on the mash every 12 hours or so to make sure that sometime during the first 12-48 hours after yeast is added there is movement in the airlock (the airlock should bubble a at least few times a minute).

If there is activity in the airlock it means that the yeast is working and everything is good to go. After that, simply l et it sit for 14 days at room temperature (70F). If there are still bubbles in the airlock after 14 days let it sit for another few days, or at least until there is no bubbling for at least a minute or two.

Once there is no activity in the airlock, fermentation is complete. This is a non scientific method but has been pretty reliable in terms of judging when fermentation has finished.

Can moonshine mash ferment too long?

How long can you keep fermented mash before distilling? – Fermented mash can be kept for up to a week before distilling, but it is recommended to distill it within 2-3 days for optimal flavor and alcohol yield.

Can mash ferment in 3 days?

Home Distiller Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling. Moderator: Bootlegger Posts: Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 11:49 am by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:05 pm This is what is stated in the famous book titled “Making Pure Corn Whiskey”: In the fermentation of wine and beer, the ferment undergoes primary and secondary fermentations.

The primary fermentation is the vigorous fermentation that takes place over the first few days after the yeast is added. The secondary fermentation is the long slow fermentation that follows the primary fermentation. The primary fermentation only lasts a few days, but the secondary fermentation will slowly tick over for weeks, months in the case of wine fermentation.

A mash intended for distillation only undergoes a primary fermentation. Grain mash fermentations are typically 72-80 hours long, and then they are distilled. In fact, a secondary fermentation would be very deleterious to the ester profile of the mash and would ruin the finished whiskey.

During the primary fermentation the yeast is consuming readily available fermentable sugars.
When the fermentable sugars have been exhausted, the yeast metabolism changes and begins breaking down unfermentable sugars and other organic compounds and consumes them.
This involves the secretion of very different enzymes such as permease that enable the consumption of unfermentable sugars (dextrins and polysaccharides).

This altered chemistry results in the formation of a family of esters, which have come to be called the “dreaded esters”. The dreaded esters have very nearly the same boiling point as the alcohol/water azeotrope (i.e.78.15°C (172.67°F)), and are almost impossible to separate out by distillation.

Therefore, they pervade into the finished whiskey and ruin its flavour.
The only use for whiskey laced with the dreaded esters, is to rectify it to 95% alcohol by redistillation in a high-separation still, and treat it with activated carbon to render pure alcohol to be used for making vodka, gin, or liqueurs.

In order to be sure to avoid the dreaded esters, a mash fermentation should be distilled as soon as the vigorous primary fermentation slows down to a slow spurious bubbling, regardless of how complete the fermentation was, generally no more than 96 hours after adding the yeast.

This just doesn’t make sense at all because we will end up with a mash having about %3 abv if we stop the fermentation after 72 hours. Since this book is usually considered as a well-respected source among home distillers, I would like to ask your opinions about this theory. How can one possibly reach %9 abv within 72 hours without turbo yeast? Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm Location: Ontario by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:28 pm wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:05 pm How can one possibly reach %9 abv within 72 hours without turbo yeast? My mashes are consistently finished in that period of time, done at between,095 -,990,

Mars ” I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding ” – Albert Einstein Site Donor Posts: Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:34 pm If this is the case, why is sour mash a thing? I have never tried any high quality whiskey before, but my experience tells me esters are a fine thing when use in the correct ways and horrid when not used the correct way.

Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down Gunna have me a drink then gambol around Here’s some fiddle music Bootlegger Posts: Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 11:49 am by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:41 pm wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:28 pm My mashes are consistently finished in that period of time, done at between,095 -,990,

Mars Starting with an OG of? Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm Location: Ontario by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 3:00 pm wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:41 pm Starting with an OG of? The OG have no relation to a ferment finishing dry. I’ve done then for a 5.5 up 8% abv.

And all finished dry within the 3 days.
The lower the abv percentage, the quicker it’s finishes.
A 6% will finish in just a little over 2 days.
Mars ” I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent.
Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding ” – Albert Einstein Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm Location: Craigh Na Dun by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 4:11 pm Mars, You must have the Holy Grail of water and the perfect combination of mash temperature, pH and aeration.

It doesn’t matter what my grain bill is – it all ferments up dry in 7-8 days. All 1.00 or below, but it never changes, even between seasons. Since my bourbons turn out very good, and most of us experience similar ferment times, I am inclined to regard the ’72-80hr ferments can ruin your finished whiskey’ statement as dubious. Posts: Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:56 pm Location: Tinseltown by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 4:58 pm How can one reach dryness in 72 hrs? Probably a very robust pitch rate and optimum fermentation temp and ph. I don’t time them but my all grain mashes typically go very fast through primary.

A little learning is a dang’rous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again.” – Alexander Pope Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm Location: Ontario by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:05 pm wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 4:11 pm You must have the Holy Grail of water and the perfect combination of mash temperature, pH and aeration.

I don’t know TB. I use the city water, but. I do pay real close attention the yeast’s preferred temp, especially it’s mid range temp, the Ph within the first 6th and 8 – 10 hrs, and try to maintain those items in balance. and yes some good aeration.

What I have found is that, when those item are followed closely, it doesn’t matter if it’s a wash or a mash, or what abv targeted, all get done within the 3 days. but.
But let the temp wonder off just a few degree below its mid range within the first day, and you can add days to the fermenting process.

and if the Ph drops down below the 3 it will slow it down and even stall depending on the yeast used, but maintain in the 4, it will be good, and help in the stripping run by not foaming as much. Ph levels has it’s own behavior characters which is also interesting.

Mars ” I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent.
Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding ” – Albert Einstein Site Mod Posts: Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am Location: Northern NSW Australia by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:10 pm My long term generational washes often take 10 days to finish dry.they make good booze and I wouldn’t change a thing.I see no reason at all to promote super fast ferments.

Faster maybe more important with AG mashes. Site Donor Posts: Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:56 pm Location: Tinseltown by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 6:25 pm wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:06 pm Pope, what kind of water/yeast you using? Distillamax GW for grain lately, I’ve been trying all the Lallemand distillamax yeasts for different mashed/washes.

Sounds snooty but I’m just curious is all!! “A little learning is a dang’rous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again.” – Alexander Pope Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 3:18 pm Location: Pacific Northwest by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 7:07 pm wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:05 pm Since this book is usually considered as a well-respected source among home distillers, I would like to ask your opinions about this theory.

How can one possibly reach %9 abv within 72 hours without turbo yeast? Every so often this question comes up because of that book. My personal opinion is it is a load of crap and an outdated way of trying to justify the way very large distilleries do things.

Perhaps you should do an experiment and see what you prefer.
I personally seldom run anything that hasn’t fermented a long time with a rest afterwards.
To me something magical happens somewhere around the 60 day mark with most everything I have ever fermented.
However in the interest of full disclosure I don’t make all grain whiskey and a lot of people worry about infections when they leave something sit a while.

Distiller Posts: Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2017 9:25 pm Location: Sweet Home by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 8:34 pm Thanks Yummy! I was trying to find that thread. When I first read it, being a noob, I assumed there are lots of differences in how things are done in a commercial distillery & here. Posts: Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 9:38 pm “That said, I’m curious what the “old hands” think about this. ” +1 Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down Gunna have me a drink then gambol around Here’s some fiddle music Site Mod Posts: Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am Location: Northern NSW Australia by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:34 pm First let me say I don’t do AG, but Ive seen this same question, about the same subject, from the same book crop up many times on different forums. Posts: Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:46 pm My instincts tell me exactly what cranky points out Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down Gunna have me a drink then gambol around Here’s some fiddle music Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am Location: New Zealand by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:59 pm Put down six or eight stripping runs worth of ferment, strip half at 72 hours, strip the rest at whatever you decide.

Eep good records.
Share the results, or keep them to yourself if you are going commercial.
Distiller Posts: Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 10:13 am Location: Cos by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:22 am My vodka would easily finish in 3 days from 1.075 to under 1.000.
Corn flake whiskey would finish in 5, and rum would take 1-2 weeks to finish.

Depended on yeast and what I was fermenting. I could see for a specific whiskey it would need to finish quickly, but that does not apply to every whiskey. Formerly Dsp-CO-20051 Bootlegger Posts: Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 11:49 am by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 4:16 am wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:22 am My vodka would easily finish in 3 days from 1.075 to under 1.000. Posts: Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2018 9:12 am by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:09 am Not trying to kick a dead horse, but the following is an excerpt from a post somewhere by a guy named Harry. The post gives lots of details in how you would go about “Cloning Glenmorangie.” Aim for a wort of around 8% potential alcohol and a quick ferment with a combination of baker’s and brewer’s yeasts, to finish in about 3 to 4 days.

Let it settle for a further 1 or 2 days after the bubbling has all but stopped, to let the yeast re-absorb excess diacetyl, then do the first distillation.
Some will tell you that you can make a much higher gravity wort and use a turbo-type yeast, or a high-attenuation yeast like Lalvin EC-1118 or Red Star (same strain).

You can, but what you finish up with will not even remotely resemble Glenmorangie, or any other Scotch malt. The yeast used plays a far more important role in producing Scotch than mere carbohydrate conversion. It is a huge factor in the taste of the finished article.

For this reason, it is better to follow the methods used by the distilleries, that of a fast-acting yeast (bakers, ~1gm/liter) to quickly start the fermentation and stop other yeasts & bacteria getting a foothold, and a brewers yeast (0.6gm/liter)to get the desired flavors into the fermentation.
Quick ferments, significant yeast doses, target abv’s, various stages of cuts during the stripping and spirits, aging strength, type of barrel, type of finish all factor into chasing a particular (and elusive) taste profile.

Quite the rabbit hole and lots of fun. 🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting. Site Mod Posts: Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:04 am Location: the f-f-fu frozen north by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:57 am mine usually take 4 days for all malt rye or barley. i use 1g/L baker’s yeast and pitch hot, usually between 100-105.

With an ambient temperature of 75*, i don’t add heat.
When it cools, it’s done.
In the (really) big distilleries i’ve been to mixing the wort continually seems normal.
I’m sure that helps speed as i’ve tried it.
I don’t make it a practice because i don’t want to leave a motor running unsupervised (not an industrial constant duty motor) and at the small volumes it uses too much power.

(the juice ain’t worth the squeeze) but it is faster. I finally quit drinking for good. now i drink for evil. Rumrunner Posts: Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:08 am by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 6:17 am 3-4 days for my AG ferments. I use various beer yeasts at standard beer pitching rates, so a decent sized starter.3-4 days at fermentation temp then a couple days clean up.

Could be 2 days with high temp loving yeast.
If you don’t pitch enough healthy yeast, the lag phase is too long and you risk infection.
I’m more concerned about fermentation starting quickly than I am about when it’s finished.
Distiller Posts: Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 10:13 am Location: Cos by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 6:19 am wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 4:16 am wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:22 am My vodka would easily finish in 3 days from 1.075 to under 1.000.

Corn flake whiskey would finish in 5, and rum would take 1-2 weeks to finish. Depended on yeast and what I was fermenting. I could see for a specific whiskey it would need to finish quickly, but that does not apply to every whiskey. Can I please learn which yeast you use for corn flake whiskey fermenting it in 5 days? Distillamax DS.

I think it’s basically a champaign style yeast, wasn’t a big flavor maker, but I was going for a white whiskey to drink ASAP.
Formerly Dsp-CO-20051 Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm Location: Craigh Na Dun by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:27 am wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:05 pm but.

but let the temp wonder off just a few degree below its mid range within the first day, and you can add days to the fermenting process. and if the Ph drops down below the 3 it will slow it down and even stall depending on the yeast used, but maintain in the 4, it will be good, and help in the stripping run by not foaming as much.

Ph levels has it’s own behavior characters which is also interesting. Mars I’ve been pretty good at maintaining mid-range temps, but with US-05, it takes colder ferment temps. I think this is a wake-up call to make bourbons with a higher ferment temp. wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:57 am in the (really) big distilleries i’ve been to mixing the wort continually seems normal.

i’m sure that helps speed as i’ve tried it. I don’t make it a practice because i don’t want to leave a motor running unsupervised (not an industrial constant duty motor) and at the small volumes it uses too much power. (the juice ain’t worth the squeeze) but it is faster.

Agitating definitely speeds things up with my half-gallon starters.
This is a great idea.
Maybe on a timer? wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:09 am Quite the rabbit hole and lots of fun.
Ain’t that the truth! Novice Posts: Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 1:06 pm by » Fri May 01, 2020 11:38 pm I’ve come back to stilling from beer.

Beer always aims for lower temperatures and long rest with cold crashes to avoid off tatstes from a hot start and to allow the yeasties to clear up after the main ferment, then clear in the cold crash. Although the pros try to get the sg reduction done in three days ( this cannot be understated – the pros do this for cost, not taste ).

So i just went about my normal 18 -22 deg C Ale temp with bakers yeast and ale.
Probably around 0.7g/l.
Takes two to three weeks, no worries.
Lost control of temp since the heat wave ended and we had turned off the heating and crashed to about 14, and i started hunting around a bit on tinternet.
One of the Scottish distilleries ferments at 34 degs C.

I nearly fell off my chair. And distillmax lallemand pitching rate is 1g/l. Cheapo yeast producers always try to say 5-7g/20L is ok, then with a direct pitch you lose half of that. I go for a double pitch – 10-14 for 20L with proper rehydration, so 4 x the ‘recommended’. Posts: Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2016 9:40 am Location: SE Michigan by » Sat May 02, 2020 5:30 am Distilling 72 hrs after pitch just seems impractical for most, unless you’re not working, or have a really flexible home schedule (right about now???). I like to ferment in quantity, whether distilling or not. Posts: Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2016 2:28 pm Location: Southeast. by » Sat May 02, 2020 5:34 am Bread yeast loves 30-34 C, and produces pretty consistent results in that range. That’s about 85-92 F. Beer yeasts blow weird flavors at those temps, at least most of them.

Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm Location: Ontario by » Sat May 02, 2020 6:21 am I’ve had the best results using the mid range temp of the yeast being used. in a bread yeast and from experience using Red Star, Fleischmann, or SAF Gold, their range is 80 – 95*F, so I pitch at 95*F and ferment at 85 – 87*F.

with these yeast what I noticed in the past was, if the fermenting temp dropped to 82*F or lower, then the fermenting time would increase considerably, and the clearing would also take extra time. and I pitch at the rate of 2.5g/L using bread yeast.

I have experimented with starter using 1g/L and pitch at 95*, and do work well.
Unfortunately I don’t like the one hour plus in making a starter.
When I use ale yeast such as Safale S-04, 05, Nottingham or wine yeast such as Lavlin 1118, 1116, their range is 62 – 75*F, and when using them I pitch at 80*F and ferment at 70*F.

and I pitch at the rate of 1g/L and make a starter. And the above yeast pitching and fermenting temp works for both for a sugar wash or an AG. and I’ve never, at least up until now, worked with lager yeast, mainly cause I haven’t figured out how to ferment at 50*F without having to build special equipment to maintain that temp.

Mars ” I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding ” – Albert Einstein Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:41 am by » Sat May 02, 2020 6:45 am With most yeasts my experience, given a good, or even large pitch, and good aeration to start (with O2 if you have it), is that the bulk of the gravity drops within the first 72 hours.

With an aggressive yeast ran warm that may even be down around 48 hours. There are yeasts that dramatically break this rule for me. And in some very interesting ways. Saison yeast is a good example. On a first generation pitch I’m looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 weeks for a full dry ferment, with the fermentor going through heating step up starting at week 2 through week 4.

I usually step that yeast up a few degrees a day until the final week, where I run it in the 90s.
The most interesting part about this yeas is after this first generation re-pitch ferments out in a more normal schedule.
Second generation on I usually pitch in the 70s, let it free climb into the 80s, throw a heating pad on it on day three, pull the heating pad off on day four, and let it drop clear.

Anyone using a tilt hydrometer for gravity monitoring? : Home Distiller

What happens if you put too much sugar in moonshine mash?

There’s too much sugar for the yeast strain you’re using. – The reason why you use sugar in a mash is basically because your yeast consumes the sugar, converting it into alcohol. So it’s easy to assume that more sugar = more alcohol. However, too much sugar in your mash can actually hinder your yeast’s ability to make alcohol, and most people want to get as high an alcohol content as possible when making moonshine.

Why is my mash not bubbling?

Lack of airlock activity is NOT an absolute sign of a failed fermentation. – NOTE : The only way to confirm fermentation, or lack there-of, is to use a hydrometer. This requires 30 seconds of your life to either confirm or dispel signs of fermentation.

Ask staff in store how this works.
READ ON : Brewing Problem: I added the yeast 2 days ago and nothing is happening with my airlock.
Cause 1 Leaks: Lack of a physical sign of fermentation (airlock bubbling) can be due to several things.
If the airlock is not bubbling, it may be due to a poor seal between the lid and the bucket or leaks around the grommet.

Fermentation may be taking place but the CO2 is not coming out through the airlock. This can also be caused by adding too much water to the airlock. If this has occurred, the resistance caused by the excess water will cause air to escape by pushing around the rubber seals. Cure 1: This is not a real problem; it won’t affect the batch. – Check water levels in the airlock (3mm maximum past the U bend on each side is ample), screw down the lid a bit tighter if necessary or Fix the seal. NOTE: Airlocks are designed to keep flies and bugs out of your brew, and so carbon dioxide formed during fermentation can escape.

Lack of airlock activity is not a positive sign of a failed fermentation, despite the fact you may have been brewing for 30 years and it’s always bubbled.
Cause 2 Bad Yeast (RARE): When a batch is not fermenting, there may be a problem with the yeast.
If dry yeast has been properly packaged and stored, as it is in our store, it should be fully viable for up to two years.

However, if you are using a yeast package that came taped to the top of a dusty can of malt extract which has been stored in a hot supermarket warehouse for many months, then the yeast may be too old or may have been subjected to poor storage conditions, and may not work for you.

Yeast need to be treated with care and be given the proper growing conditions.
Dry yeast are dehydrated, they’re parched, they’re in no condition to start work.
They need some nice luke warm (20-24 o C) water to re-hydrate in, some time to do some stretching, maybe an appetizer, and then they will be ready to tackle a full beer wort.

If the dry yeast is just sprinkled onto the surface of the wort, some of the yeast will be up to the challenge, some will get stuck to the fermenter wall above the fluid line and some just won’t do anything at all. Cure 2: Stir your mixed beer well to dissolve oxygen into the wort when first mixing it.

This provides the yeast with the oxygen they need to greatly boost their growth rate and make enough yeast cells to do the job properly in the first 24 hours. Cause 3 Too Cold: The fermentation conditions may be too cold for an otherwise healthy yeast population. Ale yeast tend to go dormant below 15 o C.

If the yeast were re-hydrated in really warm water (34 o C) and then pitched to a much cooler wort (18 o C), the large difference in temperature can thermally shock the yeast and cause a longer lag time as they adjust. Or in some cases, that otherwise normal ale fermentation temperature could cause those warm-acclimated yeast to call it quits.

Too Hot: Lager Yeasts tend to tick along very nicely in the 9-12 o C temperature range, but will stress when fermented above about 15 o C.
Talk to staff in store about fermentation temperature control.
Cure 3: For Ales In winter, try gently warming the fermentor by 2-3 o C; it may make all the difference.

Cause 4 Improper Sanitation: Sanitising can be carried too far some times. (ie using harsh sanitising agents that leave residues – bleach is a good example of this) When you were preparing the warm water for rehydrating or boiling your yeast starter, did you cool it to the proper temperature range? If the water is too cold, the yeast will be sluggish and have a hard time rehydrating.

If it is too hot ie above 38 o C then the yeast are going to be damaged and stressed, and refuse to have anything to do with you and your wort.
Also, if you added the yeast to the Starter wort and then boiled it, well, they’re dead.
Some you win, some you lose.and other’s, well they get rained out.

Congratulations! you’ve just committed Genicide on a population of 100 milion brewers friends. Cure 4: Pitch new yeast and try not to commit genocide on this lot. A few hints about Yeast Every yeast has what is known as a recommended “Pitch Rate”. The recommended pitch rate for Ale Yeasts is quite different to the pitch rate for a Lager Yeast.

For a Lager with a starting gravity of 1.046, the recommended Pitch Rate for an appropriate Dry Lager Yeast would be around 22 grams for a 23L batch. Rehydrate your yeast before pitching. Yeast needs lots of Oxygen in the first 24 + Hours – vigorously stir your wort immediately before pitching the yeast to aerate it. Don’t over fill the airlock. Add 5ml of water and a few drops of sanitiser – just enough to fill the U at the bottom of the airlock’s main body.

How can I speed up my mash fermentation?

Adding more yeast should ferment faster. The risk is not so much off flavors but a lack of fermentation flavors – esters, etc. You might be able to pick a yeast that finished faster. Probably better to think of the whole process.

What happens if you mash too cold?

Temp Too Low – By mashing low will give you more fermentable sugars, leaving the beer thin and dry. Leave the mash temp too low (below 140 °F) for too long, then you run the risk of ending up with a “watery” beer that does not taste good. If your mash temperature is too low, you have the ability to quickly raise it by adding boiled hot water to the mash tun.

Add the hot water in small amounts, and stir the kettle/mash tun after each addition. Add enough until your grain’s temperature is at the correct level. If you are using a Brew-in-a-Bag (BIAB) setup, you can directly heat the kettle with the grains still inside. This works with both propane burners and all-in-one systems.

Nylon bags have a melting point of 515 °F (268 ° C), so you should be more than safe heating directly in the kettle. I do usually hold up the bag slightly as I turn the burners on to prevent any chance at scorching.

Can you add sugar to mash after fermentation?

When To Add Your Extra Sugars – While it’s safe to add sugars at any time in the process, adding them late can be very beneficial to your cause. This is because of two reasons. First, yeast can get lazy if offered simple sugars up front, and stall out early or ferment slower than normal once they have to convert more complex sugars.

To prevent this, add the sugar after a few days of primary fermentation.
Next, if you’re adding sugars with a lot of flavor and aroma (like Belgian Candi or honey), the initial portion of primary fermentation can send a lot of desirable aromas out of the beer.
Adding them after this vigorous portion of fermentation helps keep them in the beer, but still allows the yeast to ferment them out.

Get creative, and experiment with sugar additions. If you have the ability, the best way to test these things or learn the flavors would be to split your beer into separate fermenters after brewing and add different sugars, while keeping a control batch.

This will allow you to taste the same beer with different additives and note the difference. If you do this successfully, you should walk away with a basic understanding and first-hand knowledge of what each sugar you are testing does to the beer. There are many more details on types of sugars and what each does to your beer, but hopefully this has whet your appetite.

Sugar additions can be so much more than just a sneaky way to up your ABV. Have fun and play around with this additive. If you’re ever wondering how to get some new flavor profiles in your beer, using brewing sugars appropriately can be the answer. All contents copyright 2023 by MoreFlavor Inc.

Can you mash with too much water?

Brewer : Artie Tafoya Brewery : Appalachian Brewing Co., Harrisburg, Pa. Years of experience : 10 years professional, five years homebrewing House Beers : Water Gap Wheat, Purist Pale Ale, Jolly Scot Scottish Ale, Susquehanna Stout, Happy Trails IPA, Mountain Lager, River Side Red Ale, Hibernation Ale Sitting around a mash vessel waiting for an hour to an hour and a half miracle mash conversion, wondering what is actually going on? There is nothing to watch.

You can’t hear anything. All you smell is the sweet aroma of the mash. At least during fermentation, the production of carbon dioxide gives an air lock or blow-off tube activity you can observe. How do you know if your mash is converting? How do you know when your conversion is complete? Starches are long chains of simple sugars, including maltose, maltotriose, glucose, sucrose, and fructose.

I compare this chain of sugars to a pearl necklace. The enzymes (which occur naturally in well-modified barley malt) act as scissors, cutting the pearl necklace into beads. These enzymes include beta-amylase. Yeast is a single-cell organism that can’t metabolize starches like humans can.

This is the purpose for the breakdown of starches to simple sugars during the brewing process. There are a few key steps you can follow to ensure a great conversion. When mashing in, make sure the mash-in water is the proper temperature so that when mixed with the grist (grains), they will combine to reach the target “rest” or conversion temperature for the style of beer you are brewing.

If you miss your target temperature, you will most likely have to add water to the mash to adjust the temperature. With the limited volume of most mash vessels, adding extra water to the mash will fill the vessel too high and prohibit hitting other rests and conversion temperatures throughout the mash schedule.

Second, check the temperature at different depths and different areas of the mash to ensure it is consistent throughout.
Make sure the mash is mixed well, but do not oxidize the mash by overstirring.
Ideally, the mash should be the consistency of a perfect bowl of oatmeal.
It should be thin enough to stir but thick enough to step infuse hot water (add hot water to increase the mash temperature) without creating barley soup.

After 45 minutes to one hour, determine visually that the conversion is complete by checking the clarity of any liquid resting above the mash bed. If your mash is a bit dry, you can create a small divot in the mash bed to get a puddle to form. If the liquid is clear, a complete conversion is near.

If the liquid appears cloudy, you might want to wait a bit for additional clarification prior to further testing. The iodine test is one way to determine whether there is any residual starch that lacks conversion. Just head to the local pharmacy and pick up a “tincture of iodine.” This is a small bottle that will last you about 10 years if you do not knock it over while performing the test.

It comes with a small dropper attached to the cap that allows you to lay a drop or two into a shallow sample of cool mash on a white dish. Be sure no grain material is present; this will yield a false positive. If the iodine color ranges from yellow to amber, conversion is complete.

If the iodine turns dark purple to black, give the mash another 15 minutes and repeat the test. If a conversion is not reached after two hours, check your mash temperature. You may have undershot the target conversion-rest temperature. When producing ales, I like to perform a two-step infusion mash schedule.

Because most domestic pale malts are highly modified, a two-step infusion will suffice for most beer styles. I mash in to a strike temperature of 149° to 151° F for approximately one hour. Once I reach visual clarity and obtain the desired iodine reading, I infuse 194° F water into the mash, raising the mash-out temperature to 158° F.

This mash-out rest should be performed for 30 minutes, at which time you can start recirculating or running off depending on your system.
For German wheat ales, Belgium wits, and delicate lagers I use a four-step infusion.
The four-step infusion includes a very thick strike for 20 minutes at 118° F, a quick infusion for another 20 minutes at 126° F, then a stop at a conversion temperature of 147° F.

The complete conversion usually occurs in 30 to 45 minutes due to the beta-enzymes’ jump-start during the protein rests. Then I mash out upon completion of conversion by infusing hot water to a strike temperature between 154° and 158° F. Normally the mash is pretty soupy at this point, so be careful not to add too much water and jeopardize the run-off.

If your mash conversion temperature exceeds 153° F, a higher percentage of unfermentable sugars, called dextrins, will be produced.
A higher level of dextrins occurs if your grain bill contains a good amount of caramel and caramalts, which are inherently high in these dextrins (14 percent to 18 percent).

These dextrins are unfermentable and therefore will raise the final gravity and lower the alcohol percentage of the beer. I like to use a slightly higher mash conversion temperature when producing maltier styles of beer to utilize the dextrins that add body and mouthfeel to the beer.

Can you mash out too hot?

Why your mash temp matters – The bad news is that it will likely affect the outcome of your beer. The good news is it’s probably not as bad as you think, and you can mitigate the effects by taking swift action. We’ll get to the swift action in just a moment.

First, know that the normal mashing temperature range is 145 – 158F (63 – 70C). In general, mashing at the higher end of that range produces longer sugars which are harder for the yeast to eat. More sugar will be left over after fermentation resulting in a more full-bodied beer. Mashing at the lower end of the range produces shorter sugars, which the yeast will gobble right up.

This leaves behind a thinner, drier beer. Mash too much lower than that and you’ll end up with poor starch conversion and a really thin, “watery” beer. You’ll also start breaking down precious proteins needed for head retention. On the other hand, if you mash too high (168-170F), you’ll run the risk of permanently killing the conversion process.

Can you eat mash after 5 days?

How to spot a badly mashed potato? – The time that potatoes stay fresh it depends on certain factors, like

How the mashed potatoes stored Whether the mashed potatoes have been cooked or not.

It’s hard to spot when cooked potatoes have gone bad. Sometimes, cooked potatoes have fetid that indicates spoilage, this kind of may have bacteria without any signs. Cooked mashed potatoes are a risky food for bacteria that can cause food poisoning because they contain moisture and contain some protein.

Can you mash overnight?

Time to consider doing the splits with an overnight mash. There are occasions when even the most dedicated and organized of homebrewers runs out of time to brew. All-grain brewing, especially, can take the better part of a day. But what if you could divide your brew day into two parts? If finding five or six consecutive hours is proving increasingly elusive, then it’s time to consider doing the splits with an overnight mash.

Yes, you read right, and it’s exactly what it sounds like.
With an overnight mash, you mash in an hour or two before you go to bed and then sparge, boil, cool, and pitch after you wake up the next morning.
Successful overnight mashing means paying attention to a few things.
Attenuation.
A long, slow mash tends to produce very fermentable wort.

Perfect, say, for bone-dry styles such as saison, but probably inappropriate for a full-bodied British bitter. Make sure you’re prepared for a low terminal gravity when you mash overnight. Or look at it as an opportunity to improve recipes that challenge your normal brewhouse efficiency.

Potential for souring. Theoretically, the Lactobacillus bacteria that live naturally on grain husks could start to sour your wort before you have a chance to boil it. In practice, as long as the temperature remains well north of 130°F (54°C), Lacto can’t really do much. The same goes for acetobacter and other nasties.

Nonetheless, be aware that the potential does exist. For your first overnight mash, consider brewing a style that can tolerate a bit of tartness, such as wit or Irish stout. Once you feel confident, you can move on to others. Insulation. When you mash overnight, the insulating properties of your mash tun become more important, not so much for starch conversion as for keeping bugs at bay.

My 5-gallon cooler tun rarely loses more than a degree or so in an hour-long mash, but the first time I mashed overnight, it lost nearly 30°F (17°C).
Fortify your mash tun’s insulation (sleeping bags work well), or mash in a kettle and leave it in the oven overnight (assuming your oven is large enough and can hold the appropriate temperature: many ovens aren’t and can’t).

If the idea of leaving a mash to sit doesn’t sit well with you, then another option is to lauter and sparge before you go to bed, but bring the wort just to boiling. Then kill the heat, insulate the boil kettle, and let it wait for you overnight. You can conduct the full boil in the morning while you sip your coffee.

Again, as long as the temperature remains sufficiently high, you’ll minimize the risk of contamination.
Overnight mashing is definitely a try-at-your-own-risk technique.
But if you lead a busy life and you’re willing to experiment, you might find that an 8-hour nap is a great way to keep brewing.
From ingredients to equipment, process, and recipes—extract, partial-mash, and all-grain— The Illustrated Guide to Homebrewing is a vital resource for those who want to brew better beer.

Order your copy today.

Can mash ferment in 3 days?

The primary fermentation is the vigorous fermentation that takes place over the first few days after the yeast is added.
The secondary fermentation is the long slow fermentation that follows the primary fermentation.
The primary fermentation only lasts a few days, but the secondary fermentation will slowly tick over for weeks, months in the case of wine fermentation.

During the primary fermentation the yeast is consuming readily available fermentable sugars.
When the fermentable sugars have been exhausted, the yeast metabolism changes and begins breaking down unfermentable sugars and other organic compounds and consumes them.
This involves the secretion of very different enzymes such as permease that enable the consumption of unfermentable sugars (dextrins and polysaccharides).

Therefore, they pervade into the finished whiskey and ruin its flavour.
The only use for whiskey laced with the dreaded esters, is to rectify it to 95% alcohol by redistillation in a high-separation still, and treat it with activated carbon to render pure alcohol to be used for making vodka, gin, or liqueurs.

This just doesn’t make sense at all because we will end up with a mash having about %3 abv if we stop the fermentation after 72 hours.
Since this book is usually considered as a well-respected source among home distillers, I would like to ask your opinions about this theory.
How can one possibly reach %9 abv within 72 hours without turbo yeast? Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm Location: Ontario by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:28 pm wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 2:05 pm How can one possibly reach %9 abv within 72 hours without turbo yeast? My mashes are consistently finished in that period of time, done at between,095 -,990,

And all finished dry within the 3 days. The lower the abv percentage, the quicker it’s finishes. a 6% will finish in just a little over 2 days. Mars ” I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding ” – Albert Einstein Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm Location: Craigh Na Dun by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 4:11 pm Mars, You must have the Holy Grail of water and the perfect combination of mash temperature, pH and aeration.

“A little learning is a dang’rous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again.” – Alexander Pope Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm Location: Ontario by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:05 pm wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 4:11 pm You must have the Holy Grail of water and the perfect combination of mash temperature, pH and aeration.

What I have found is that, when those item are followed closely, it doesn’t matter if it’s a wash or a mash, or what abv targeted, all get done within the 3 days. but. but let the temp wonder off just a few degree below its mid range within the first day, and you can add days to the fermenting process.

Mars ” I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent.
Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding ” – Albert Einstein Site Mod Posts: Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am Location: Northern NSW Australia by » Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:10 pm My long term generational washes often take 10 days to finish dry.they make good booze and I wouldn’t change a thing.I see no reason at all to promote super fast ferments.

Perhaps you should do an experiment and see what you prefer. I personally seldom run anything that hasn’t fermented a long time with a rest afterwards. To me something magical happens somewhere around the 60 day mark with most everything I have ever fermented. However in the interest of full disclosure I don’t make all grain whiskey and a lot of people worry about infections when they leave something sit a while.

Eep good records.
Share the results, or keep them to yourself if you are going commercial.
Distiller Posts: Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 10:13 am Location: Cos by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:22 am My vodka would easily finish in 3 days from 1.075 to under 1.000.
Corn flake whiskey would finish in 5, and rum would take 1-2 weeks to finish.

Let it settle for a further 1 or 2 days after the bubbling has all but stopped, to let the yeast re-absorb excess diacetyl, then do the first distillation.
Some will tell you that you can make a much higher gravity wort and use a turbo-type yeast, or a high-attenuation yeast like Lalvin EC-1118 or Red Star (same strain).

For this reason, it is better to follow the methods used by the distilleries, that of a fast-acting yeast (bakers, ~1gm/liter) to quickly start the fermentation and stop other yeasts & bacteria getting a foothold, and a brewers yeast (0.6gm/liter)to get the desired flavors into the fermentation. Quick ferments, significant yeast doses, target abv’s, various stages of cuts during the stripping and spirits, aging strength, type of barrel, type of finish all factor into chasing a particular (and elusive) taste profile.

With an ambient temperature of 75*, i don’t add heat.
When it cools, it’s done.
In the (really) big distilleries i’ve been to mixing the wort continually seems normal.
I’m sure that helps speed as i’ve tried it.
I don’t make it a practice because i don’t want to leave a motor running unsupervised (not an industrial constant duty motor) and at the small volumes it uses too much power.

Could be 2 days with high temp loving yeast. If you don’t pitch enough healthy yeast, the lag phase is too long and you risk infection. I’m more concerned about fermentation starting quickly than I am about when it’s finished. Distiller Posts: Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 10:13 am Location: Cos by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 6:19 am wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 4:16 am wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:22 am My vodka would easily finish in 3 days from 1.075 to under 1.000.

I think it’s basically a champaign style yeast, wasn’t a big flavor maker, but I was going for a white whiskey to drink ASAP. Formerly Dsp-CO-20051 Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm Location: Craigh Na Dun by » Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:27 am wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:05 pm but.

Agitating definitely speeds things up with my half-gallon starters.
This is a great idea.
Maybe on a timer? wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:09 am Quite the rabbit hole and lots of fun.
Ain’t that the truth! Novice Posts: Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 1:06 pm by » Fri May 01, 2020 11:38 pm I’ve come back to stilling from beer.

So i just went about my normal 18 -22 deg C Ale temp with bakers yeast and ale.
Probably around 0.7g/l.
Takes two to three weeks, no worries.
Lost control of temp since the heat wave ended and we had turned off the heating and crashed to about 14, and i started hunting around a bit on tinternet.
One of the Scottish distilleries ferments at 34 degs C.

Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm Location: Ontario by » Sat May 02, 2020 6:21 am I’ve had the best results using the mid range temp of the yeast being used. in a bread yeast and from experience using Red Star, Fleischmann, or SAF Gold, their range is 80 – 95*F, so I pitch at 95*F and ferment at 85 – 87*F.

I have experimented with starter using 1g/L and pitch at 95*, and do work well.
Unfortunately I don’t like the one hour plus in making a starter.
When I use ale yeast such as Safale S-04, 05, Nottingham or wine yeast such as Lavlin 1118, 1116, their range is 62 – 75*F, and when using them I pitch at 80*F and ferment at 70*F.

Mars ” I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent.
Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding ” – Albert Einstein Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:41 am by » Sat May 02, 2020 6:45 am With most yeasts my experience, given a good, or even large pitch, and good aeration to start (with O2 if you have it), is that the bulk of the gravity drops within the first 72 hours.

I usually step that yeast up a few degrees a day until the final week, where I run it in the 90s. The most interesting part about this yeas is after this first generation re-pitch ferments out in a more normal schedule. Second generation on I usually pitch in the 70s, let it free climb into the 80s, throw a heating pad on it on day three, pull the heating pad off on day four, and let it drop clear.

Anyone using a tilt hydrometer for gravity monitoring? : Home Distiller

How long should you mash for brewing?

The Iodine Test – So how do you know if your mash is done? One indication is the iodine test. If the brewer takes a small sample of wort, cools it and adds a drop of iodine, the color of the mix is an indication of how much of the starch is degraded. A black or purple color indicates starch is present.

In the absence of a color change, the level of starch is below detection.
A negative iodine test does not mean that absolutely every bit of starch has been degraded.
However, a beer made from wort that showed a negative iodine test should not have any problems with starch haze or biological instability from excess starch.

If you are brewing a moderate-bodied or full-bodied beer, you can proceed to mash out and recirculation once the iodine test is negative. When brewing a full-bodied beer, single infusion mash temperatures should be in the middle to high end of the saccharification range (perhaps 154–162 °F/68–72 °C), and the mash can convert fairly quickly.

In fact, given that beta amylase is inactivated fairly quickly in this temperature range, extending the mash time beyond the negative iodine test is unlikely to have much of an effect. It’s not uncommon for a high-temperature mash to be finished in 20–30 minutes, even with European or English malts. If you are brewing a dry beer, you may want to extend your mash beyond the time the iodine test gives a negative result.

When brewing a dry beer, mash temperatures should be in the low end of the saccharification range (perhaps 148–150 °F/64–66 °C), and conversion may take slightly longer (although only rarely approaching a full hour). In addition, giving the enzymes extra time to work on larger carbohydrates in the wort — even after a negative iodine test — will help you achieve your goal.

Experiments with longer mashes in this temperature range show that the extract efficiency does not improve much with time, but wort fermentability does increase.
And of course, for a very dry beer, you’ll probably want to choose a step mash with a rest in the low 140s °F (~61 °C) before ramping up to the normal saccharification range.

This may take longer than 60 minutes. Choosing malts with a higher diastatic power is also advisable when brewing a very dry beer.