Mash temp body difference

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Hi all

Just wondering, what is the actual taste difference between the same beer brewed with a light body, and full body and which applications would one aim for full body?

I can imagine the light would be slightly more watery(?)

 

[MHB]

Hotter mashes favor Alpha amylase, more Alpha activity produces more Dextrins (unfermentable chains of glucose most 4+ long)
Generally, you want to encourage more dextrins when you are making lower alcohol beers, which if they had normal attenuation would (could) be describes as watery.
Good option for beers like a mild, or a session pale ale, a 3% stout...

Magger brewers make dextrinous worts, then add a truckload (up to 40%) fully fermentable sugar and a lot of water (relatively), akes more litres of beer from kg of malt - not better beer.
Mark

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Aaaah, yes! This makes good sense. Interesting to hear that about the big brewers (C.U.B)

I've been lowering my abv as of late so I can basically drink more and not get so toasted. They have been a little lacklustre compared to the completely A1 pales I used to make around 5.5%. I'm going to try this method of lower abv (4.4% odd) with a full bodied mash, meaning, like you say, I can have more grain body and therefore flavour to hopefully taste practically like the old ones

Thanks!

 

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Also consider using more interesting base malts, like Vienna or pitting a big backbone of something biscuity to build up the malt character in your low abv beers.