Mash temperature

[jkhlt1210]

G'day guys I've just done my first extract brew (no grains yet) just wondering as I want to get a few under my belt first before going into AG. How do you know what temp to mash at?? Is every recipe different or what? I've got beersmith and brewmaster apps but can't see in recipes the mash temp. Sorry if it's a dumb question

 

[davedoran]

What I've been told.

With specialty grains still aim for the mid 60's. Mash temps with these is more about adding flavor to the recipe for extract or kits. The sugars here will be from the extract or kits.

 

[jkhlt1210]

What I've been told.

With specialty grains still aim for the mid 60's. Mash temps with these is more about adding flavor to the recipe for extract or kits. The sugars here will be from the extract or kits.

Ok so is it the same for AG brewing??

 

[indica86]

Beersmith > when you design a recipe and then click on the MASH tab, that shows strike water temp and expected mash temp.
Cahnging from light / medium etc body will change th emash profile.

 

[davedoran]

Ok so is it the same for AG brewing??

Bit different. I'm only starting ag but I will go with single mash infusion (66 deg).
Lot of threads here bout wheat beers and multi stage infusion mash.

Some swear by it. For me I'm just getting going so will keep it simple as possible.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Mash temp has a big impact on taste,mouthfeel and flavour. A high mash temp ~68*c gives a "sweeter" finish to your beer, a lower mash temp 63*c gives a dry tasting beer. Its got to do with how the enzymes convert the grain starch into sugars. As you raise the mash temp the enzymes change the sugars they produce. Generally the higher the temp the more unfermentable sugars produced. Mash temp temp is critical with regard to the style of beer you want to make. Ie. A Dry Stout is mashed at 63*c and a sweet Stout at 68*c. ( this is a bit simplistic ). Your beer programs like beersmith/promash/beermate dont generally take into account your mash temp as it is highly variable.

 

[user 31093]

Mash temp has a big impact on taste,mouthfeel and flavour. A high mash temp ~68*c gives a "sweeter" finish to your beer, a lower mash temp 63*c gives a dry tasting beer. Its got to do with how the enzymes convert the grain starch into sugars. As you raise the mash temp the enzymes change the sugars they produce. Generally the higher the temp the more unfermentable sugars produced. Mash temp temp is critical with regard to the style of beer you want to make. Ie. A Dry Stout is mashed at 63*c and a sweet Stout at 68*c. ( this is a bit simplistic ). Your beer programs like beersmith/promash/beermate dont generally take into account your mash temp as it is highly variable.

Great simplification.

Does the temp also have any impact on conversion rates?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Good question.

Have read that most modern malts can convert in 20mins...but I dont know what the temp*c v time is

 

[Spiesy]

Great simplification.

Does the temp also have any impact on conversion rates?

When using a very low mash temp, brewers will often add more time to get full conversion. I.e. a 60min mash may turn into a 90min mash.

So yes, it can affect conversion rates.

 

[MHB]

[SIZE=medium]Modern malt is so well made and modified that a lot of the effect of varying the mash temperature is greatly reduced - as compared to the malts that are written about in a lot of older brewing literature.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]The two main enzymes Alpha and Beta Amylase behave quite differently, Alpha cuts a starch chain at random so inevitably there will be both fermentable sugars formed and unfermentable dextrins, Beta only makes fermentable sugar (Maltose)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Beta is fragile and relatively short lived, and only bites a maltose of one end of a starch chain, it’s hard to mash at just the beta activity peak and get complete saccrification before the Beta denatures.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Alpha is much more robust, works over a wider temperature range and lasts longer in the mash[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]At the typical mash temperatures 65-68oC the Alpha is active (tho not as active as it would be warmer) so it is making lots of smaller chains therefore more ends for the Beta to work on.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]By using both enzymes we get a beer that has both body and alcohol, and we can bias toward one or the other, by mashing cooler (dryer) or warmer (sweeter) remember that it’s a trade-off; there is only so much starch to be converted into either fermentable/nonfermentable products[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]There are about 30 enzymes that can play a role in mashing, half a dozen that are commonly used by brewers to achieve exactly the beer they are looking for and there are not enough years left in my life to really understand all that I would like to about mashing. If you want a really great basic overview I find Braukaiser an excellent resource.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]One point I would like to emphasise.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Most modern malts Saccrification only requires 10-15 minutes, the fact that all the starch has been converted into something smaller and soluble does not mean that it is in the form we want it for brewing![/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Shorter mashes will not give you the beer you want.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Mark[/SIZE]

 

[NewtownClown]

What I've been told.

With specialty grains still aim for the mid 60's. Mash temps with these is more about adding flavor to the recipe for extract or kits. The sugars here will be from the extract or kits.

Mid 60's are for "mashing" grain that needs conversion. Spec malts have no diastatic power therefore no conversion occurs and if adding spec grain to a kit or extract recipe, it is best to 'steep' at around 76c to remove all the sugars from the grain (spec grain has sugar as well as colour and flavour)

 

[hoppinmad]

Anybody interested in the fine details of mash mechanics/temps/schedules/etc should watch The "All Grain Primer Series" by bobbyfromnj on youtube. These are the relevant links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSEA9v7ix8Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZI5i_zNWwo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PSvCRtVdZU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tvRL9FbwW8