mashsparge:main
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mashsparge:main [2010/11/19 00:13] – enzymes, temperature, thickness additions mrmekon | mashsparge:main [2020/11/15 14:02] (current) – mrmekon | ||
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==== Temperature ==== | ==== Temperature ==== | ||
- | The temperature of the mash is one of the most critical elements of brewing. | + | The temperature of the mash is one of the most critical elements of brewing. |
- | Amylase enzymes cannot act on the starches until they gelatinize, which happens in barley at 140F. Starch conversion ends if the mash temperature falls below 140F. | + | Amylase enzymes cannot act on the starches until they gelatinize, which happens in barley at 140F (60C). Starch conversion ends if the mash temperature falls below 140F. |
- | Beta amylase enzymes are most active in the 140-150F temperature range. | + | Beta amylase enzymes are most active in the 140G - 150F (60C - 65.5C) |
- | Alpha amylase enzymes are most active in the 162F - 167F range. | + | Alpha amylase enzymes are most active in the 162F - 167F (72C - 75C) range. |
Reference: [[http:// | Reference: [[http:// | ||
==== Mash Thickness (Grist Ratio) | ==== Mash Thickness (Grist Ratio) | ||
- | The ratio of water to grain is important when mashing. | + | The ratio of water to grain is important when mashing. |
+ | |||
+ | === Grain Absorption === | ||
+ | |||
+ | The amount of liquid absorbed by the grain varies based on grains used and sparging method used (mostly whether you can squeeze the grains, as in brew-in-a-bag systems). | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Grain Displacement (mash tun sizing) | ||
+ | |||
+ | Various calculators report an estimated 1 gallon of displacement per 12 lbs of grain, or 1 liter per 1.5 kg. This is after absorption; the instantaneous displacement is higher until the grain has taken in some liquid. | ||
+ | |||
+ | For mashing in a 30L mash tun, 10kg of grain would displace 6.66L, meaning 23.333 L fits in the tun with the grain for a grist ratio of 2.3 L/kg. This is slightly thicker than average, but well within the acceptable range. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Mash pH ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mash pH is ideally in the 5.2 - 5.6 range, with differing claims from different sources. | ||
+ | |||
+ | There are a lot of claimed benefits of ideal mash pH, most of which seems to be word-of-mouth folklore. | ||
+ | |||
+ | All malt is acidic, with darker roasts significantly more so. Grists consisting entirely of very light malt, particularly pilsner, risks too high of a mash pH, while stouts and porters with high quantities of dark malt risk too low of a pH. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Water sources accept or resist pH changes depending on their mineral content, regardless of their initial pH. Carbonates, in particular, act as pH buffers and resist change. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Acidifying is often done with lactic or phosphoric acid. Lactic acid is cheap and easy to get, but using more than a few milliliters per 25L mash can leave an undesireable aftertaste in the finished beer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Chalk (calcium carbonate) is one method for increasing the pH of dark beers, though not particularly recommended anymore due to its failure to fully dissolve in beers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Unmodified sparge water will raise the boil pH. The ideal range for boil pH is also listed as in the 5.2-5.5 range, so acidifying your sparge water might be wise. It is claimed that hop extraction is better in the ideal pH range, and lower pH also reduces the maillard reaction. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The pH should drop 0.1-0.2 during the boil, normally reaching 5.0 - 5.3, and drop further during fermentation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Mash Out ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | When the mash is finished, it is common to raise the temperature a bit to stop the enzymatic activity and increase the viscosity of the liquid so it drains from the grain bed more efficiently. | ||
==== Sour Mash ==== | ==== Sour Mash ==== | ||
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==== Efficiency ==== | ==== Efficiency ==== | ||
Eff = 100 * (gravity points of wort * wort volume) / (grain weight * grain extract potential) (([[http:// | Eff = 100 * (gravity points of wort * wort volume) / (grain weight * grain extract potential) (([[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Recirculation / Vorlauf ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Vorlauf is the process of taking some of the mash water out from below the grain bed and pouring it back on top. Some of the flour and grain husks always fall into the wort, and pulling those small particles and putting them back on top helps to reduce the debris in the wort. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Recirculation is the process of moving wort from below the grain to above it continuously during the mash, either manually or with an electric pump. Recirculation has the same wort clarification benefit as the vorlauf, and supposedly "sets the mash bed" so it becomes a sort of dense particle filter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Some systems control the temperature of the mash by running the recirculated liquid through a heated tank, while the mash tun itself is not directly heated. | ||
===== Sparging ===== | ===== Sparging ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sparging is the process of rinsing the grain bed after the mash with clean water to extract any remaining sugar that did not drip out via gravity. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sparge water is typically heated to " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Two popular methods of sparing are "fly sparging" | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Batch Sparging ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Batch sparging is the simplest way of rinsing the grains. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In brew-in-a-bag setups, the whole bag is lowered into a container of sparge water and steeped like a tea bag, then removed and drained. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Fly Sparging ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Fly sparging is the process of actively pouring sparge water over the top of the grain bed and collecting the runoff as it exits from the bottom. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Stuck Sparges ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | A "stuck sparge" | ||
mashsparge/main.1290122039.txt.gz · Last modified: 2017/09/11 12:10 (external edit)