Step Mash Procedure?

Hello all,

I wanted to try a step mash for the first time and was wondering if there is anything wrong with this procedure. Let’s say I do a protein rest at 120F for 30 mins, then want to raise the mash temp up to 150F. I don't have a direct fire mash tun or anything, so I plan on adding the right amount of boiling water to do so. Will I be denaturing/killing off my enzymes by adding boiling water?

Thanks!

depending on grain bill may be no point in the protein rest and if anything it could do harm. boiling water is also a no no.

I agree that a protein rest for most malts will do more harm than good, but I routinely add boiling water to the mash to raise temp. The heat gets transferred around pretty quickly when you dump it in there and stir well. Decoction boils are added back in at boiling to raise temp as well; same thing if you ask me.

I've never used a protein rest and my beers turn out fine, if not great. Just do the single rest

Do a decoction mash. That's what I would do. It can improve the complexity of the flavor of the beer, too, and in some cases, like a Bavarian Wheat, it's part of the style.

I'm making a summer Kolsch, and the majority of the grain bill is pilsner malt. I've seen recipes that do protein rests and others that don't. Just figured I'd try it and see if it makes a difference.

Reading up on decoction mash, it seems like you bring a portion, even up to a third of the grain to boiling. If boiling destroys enzymes, it seems like that process would do a lot of damage.

While we're on the subject, is there any problem of using boiling water to raise the temp to 170F after the mash?

Nothing wrong with using boiling water to infuse but the mash temp will likely overshoot a little bit because it takes a little bit of time for the mash tun to absorb the heat and stabilize at the higher temp. The heat absorbed by mash tun comes from the mash itself, so when you first add the hot water the mash heats up to a certain temp...then the mash loses some of it's heat to the mash tun and the mash temp will drop a little. I usually add boiling water in steps and stir between each step.

In a decoction, most of the enzymes are dissolved in the liquid. When you pull the decoction you usually pull mostly grain (thick-mash decoction) and leave as much liquid behind as possible. Then when you add the decoction back to the mash, the enzymes that stayed behind in the main mash convert everything. The decoction used for a mash-out is usually a thin-mash decoction (mostly if not all liquid) but everything is converted at that point.

Also, if you do your step mash like in the op then you will want to make the first rest a fairly thick mash. It's gonna take quite a bit of water (even if it's boiling) to raise the mash temp from 120-ish to 150-ish and you don't want the mash to end up so thin that you don't have hardly any sparge water left.

SpanishCastleAle said:

In a decoction, most of the enzymes are dissolved in the liquid. When you pull the decoction you usually pull mostly grain (thick-mash decoction) and leave as much liquid behind as possible. Then when you add the decoction back to the mash, the enzymes that stayed behind in the main mash convert everything. The decoction used for a mash-out is usually a thin-mash decoction (mostly if not all liquid) but everything is converted at that point.

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I am not sure what your talking about with the pulling of the grain. I have done a decoction mast a few times and I have never pulled any grain.

Khirsah17 said:

I wanted to try a step mash for the first time and was wondering if there is anything wrong with this procedure. Let’s say I do a protein rest at 120F for 30 mins, then want to raise the mash temp up to 150F. I don't have a direct fire mash tun or anything, so I plan on adding the right amount of boiling water to do so. Will I be denaturing/killing off my enzymes by adding boiling water?

Click to expand...

I do step mashes all the time with simple water additions. Works great. One tip is to start with a very thick mash - say 1qt/lb for your protein rest - then you don't need to worry about the pH going all wonky from too thin a mash later on. 30 min is way too long for a protein rest though IMO. IF I do a protein rest, it's for 10-15 min, tops.

The enzymes are far tougher than you think. A few seconds of boiling water contact while stirring in won't hurt a bit.

thedude123 said:

I am not sure what your talking about with the pulling of the grain. I have done a decoction mast a few times and I have never pulled any grain.

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There must be a misunderstanding. Decoction is pulling grain (mash), heating it to a certain saccharification temp., then boiling it and returning it to the main mash to raise the whole mash temp to the next rest temp.

Khirsah17 said:

I plan on adding the right amount of boiling water to do so.
Thanks!

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What you described is exactly what I do.

When I make my pilsner I use a European pilsner malt which is not completely modfied. Without a protein rest my beer comes out with the opacity of skim milk (but yellow). Not very attractive.

Here's how to calculate how much water you need to add:

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Calculations for Boiling Water Additions

It's usually not as much water as you might think. I also try to "under shoot" it at first, so I'll put in around 80% of what is required. Then I'll add water 1 pint at a time until the temperature is right. Be sure to stir!

But aren't you just pulling liquid from the mash boiling it then returning it to the mash.

Are you saying I should pull some liquid and then also scoop out some of the grain?

Wouldn't I scorch the grain by boiling it?

If you're just pulling wort and boiling it you're not decocting. Check out Kaiser's video on decoction mashing, it's quite informative. Scroll down to the bottom of the wiki page.

Decoction Mashing - German Brewing Techniques

That link has great info. Kaiser also has a decoction video.

When you pull the early decoction (if there is more than one) you want it to be mostly grain. I use a strainer (hand/kitchen strainer...just like in Kaiser's video) to get mostly grain. Then you can add just enough liquid to get the decoction to the right consistency for the boil. As long as you don't add the heat too fast and the decoction isn't too thick, it should not scorch (however, scorching is something to watch out for).

Kaiser's page and video give the reasons why it's done the way it is.

So I guess I was going a step up mash this whole time.

Thanks guys.

thedude123 said:

So I guess I was going a step up mash this whole time.

Thanks guys.

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Yep. That video that Kaiser has is well worth watching. I've yet to do a decoction, but his video has gotten me to thinking about it.

A decoction mash with Pils malt...which means a 90 minute boil...makes for a fairly long brew day. But for me...that's actually a good thing.