Combo Mashing

I have not even brewed a batch of beer yet, but I have been researching the brewing process (needless to say, I'm a lurker) and have come up with a question or two about mashing. It appears that the different types of mashing can result in different styles of wort, with more or less fermentables and 'smaller' and 'larger' beers (varying Mash styles, Ph, temperature).

Can multiple mashing styles be performed, using two separate grain beds? For example...MashA, sparge into kettle, clean MLT, MashB, sparge to fill to required quantity, boil, cool, etc...

Will this do anything? Is this the same as Mashing at a 'compromise' temperature and Ph? Just a thought I had, and thought there probably isn't a much better place than here to post it.

Flame on!

JER

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking but a short explanation of the mashing process might help.

The mashing process is simply taking a starchy grain and using the correct conditions to convert those starches to fermentable sugars. The correct amount of water at the correct temperature should give you an acceptible pH to do this.

By varying the temperature, you can change the fermentability a bit. Not a ton, but a bit. If you mash at a lower temperature, the enzymes will favor a more fermentable wort. If you mash at a higher temperature, the conditions will be more favorable for a less fermentable, more dextrinous wort.

Because of that, most people aim for a "in the middle" mash, mashing at 152-153 since both alpha and beta amylase will be able to work.

http://***********/stories/techniques/article/indices/45-mashing/1131-mashing-and-the-balanced-diet

JMan551 said:

Is this the same as Mashing at a 'compromise' temperature and Ph?

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I'd think so.

Makes sense, if the profile doesn't change by a whole lot one way or the other. Aside from not gaining anything new, it'll save me an hour not trying it!

JER

JMan551 said:

Makes sense, if the profile doesn't change by a whole lot one way or the other. Aside from not gaining anything new, it'll save me an hour not trying it!

JER

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Well, I'm all for experimenting! But I always ask myself "What could I gain from this?"

If there is nothing to gain from extra work, I don't bother!

Now, once you get your technique down in simple single infusion mashes, you may decide to try some experiments. I think that's great. But as a beginner, it's probably easiest and most predictible for the first few times to follow established techniques and see the results before tweaking.

Brewing is a blast- I like brewing almost as I like drinking the beer. I think you've picked a great new hobby!

Yooper said:

Well, I'm all for experimenting! But I always ask myself "What could I gain from this?"

If there is nothing to gain from extra work, I don't bother!

Now, once you get your technique down in simple single infusion mashes, you may decide to try some experiments. I think that's great. But as a beginner, it's probably easiest and most predictible for the first few times to follow established techniques and see the results before tweaking.

Brewing is a blast- I like brewing almost as I like drinking the beer. I think you've picked a great new hobby!

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Thank you for the words of encouragement. I've been researching and talking about it for far too long...the time is nye! I'm excited to begin, and I'm really excited to be able to control how my beer tastes. Too many times I've had a beer that was good, but just a little too this or not enough that.

JER