Are Protein Rests needed?

I am still in research mode and I am in the middle of how to brew by John Palmer.

So if I understand correctly Protein Rests are not needed anymore because 90% of the Malt barley is modified?

Also how would I do a protein rest in a 10 gallon cooler. Right now I have 9 gal BK and a 10 gal Mash tun cooler. Please forgive me if this question is answered. I did a quick search and didn't see my answer. Thank you for all your time!

im not an expert on the matter but i believe that with a cooler you may have to do a decoction.Each time you remove and boil a potion of the mash, temp gets ramped up.hope this helps.

I do them even with well modified malts with no ill effect. Many will say doing so with well modified malts will result in less head retention but I have never once seen that. As a matter of fact each beer I've done a protein rest with vs. the same brew done single infusion seems to have better head retention. I do it for the two reasons I've personally found and the first is what I just mentioned. The second is I've found my beers clarify better than if I don't do a protein rest. The clarity thing with a protein rest is listed in a lot of literature, though again they say it's not necessary with well modified malts and won't show any benefit. As I said though I've seen differently so I do it and it's not a hassle at all.

To do it in your cooler, which is what I do, simply do your mash stepping via hot water infusions. I typically mash in thick for the first protein rest step then add whatever necessary amount of water later to step it up to my mash temp while gauging for the general grist to water ratio of 1.25 quart per pound of grain (my usual) to 1.5 quart per pound - depends on the grain bill and all that.


Rev.

The only rest that is truly needed is the saccharification rest. Other rests can be used to change different aspects of your wort. You can do a decoction mash or a multi-step infusion mash. Just start with a lower water to grain ratio at the beginning of your mash schedule if you choose to do the infusion method.

Short and simple answer: no! Certainly not for 100% malt brews.

I have a question about this. (and forgive me if it's a dumb one)
Using a step-mash calculator, I'm supposed to add a certain volume of boiling water to increase the mash temp to the desired number.
How do I measure, for example, 5.2 quarts of boiling water?

Sokol21 said:

I have a question about this. (and forgive me if it's a dumb one)
Using a step-mash calculator, I'm supposed to add a certain volume of boiling water to increase the mash temp to the desired number.
How do I measure, for example, 5.2 quarts of boiling water?

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With a pitcher? You put the water into a pan, and bring it to a boil and then add it.

Sokol21 said:

How do I measure, for example, 5.2 quarts of boiling water?

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With a measuring cup or pitcher? With a scale? With a sight glass or graduations on your kettle or mash paddle?

Duh. OK, so I knew it was dumb.
Measure first, then boil.
I was thinking of having a pot of boiling water that I pull from.
(face-palm)
Thanks,

The key word is "needed". A protein rest is not needed. With old style malts, a protein rest was suggested in order to reduce chill haze. Today's malsters have got that problem licked and you no longer need to do a protein rest to prevent chill haze. But as Rev 2010 said, that doesn't mean there aren't other aspects that are helped out by a protein rest. My results are similar, much better head formation and retention when doing a protein rest. Of course I do use a lot of pilsner malt in my beers.

There are modern "fully modified" malts that will benefit from a protein rest. I've seen batches of Dingemans Pilsner, Weyermann Pilsner, Briess 6-row & 2-row and Thomas Fawcett Golden Promise that benefited from a protein rest. Get the malt analysis sheet for the lot of malt you're using and if your total Protein is 12% or more and the soluble protein is less than 38%, a protein rest may help clarity. I usually shoot for 130-131F since the enzymes at the higher end of the temp range will break down the larger proteins that will cause haze and not the medium to smaller ones that help head formation and retention. It is not very often that a protein rest is necessary for clarity. Maltsters are very good at providing a quality product but its still a natural product that fluctuates.
I don't filter and prefer to have as clear a beer as possible with only the use of gelatin or biofine if necessary.

I have ruined beers by doing a protein rest with well modified malt. No head and the body of a glass of water. After that experience many years ago, I did some research and decided that a protein rest is almost never needed.

Denny said:

I have ruined beers by doing a protein rest with well modified malt. No head and the body of a glass of water. After that experience many years ago, I did some research and decided that a protein rest is almost never needed.

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Almost never is right. Out of the 97 batches I've brewed, only 8 required a protein rest to insure clarity. Not all 8 got one though.

The other thing I've found is that you should decide on a protein rest based on the particular bag of malt you use, not necessarily what the recipe says.

I agree with what already been said here. Protease rests are almost entirely un necessary, chill haze, or protein haze is only a visual defect. IMHO not that big of a deal unless your competing. Just about the only protein rests I do anymore is for anything I'm brewing with 6row, and adjuncts.

patthebrewer said:

I agree with what already been said here. Protease rests are almost entirely un necessary, chill haze, or protein haze is only a visual defect. IMHO not that big of a deal unless your competing. Just about the only protein rests I do anymore is for anything I'm brewing with 6row, and adjuncts.

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And if you do have haze, you can drop it out by keeping the beer cold for a couple weeks.