Can someone explain the mashing process?

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BVilleggiante

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Hello,

Can someone please explain to me the different processes that occur during the mash process? Things like the point of rests and and what points in the process certain sugars are released? Just looking for an overall process description and why it's done.
 
Google it and read up - it's as simple or complex as you want it to be - I prefer the simple. Mash at 148-150 for a more fermentable / higher alcohol thinner bodied beer or mash at 156-158 for a less fermentable / lower alcohol more viscuous beer. In between those temps gets you in between on fermentables and body. If you want to know which enzymes do what specifically at various temps it's all out there to read about.
 
Good start but I need to read up on what some of those terms mean, regarding what happens at those temps. I'm off to Google!
 
John Palmer's book is a great place to start. He talks about hedge clippers and chain saws, but the examples he uses really breakdown the process and make it very understandable.
 
acid rest-lowers pH of mash
protein rest-breaks down proteins into simple amino acids
beta amylase rest-breaks down starches by "cutting" a single maltose unit off the end
alpha amylase rest-breaks down starches by "cutting" them at random locations on the molecule
 
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