mashing temps

Ok, I'm really starting to understand how certain mash temps effect the finally beer perception.

My question is: if you do a rest at a dryer mash temp like 149, and then ramp to 156+ as some recipes call for, aren't the sugars converted past what a higher mash temp will extract?

Or conversely, if you start at 156+ and your mash cools to the upper 140's, does it convert the longer chain sugars you gained with the higher mash temp?

Please explain

Raising to the higher rest temperature will help prevent beta-amylase from making more maltose by increasing the rate at which the enzyme is denatured, while enhacing the rate of production of dextrins by alpha-amylase from the longer-chain sugars remaining (both starch and others). Even after 60 mins not all of the starch is converted while there are also longer polysaccharides floating around cleaved from the starch.

In the second case, at the higher temperature the beta-amylase will denature more quickly, so if you let the temperature drop you may not see a great increase in fermentability.

Ok, so if you over shoot your lower mash temp, there is a possibilty that you would lose the enzymes capable of converting at lower temps?

And if you mash too long at a lower temp, there may not be enough sugars to convert at a higher?

If you get it back down quickly it will be fine. The amylase enzymes are capable of converting at lower temps, but they have ideal temperature ranges for peak activity and they each react differently with starch. It isn't like a light switch. Once you raise the temperture out of the specified range, the enzyme irrecoverably denatures at a rapid rate.

If you're at the low temperature rest for too long you will have a very fermentable wort even if you try to raise the temperature. I'm not sure what too long would be, maybe longer than an hour?

Thanks!! Any advantage to doing a step Sacc rest like 150 and 156-158? Like very fermentable wort and added body, or is that impossible?

It is a spectrum from a very fermentable wort that finishes dry to a less fermentable wort that finishes with lots of body.

I don't really think there is much advantage to doing a step sacch rest like that. I would just do a single rest at a temperature in between which should get you similar results.

I haven't done any stepped sach rests personally. Try it both ways and see if there's a difference.

wardenwheat said:

Thanks!! Any advantage to doing a step Sacc rest like 150 and 156-158? Like very fermentable wort and added body, or is that impossible?

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This is a great question! I'm interested in hearing the answer to this as well... Subscribed!

wardenwheat said:

Thanks!! Any advantage to doing a step Sacc rest like 150 and 156-158? Like very fermentable wort and added body, or is that impossible?

Click to expand...

Perceptions of dryness and body are both extremely complicated, but in terms of simple sugar composition this this isn't really possible. It'd be kind of like being both tall and short at the same time.