Is Weyermann Bohemian malt suitable for single infusion?

Hello all,

Just picked up a bag of the bohemian pilsner malt, but i don't know too much about malt analysis, so i can't figure out whether this is suitable for single infusion mashes. What I do know is that on the Weyermann website, another one of their pilsner malts was labeled "well-modified" and this one is not--which makes me worried. Thanks

pherball said:

Hello all,

Just picked up a bag of the bohemian pilsner malt, but i don't know too much about malt analysis, so i can't figure out whether this is suitable for single infusion mashes. What I do know is that on the Weyermann website, another one of their pilsner malts was labeled "well-modified" and this one is not--which makes me worried. Thanks

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Most Weyermann malts are not designed for single infusion, which doesn't mean you might not get away with it. Do you have the malt analysis sheet? They publish typical analyses but on the issue of protein modification the range given is substantially wide as not not be too informative.

I've used a rest at 140, at which there is some proteolytic activity, with Weyermann malts with success.

The Hartong index for the regular Pilsner malt is listed as 34%-43% (there's that huge range remilard mentioned). The Hartong index for the Bohemian Pilsner is listed as 38%-44%. I thought the Hartong index was an indication of modification (higher Hartong = more modification). Seems the Hartong index leads one to believe the Bohemian is more modified.

They also have a parameter labeled 'Protein solution' (labeled 'Protein modification' on the Boh Pils sheet) and I'm assuming this number is the same as the Kolbach index (interchanging Nitrogen with protein). The unit is '%'. Here the ranges are closer; the Bohemian Pils has a range of 38%-42% and the regular Pils is 36.5%-44.5%.

It lists the saccharification time as 15 min for the reg Pils and 20 min for the Boh Pils (seems long).

Boh Pils malt is a little more friable than the reg Pils malt (84% vs. 82%).

It should be obvious I don't know my way around malt analysis sheets very well (no need to post a link to Noonan's article, I've read it at least 5x ) but it seems the numbers say it should be OK.

And FWIW, I'm about to finish a sack of Weyermann Boh Pils malt and I didn't pay any extra attention to mashing but I often do protein rests with Pils malts anyway. I'm sure I did several Hochkurz infusion mashes starting at 145* F or so and they came out fine.

This got long, it was more a learning opportunity/experience for me. Hope it helped.

pherball said:

Hello all,

Just picked up a bag of the bohemian pilsner malt, but i don't know too much about malt analysis, so i can't figure out whether this is suitable for single infusion mashes. What I do know is that on the Weyermann website, another one of their pilsner malts was labeled "well-modified" and this one is not--which makes me worried. Thanks

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High Gravity Homebrewing and Winemaking Supply on their Website said:

Weyermann® Bohemian Pilsner Malt is an undermodified malt that produces superb Pilsner & Lagers. Used for Pilsner, Lagers & Ales.

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This malt is undermodified and definetly benefit from a stepped mash schedule.

Sawdustguy said:

This malt is undermodified and definetly benefit from a stepped mash schedule.

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Do you know which parameter(s) in those malt analysis sheets indicates this? Or are the ranges too large to say? I'm just trying to get better at seeing this in a malt analysis.

Also FWIW; Weyermann has two Boh Pils malts (one is floor-malted), both have about the same 'Protein Modification' range (38%-44% for the floor-malted) but the floor-malted is less friable (80% vs. 84%).

Thanks for the replies. I went ahead with a single infusion mash at 149 degrees with a 90 minute rest. Using half tap and half RO water with ph stablilizer and a grain bill of all bo pilsm, except for .5 lbs of munich, i got 76% efficiency and the wort looks as clear as usual. I hope this means it worked out all right, seems so.

There was a lot more scum (protein?) than usual on top of the grain bed after running off the wort.

The grain bill is for a kolsch recpipe.

One thing I did notice is that the wort darkened significantly after a hard 90 minute boil, more than is usual, in my experience.

Yep, that's coagulated protein. I get that too with Pils, decoctions make even more.

EDIT: the darkening during the boil could be pH related. Did you measure pH? Check out Figure 5 of this Braukaiser article on How pH Affects Brewing.

The darkening of the wort is a real mystery to me. I don't think it can be ph related. Although i didn't check my mash ph on this batch, i did dilute my tap with RO water and used a 5.2 ph buffer;and I recently brewed a batch of pilsner (american 2-row though) using the same water and ph buffer regimen and had no darkening issues--and on that batch i did check the ph and it was fine.

SpanishCastleAle said:

Do you know which parameter(s) in those malt analysis sheets indicates this? Or are the ranges too large to say? I'm just trying to get better at seeing this in a malt analysis.

Also FWIW; Weyermann has two Boh Pils malts (one is floor-malted), both have about the same 'Protein Modification' range (38%-44% for the floor-malted) but the floor-malted is less friable (80% vs. 84%).

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http://brewingtechniques.com/bmg/noonan.html

Sawdustguy said:

http://brewingtechniques.com/bmg/noonan.html

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Ha, like I said earlier itt, I've read that at least 5x. That's the thing, if you read Noonan's article and look at the Weyermann numbers it should be OK for single-infusion mashing.

I remembered reading something on ProBrewer about this and found it. It was in a similar 'continental vs. domestic Pils' thread and an Aussie named Wes posted:

It isn't just the protein level you need to watch, The level of modification is absolutely critical. It should mirror the protein levels. For instance, with a protein level of 11%, I would expect to see a Hartong of 42 or the Kolbach Index at 44.

If the protein level is lower at say 10, then a Hartong of 38 to 40 or a Kolbach at 40 to 42 would be good.

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I don't even know if that statement is valid. In any case, it looks like remilard nailed it with the first sentence in the first response itt. But just because it wasn't designed for single-infusion mashing doesn't mean you can't use it that way with success.

I saw some special 'undermodified' Briess Pils malt on the Morebeer site and even that stuff can be used for single-infusion mashing.

At the risk of raising the dead: Is there any more thoughts or consensus on this? I picked up some Weyermann Bohemian with out even thinking about it for a brew this weekend. (Recipe called for belgian pils, I had to sub)

Would it be *best* to do a step mash? If so what kind of mashing schedule should I use?
Or will be it be perfectly fine to do a single infusion? ( I'm looking for a little more confidence than "should be okay" )

The original plan was a single infusion mash at 150F for 90 minutes.

For the record, I should be capable of doing a step mash, and am not scared to try it... Just never have and don't know what temps to use. And it's a new recipe I've never done before, I would hate to change so many big variable unless I really needed to.