Decoction biab. Is it possible

[lex990]

I was wondering if you could mash in at 95degrees for 20 heat to 127 for 20 then up to 154 for 60? Would this do anything aside from adding time to the brew day.

I just got a 15 gal brew pot with a strainer basket in it. I thought about putting a couple stainless nuts below the basket to help protect from melting the bag during heating cycles.

I was looking into trying some decoction experiments next brew day to see if it works like this.

 

[SouthBay]

What you'd asked is really more of a step mash, not a decoction.

You could do a decoction by getting a second kettle setup with another bag. After you mash in and rest at your initial temps, you scoop out grains and water and put then in the second pot. Heat it to the next temperature, rest it, and so on, through all your temperature steps, then finally boil it, grains and all.

Then, add enough back to the first kettle to raise that temp up to its next mash step. Repeat until the main mash hits all its steps.

You can also pull all of your decoctions up front, and add back to the main mash for each step.

Of note, the melanoidin reactions that you do the decoction for come from the grains, not the water. So you want to pull from the thickest part of the mash

Edit: to answer your question about the step mash doing anything different, yes it would. Rest temps at 120 to 135 or so help break down protiens. Not usually nec unless youre using unmodified grains or adjuncts