I understand the basics of mash temp (even if I get a bit lost in the science): A higher mash temp (say 156F) yields a mash with more unfermentable dextrins so you get a higher FG and lower ABV. A lower mash temp (say 150F) yields a mash with more fermentable sugars so you get a lower FG and higher ABV.
What is the impact on the characteristics of the wort if you miss your mash temp by plus or minus 5F and you spend 5 minutes adjusting the temp to your target? (you then let the mash sit for 55 minutes at the target mash temp)
Will you end up with more of the characteristics of your initial mash temp, or more of the target mash temp (where it sat for 55 of the 60 min mash), or a mix of the temps? Is it different if you hit low then raise temps vs hitting higher and lowering temps. It seems like higher temps would start to denature enzymes, especially beta-amylase, where lower temps would cause beta-amylase to start creating maltose before they started to denature, but how much of this happens in 5 minutes?
What temps cause beta-amylase to denature quickly? Palmer's book lists 149F as the upper range of the "preferred temp range" and I think the idea is that above that range it will work faster but start to denature.
I guess I always figured that if I let a mash sit for 55 min at 154F, it did not matter that my initial temp was 149F or 159F, but with a lot of talk that much of the mash conversion happens in the first 15 minutes, I am wondering if I am wrong and the initial temp has more of an impact than I thought.
What is the impact on the characteristics of the wort if you miss your mash temp by plus or minus 5F and you spend 5 minutes adjusting the temp to your target? (you then let the mash sit for 55 minutes at the target mash temp)
Will you end up with more of the characteristics of your initial mash temp, or more of the target mash temp (where it sat for 55 of the 60 min mash), or a mix of the temps? Is it different if you hit low then raise temps vs hitting higher and lowering temps. It seems like higher temps would start to denature enzymes, especially beta-amylase, where lower temps would cause beta-amylase to start creating maltose before they started to denature, but how much of this happens in 5 minutes?
What temps cause beta-amylase to denature quickly? Palmer's book lists 149F as the upper range of the "preferred temp range" and I think the idea is that above that range it will work faster but start to denature.
I guess I always figured that if I let a mash sit for 55 min at 154F, it did not matter that my initial temp was 149F or 159F, but with a lot of talk that much of the mash conversion happens in the first 15 minutes, I am wondering if I am wrong and the initial temp has more of an impact than I thought.