Partial Mash - What does 170F do?

[Don223]

I'm going to try my first PM soon and I understand about holding the mash temp around 153F or so to convert the starches to sugar, but then you are supposed to use 170F water to sparge (am I getting these terms correct???).

If you go above 175F you can release tannins.

So why would you want to sparge at 170F? I saw some NB kit instructions even say to bring the mash (after sitting for an hour at 153F) up to 170F before sparging.

What is magical about 170F?

 

[poislb]

I assume your doing the mashing in a cooler correct, or just steeping (Brew in a bag)?

The 175 will be brought down to 152-153. They count for heat loss in the cooler, as well as grain absortion and so on and so forth...If your just steeping (BIAB) dont go above 170...anything hotter stops conversion, and in your case will release tannins. Ive never did a partial mash, all grain brewer so I may not be 100% correct but some partial mashers are sure to chime in..


If ya ever wanna get together for an all grain brewing session Im in Kenosha, just a hop skip and a jump from you. Cheers!!

 

[jaycount]

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Getting the Wort Out (Lautering)

This goes over mashout and sparging temps. 170*F will "stop enzyme action to preserve your fermentable sugar profile".

Tannin extraction requires specific temperatures as well as mash pH. Raising grains to near boiling (or even boiling temps! see decoction mashing) alone will not release tannins.

Personally, I don't mashout, but I use sparge water in the 170-180 degree range without issues.

 

[arnoldk2]

170F is normally for all grain brewers. What that temp is suppose to do is make the sugars in the mash more viscous so when you collect your sparge water there should be more sugars in the sparge water. This helps with efficiency.