What is a step mash?

[Brewslikeaking]

What is a step mash and what are the benefits etc? Thanks

 

[Brewslikeaking]

Also when would use a step mash? I.e. is it for certain styles of beer etc

 

[microbusbrewery]

It's when you use different temps throughout the mash rather than holding it at a single temp throughout the mash (single infusion mash). An example of a step mash would be mash at 145F for 10 min, then raise to 155F and mash for 50 minutes. You can raise the temp by adding more hot water or by using some kind of heat source (e.g. RIMS, HERMS, direct-fire). It's a way to more finely tune fermemtables, mouthfeel, etc. I occasionally do them but I had an award-winning pro brewer once tell me it's a waste of time and you're better off just doing a single infusion. This was after he did some experimentation and determined he couldn't tell the difference between the same beer brewed using each method.

 

[zoomzilla]

I think that pro brewer was missing the point of a step mash. It doesn't effect taste, only the fermentability and mouth feel of the beer. I use a step mash when brewing a big DIPA because I can't get the final gravity as low as it needs to be without step mashing. 145f for 90/min followed up with a 155f rest for 30 min provides a more fermentable wort that a single infusion at a low temp.

 

[microbusbrewery]

I never said it effected taste, I said the purpose was to finely tune fermentables and mouthfeel.

 

[beersk]

I use step mashes for all my German lagers. I'm not sure it really makes a difference, but it gives me a consistent fermentability, I think, and it's easy to do. I do a rest at 145 for 20-30 minutes, then infuse with boiling water to 158-160 for 40-60 minutes. Some claim that the 160 rest improves head retention, in addition to mouth feel.

 

[wobdee]

I use step mashes for all my German lagers. I'm not sure it really makes a difference, but it gives me a consistent fermentability, I think, and it's easy to do. I do a rest at 145 for 20-30 minutes, then infuse with boiling water to 158-160 for 40-60 minutes. Some claim that the 160 rest improves head retention, in addition to mouth feel.

I've read this is a very popular mash schedule in Germany called Hochkurz mash. I do this for some lagers as well as incorporating it into a single decoction.

A single infusion may or may not be just as good but to me it just seems boring.

 

[brewbama]

I use a step mash to limit dough ball formation. The grains clump at higher temps so I infuse with sub 140*F water. Then raise the temp with one or more additional infusion(s). It's really easy and I prefer the efficiency, fermentability, and mouth feel I get using the steps.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Infusion_Mashing

 

[Homercidal]

I thought a step mash was when you took your shoes off and stepped into the mash tun to help squeeze all of the sugars out.

I guess that explains the off-flavor I've been having.

 

[A2HB]

On my last brew which was a Belgian golden strong ale, I did a step mash accidentally and it increased my overall efficiency by 5 pts. I was supposed to hit 1.075 and ended up hitting 1.080 without adding any other adjucts to the wort. I intended on doing a regular infusion mash at 150 however I miscalculated the strike water temp and the mash ended up being 145. It sat there for a good 30 minutes until I was able to heat up more water to get my mash up to my intended temp. I have to say it definitely worked out I was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected increase in efficiency. I will def use this method again but intentionally next time

 

[thegreatmaibockaddict]

A step mash, with a target temperature of 122F for a dough in, does several things. Firstly, you really need this step for wheat mashes to break down proteins (Belgian Witt or German Weissbier, etc).

This step also activates enzymes so you are not losing time as they are ready to convert starches to sugars when the temperature is raised later.

That said, there is one more advantage that i have found, and that is it assists with yeast health. This lower temperature rest provides the yeast with more nutrients and assists in a quicker start to fermentation, and a shorter fermentation. I believe this is why when I make a typical ale, I am drinking fully carbonated and conditioned beer 5 days after bottling. In fact, I was drinking a 1.070 IPA (go to my blog for some general specs) 3 days after bottling and it was basically ready.

I read here about people waiting at least 2 weeks after bottling "to condition the beer properly" and I believe that using the step even with highly modified malt helps the yeast out and also allows for re-using the same yeast in more batches.

Full disclosure: I started using step mashes for every batch so that i could mash in without doing temperature calculations. the initial step would always be just enough water to wet the grains, which usually would be around 120F or so. Then I would get the temperature as homogenous as possible and step again, usually to the mid 140's. then again to the mid 150s adding water each time to raise the temperature. the stove would be the final step to raise to 168F.

Anyway, I believe the step mash has a benefit, and for all those who want beer ready sooner, give it a try.

 

[Spartan1979]

I think that pro brewer was missing the point of a step mash. It doesn't effect taste, only the fermentability and mouth feel of the beer. I use a step mash when brewing a big DIPA because I can't get the final gravity as low as it needs to be without step mashing. 145f for 90/min followed up with a 155f rest for 30 min provides a more fermentable wort that a single infusion at a low temp.

I would think that changing the fermentability of the beer would alter the taste. There would be less sugars in the beer and more alcohol (or vice versa). Both would affect the flavor.

 

[jabba11]

Well i fall into the other categroy here. I have used step mashes and determined it had no effect on my OG and saw no noticeable difference in anything really when comapred to a single infusion. Its not like its hard to do a step mash or anything I just saw zero difference in the 3 beer styles I tried it on. Do what ya like and what works for you though. it may be the beer may be ready sooner I wouldnt know. I keep enough in the pipline to not worry about how soon something is ready. I worry more about how long to age it in some cases (I have a kentucky breakfast stout a year in the bottle that is really just now becoming something you can enjoy). its just my experinece with it, somebody may have all this 'science" etc that says this or that. I would challenge you to make a batch from one grist on the same day, fermented in the same room same temp etc. Do it both ways, bottle it, drink it in two months. Whatever one tastes best, do it that way ;-).

 

[Homercidal]

I would think that changing the fermentability of the beer would alter the taste. There would be less sugars in the beer and more alcohol (or vice versa). Both would affect the flavor.

I have once heard that the extra sugars you get in mashing at a higher temperature doesn't really leave a sweeter taste, but actually a more malty flavor. It's biggest contribution is in body.

Sweetness is affect more by the strain of yeast used, or under-attenuated beer (And I readily admit that mashing higher can leave more residual sugars, so I'm not sure exactly how this fits with what I heard.)

I've been meaning to do an experiment on how similar beers mashed at significantly different temps affects the final beer flavor. This should be able to be done easily in a BIAB stovetop setup. I've got the grains, yeast and hops to try this out.

But in any case, I don't want to sidetrack the discussion, which is about Step mashing, which I've done once when I did a cereal mash for a recent brew. My volumes were screwed up, so I have no idea how it affected my efficiency.