Why is mash out needed when raising to boil will kill enzymes anyway?

[Finlandbrews]

Why is mash out needed if boiling wort will anyway inactivate enzymes and can't the heating to 77/78 Celsius extract any harshness from grain husks too? What I thought is that the only reason for doing this mashout process is to lock the wort profile as we want it... If that is the reason only I believe it is totally useless at least in homebrewing because we can't know the composition of the profile meaning the ratio of fermentable sugars as opposed to unfermentable sugars and also because heating wort for boil will be as quick as reaching mash out temperature.

Isn't that correct?

 

[Sadu]

If you use BIAB or do a quick sparge then there is no need to bother with mashout.

 

[froot]

The other reason is way less complicated. As you would already know the higher the temperature the lower the gravity. (Honey at room temp won't pass through cloth at room temp; try the same thing at boiling temp). I think you get the gist.

 

[Moose_MI]

I thought traditionally the mash out precedes the sparge. In theory sparging for an hr without a mashout first would not effctively lock in your mash profile for the duration of the sparge. The earth would spin out of control into the sun and we would all die

 

[GrogNerd]

Why is mash out needed if boiling wort will anyway inactivate enzymes and can't the heating to 77/78 Celsius extract any harshness from grain husks too? What I thought is that the only reason for doing this mashout process is to lock the wort profile as we want it... If that is the reason only I believe it is totally useless at least in homebrewing because we can't know the composition of the profile meaning the ratio of fermentable sugars as opposed to unfermentable sugars and also because heating wort for boil will be as quick as reaching mash out temperature.

Isn't that correct?

mash out is not needed for exactly the reason you stated

heating to 77/78° (170-172°F) will extract tannins, but only when mash pH is too high

I don't mash out. after vorlauf, first runnings go into the boil kettle and start heating to boil

 

[Redlantern]

I have often wondered about the mash out and when/if to utilize it.

I get that the elevated temp denatures the ezymes, but why is that necessary? What does it mean to "lock in" the mash profile?

If I mash at 148°F for 60 min and sparge at 160 - 168°F, and that takes 45 minutes, what about my mash profile will change? Why does it matter?

 

[GrogNerd]

I have often wondered about the mash out and when/if to utilize it.

I get that the elevated temp denatures the ezymes, but why is that necessary? What does it mean to "lock in" the mash profile?

If I mash at 148°F for 60 min and sparge at 160 - 168°F, and that takes 45 minutes, what about my mash profile will change? Why does it matter?

that's your "mash out" right there. you're just using your sparge water to do it

think it was more an issue back in the days of under-modified malts and no thermometers. it was probably best practice to infuse with near-boiling water for mash out and then lauter

 

[kh54s10]

Mash out is for fly sparging. It is to lock the profile. If you don't you do your 60 minute mash then effectively have up to another hour while sparging. In batch sparging and BIAB it is not necessary as you will quickly get the wort to mash out temperatures when starting the boil.

 

[dmtaylor]

Most homebrewers who will bring the wort to a boil right away can and should skip the mashout. It's a wasted effort, unless....

The only time I've mashed out on purpose was when I do a partigyle brew day, where I use the first runnings for one beer and the second runnings for a second beer. IF you can only boil one portion at a time, then it makes sense to mash out one half before boiling the other. Otherwise conversion will continue for the hour or two that it takes to boil your other half, and could result in a very dry, watery, insipid bodied beer.

 

[GrogNerd]

Most homebrewers who will bring the wort to a boil right away can and should skip the mashout. It's a wasted effort, unless....

The only time I've mashed out on purpose was when I do a partigyle brew day, where I use the first runnings for one beer and the second runnings for a second beer. IF you can only boil one portion at a time, then it makes sense to mash out one half before boiling the other. Otherwise conversion will continue for the hour or two that it takes to boil your other half, and could result in a very dry, watery, insipid bodied beer.

yes.

I've done 2 parti-gyles and those were the only times I've ever done a proper mash out

 

[bajaedition]

that's your "mash out" right there. you're just using your sparge water to do it

think it was more an issue back in the days of under-modified malts and no thermometers. it was probably best practice to infuse with near-boiling water for mash out and then lauter

unfortunately we are a hobby and a lot of the information we are bombarded by is from ages ago (such as before they had highly modified malts) based in tradition not fact, or accepted as fact but is actually urban legend.

Processes change because of advancements in material or equipment. I think this is a case of change in both of those, our malts have changed and so has the equipment used since mash outs were standard. I can agree that in certain cases they can be beneficial but to most of us who boil after little lag time a mash out makes little sense.

I fully agree with you.