2 Step mash, yes or no?

[Silver_Is_Money]

Years ago I routinely doughed in at about 120-122 degrees F., held for 20-30 minutes, and then bumped it up into the 150's for an hour. I had a 19 year layoff from brewing, and now I'm back at it, and the batches I've made since returning have been single step in the 150's, but so far my homebrews just don't seem quite as tasty as they did many years ago. Does anyone still find flavor and/or body/mouthfeel gains from a step mash these days, or should I just skip it and stick with going straight to the 150's?

 

[bajaedition]

A break at 120 to 122 is gong to help protease enzymes, they are a group of about a dozen if memory serves me. These enzymes break down proteins that cause haze in beer, and they turn them into yeast nutrients.
the benefit is cleaner looking beer with healthier yeast. Healthier yeast means better tasting beer with less off flavors.
take it from there.

Yes it will improve your beer, you will be doing a step up and beyond the norm of today. many here believe because of the modified malts we have today there is no need for this step. IMHO it helps a lot, just because malts are modified so Professional brewers can cut corners and get out a sellable beer, does not mean I stop doing something that makes a remarkable beer.

 

[kh54s10]

Two things come to mind.

1) Your equipment. If you are not using a mash tun that can accommodate temperature changes easily (Cooler mash tun) then the trouble, IMO, doesn't make up for the small benefit.

2) Comparisons. If you were comparing homebrew to BMC beers of years ago, and now comparing homebrew to commercial craft brews that is the difference. There are so many more excellent commercial beers now.

I have never done a step mash so I can't make that comparison, but my homebrews are on a par with mid priced commercial craft beers without step mashing.