theowlman16
Well-Known Member
Doing a hefeweizen tonight. Is there any way to do an acid rest if I cant heat my mash tun (cooler)? Is an acid rest even necessary? It seems like it might not be.
Acid rest?
- Thread starter theowlman16
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
I'm not sure about whether an acid rest is necessary or not but there is always a way to heat the mash. In this case it would seem to need a decoction to do it.
OP
OP
theowlman16
Well-Known Member
Gotcha. Basically heating the runnings offline and tossing back in. I'll probably just stick with my normal batch sparging. I just never heard of an acid rest (or lower temp rest prior to main mash) until I started reading about wheat beer recipes. Thanks.
John Eberly
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2007
- Messages
- 99
- Reaction score
- 39
Acid rest is used to lower the mash pH (make it more acid) and you would only do it if your mash is above about 5.5-5.8.
The reason it might be in your wheat recipe is that beers with dark malts usually don't have a problem with mash pH but light beers might depending on your water chemistry. I'm assuming this wheat beer does not have any dark malt in it.
The reason it might be in your wheat recipe is that beers with dark malts usually don't have a problem with mash pH but light beers might depending on your water chemistry. I'm assuming this wheat beer does not have any dark malt in it.
Actually, if you want to do a decoction some time it's fun. It's alot of work, and adds time to the brewday, but it's worthwhile knowing how to do it if you like to geek out with brewing.
You don't heat the runnings and add it back, though. That will denature the enzymes and be an issue. The idea is to take the thickest part of the mash, mostly grain with just enough liquid to stir it to keep it from burning. You bring that up to the next conversion temperature rest, hold it there for 15 minutes, then bring it up to a boil and boil it (stir it to keep it from burning). Then add it back to the mash to reach the next temperature. Once you're done mashing, you can then drain some of the runnings, mostly liquid, to reach mash out temperatures, and then add that back to the mash.
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Decoction_Mashing is my favorite quick read on the subject.
Biscuits
Well-Known Member
FWIW, I do believe performing an acid rest is a necessary part of brewing a quality hef.
I also just did a hefeweizen wI think an acid rest and I was very pleased with the outcome, an extra step in the process but it yielded a wonderful clove flavor that's not overly powerful.
thereverendmaynard
Well-Known Member
Ferulic acid rest at 110 is supposed to increase precursors involved with clove flavor/aroma. http://beerandwinejournal.com/german-wheat-beer-iii/
OP
OP
theowlman16
Well-Known Member
If I do the rest, I will have to heat runnings and toss back for the higher temp mash. No burner under my cooler.
PartagasD4
Well-Known Member
http://braukaiser.com/blog/blog/2010/06/04/how-much-effect-does-a-ferulic-acid-rest-have/
I tend to agree with Kai's assessment here.
I tried a couple times with no real perceived difference, at least to me.
I tend to agree with Kai's assessment here.
I tried a couple times with no real perceived difference, at least to me.
Biscuits
Well-Known Member
My buddy primarily brews hefs and the one time he did not do the rest, it was obvious to us both.
or...follow these instructions:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/AdvancedMashing.pdf
OP
OP
theowlman16
Well-Known Member
I'm feelin it. So, you do the initial acid rest a bit dryer than your mash, so you can add more water for the mash without going too watery? (Like my super scientific terminology?)
PartagasD4
Well-Known Member
Would you mind telling me which yeast your buddy uses?
I tried both times with WLP300 Hefeweizen Yeast.
Maybe I'm using the wrong yeast
Are you talking about doing a ferulic acid rest? If so, then that could be a very good thing for a hefeweizen. It also may not matter a bit if your fermentation temperature is too warm, so that's something to keep in mind. Temperature control during fermentation and yeast strain choice make the biggest differences in the profile, with a ferulic acid rest being far down the list of things that matter.
You can do it via infusion. If you have some brewing software, it makes is easier. You can mash in with, say, 1 quart per pound of grain, and then infuse what you need to get to your saccrification rest temperature, probably 150 or so.
Go with a higher temperature ferulic acid rest, say 113 degrees F, and use some software to calculate the addition to hit 150. https://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml
I like that calculator. Just quickly, I did a 113 degree rest with 1 quart/pound with 10 pounds of grain. To go from there to 150 requires 7.1 quarts of boiling water. It depends on how big your mash tun is, and how much grain you're using, etc, but you can plug your numbers in and see how it works.
You can do it via infusion. If you have some brewing software, it makes is easier. You can mash in with, say, 1 quart per pound of grain, and then infuse what you need to get to your saccrification rest temperature, probably 150 or so.
Go with a higher temperature ferulic acid rest, say 113 degrees F, and use some software to calculate the addition to hit 150. https://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml
I like that calculator. Just quickly, I did a 113 degree rest with 1 quart/pound with 10 pounds of grain. To go from there to 150 requires 7.1 quarts of boiling water. It depends on how big your mash tun is, and how much grain you're using, etc, but you can plug your numbers in and see how it works.
Biscuits
Well-Known Member
Ehh, I'd have to check with him...I don't remember.
OP
OP
theowlman16
Well-Known Member
Thanks all. I was just worried about having too much water for the mash, after heating it up. I'm not too worried about hitting a certain gravity.
You may have some pH issues if you're using alkaline water. Otherwise, I can't think of any issues if everything fits in your MLT.
OP
OP
theowlman16
Well-Known Member
I was definitely speaking a ferulic acid rest. My first Hefe, just wanted to be as authentic as possible with my modest equipment. Opinions are mixed, but for just an extra 20 minutes I think I'll give it a go.
When I've done it, I have used wlp380.
I have done my hefeweizen recipe both with and without the acid rest and I much preferred with.
OP
OP
theowlman16
Well-Known Member
Bananas and cloves or Cloves and bananas...Aaaaaaaaah!!!!
PartagasD4
Well-Known Member
Thanks, I remember now reading somewhere to try 380.
