Hefeweizen lovers - how do you step mash if using a cooler??

[barrooze]

That's what I'm thinking. Actually I have been drinking a lot of various German hefes, dunkels and weissenbocks and I guess the clove is pretty subtle. I think I am getting it somewhat in my own. I am thrown off by this one bock I had recently. I am starting to think they used real clove and why not?

If it was German, it probably didn't use real clove due so they can say that they abided by the Reinheitsgebot.

 

[Beezy]

If it was German, it probably didn't use real clove due so they can say that they abided by the Reinheitsgebot.

Nope wasn't German that's why I am wondering. I really enjoyed it though.

 

[turnbomb77]

Is there a difference between decotion and step infusion mashes? As I use a 10 gallon cooler as my MLT would I just conduct the mash in my boil kettle and then dump into the cooler? What about hot side aeration?

 

[erikhild59]

Is there a difference between decotion and step infusion mashes? As I use a 10 gallon cooler as my MLT would I just conduct the mash in my boil kettle and then dump into the cooler? What about hot side aeration?

That's how I've always done it. I just use a large ladle to transfer the mash to my cooler/mlt. I gotta say though, I've not done step mashes for a while, I just couldn't justify the added headaches for what was ultimately no appreciable difference between them and single temps. I do occasionally decoct from my cooler /mlt for a mashout. I'm just careful with the transfer.

 

[Beezy]

Is there a difference between decotion and step infusion mashes? As I use a 10 gallon cooler as my MLT would I just conduct the mash in my boil kettle and then dump into the cooler? What about hot side aeration?

Yeah there is a big difference. At least as far as technique goes.

Check this vid out and the subsequent parts.

 

[EnCHy22]

Rev2010-

I'm interested to see how it turned out, if you finally brewed your ag hefe. I just brewed my first ag hefe four days ago. I did a three step infusion mash in a cooler, which after reading enough articles now, probably wasn't necessary but I'm always in a hurry to brew and then when I'm awaiting the ferment I read and learn about all my errors! Anyway, I'm interested to hear how yours turned out/how you did it and I'll update in a month or so how mine faired.

 

[Athos56]

I used the enhanced double decoction. Seemed to work really well but took a really long time. I also draw liquid out during rests and heat it up, but I don't boil it. I find that its hard to get my mash tun at an even temp just dumping in water and stirring. But if I need 155 deg, I draw out a gallon heat it to ~160 and then float it back on top. I do this about three times and it starts coming out of the tun at 155 deg. It takes about 5-10 minutes to do this.

 

[kraypd]

I started using decoctions last year when I want to do a step mash. I found that too many step infusions resulted in very thin mashes and moved my mash to sparge water ratio quite far away from the suggested 50-50.

For hefes I typically use infusion for the acid rest and then move it to sacc rest with a second infusion. I decoct to get to mash out. If for some reason you miss way too low with the sacc rest, you can switch plans and do a Hockhust mash that Kai has documented to split the sacc into separate beta-alpha steps using a decoction.

I have read a lot of experiments by some very well respected home brewers that have indicated that there isn't a discernible flavor advantage from the decoction. I think that for multi-step mashes in a cooler it helps maintain the grist/water ratio.

Best,

Paul

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I can definitely tell the difference when I do decoction mashes. I do believe you can obtain most of the same results with specialty malt additions. I like using the process to control the flavor so that's the process I do.

If you are going to do either step-infusion mashes or decoction mashes (for wheat beers) you want to hit a step around 113F to develop the precursors to phenolics to develop the clove flavors (I don't know of a way to do that with specialty malts). If you decide to do a protein rest around 122F and you are using fully modified malts it should be an abbreviated rest period because breaking down too much protein will result in a dryer and thinner beer, which is generally undesirable in hefeweizen. Then you need to pick a rest in the upper 140s and one in the upper 150s. I only rest around 148F for about 20-30 minutes and then add the last decoction to raise to 158F for another 30 minutes.

Ferment in the mid-60s to get a good mix of banana and clove.

 

[EnCHy22]

Some really great info contained in this thread.
I wasnt able to do a low temp (113°) dough in or a final mash out because I was concerned about my coolers capacity and my grist/water ratio, so doing a decoction for mash out is a brilliant idea,IMHO. Im also worried about my protien rest too, since i think i went around 20 min. so next time i'll have to remember to go shorter (for wheat beers).
Im going to host a brew day next week for some newcomers (the blind leading the blind) so I will definitely utilize some of the techniques you all have suggested.

Thanks
-Randy

 

[Rev2010]

@EnCHy22 - I did the hefe as a double decoction and it was THE BEST Hefe I've ever made!!! It really was pro quality in every regard. It actually became my favorite hefe. I shared it with some co-workers and they also loved it. I did 4 rests though since at one point I missed temps a bit. I did:

Protein rest at 125 for 20 minutes
Beta rest at 139 for 30 minutes
Sacch rest at 152 for 30 minutes
and a final Sacch rest at 159 for just 10 minutes since I wanted the initial sacch rest to be higher than 152. Either way it came out fantastic. One of the temp rests were hot water infusion btw.

Since the mother-in-law ******* about any cooked grain smell I can't be decocting whenever I want (we live on the first floor in the same house) so I just recently did a two step hefeweizen using only hot water infusions. I skipped the protein rest and just did a beta and a sacch rest. I just bottled them today actually. I will let you know how it comes out. Tasting from the hydrometer it tasted good, but I never judge from a hydro sample.


Rev.