I would like to make the Bells 2 hearted, which calls for 150F for 45 mins then up to 170F for 10 mins I've not done a step mash before. For my mash setup I have the 10 gal rubbermaid round coolers, burner is the edelmetal, and 10 gal boil kettle. Was thinking of mashing in my kettle but temp control may be difficult or mashing in cooler and then dumping in boiling water.
How do you step mash?
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bobeer
Fermentation Specalist
Usually folks who do step mashes have a way to recirculate the mash through a coil in their hlt. They set the temp of the hlt to whatever they want the mash temp to be and then the wort gets recirculated to maintain the temp.
I would assume the 170 degree for 10 mins is just a mash-out to stop the starch to sugar convergence. I usually sparge at 170 to try and get the same effect. It should work.
I would assume the 170 degree for 10 mins is just a mash-out to stop the starch to sugar convergence. I usually sparge at 170 to try and get the same effect. It should work.
GrogNerd
mean old man
"step infusion" is adding a calculated amount of water at a certain temperature to get to the next step
what you're describing in OP is a MASH OUT and can be done by adding hot enough water to get your mash to 170° and let it set for 10 minutes.
if you're using Beersmith or any other brewing software, there should be a tool to help determine how much water at how hot to get you there
what you're describing in OP is a MASH OUT and can be done by adding hot enough water to get your mash to 170° and let it set for 10 minutes.
if you're using Beersmith or any other brewing software, there should be a tool to help determine how much water at how hot to get you there
Beernik
Well-Known Member
I used to do step infusion mashes. You have to be careful though and I don't just mean pouring boiling water into your MLT.
It's really easy to overshoot or undershoot your mash temp. If you undershoot, you can always pull a decoction to raise the temp further without adding more water. If you overshoot, you're kind of screwed.
These days, I still step mash but I direct fire my mash.
It's really easy to overshoot or undershoot your mash temp. If you undershoot, you can always pull a decoction to raise the temp further without adding more water. If you overshoot, you're kind of screwed.
These days, I still step mash but I direct fire my mash.
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There are more ways to fix it than that.
If you undershoot, add more boiling water.
If you overshoot, add more cold water.
It's not rocket science
MC
GrogNerd
mean old man
seems easier to adjust up or down with infusions rather than direct fire, which, if you overshoot, you're really boned.
Brettomomyces
LHBS Curmudgeon
An electric hot water kettle is really useful for step infusions. They heat water very quickly to a boil and you can keep it close while brewing.
Okay, that makes sense. I fly sparge with 172F water, usually over an 45-60 minutes, which should be good.
Beernik
Well-Known Member
There are more ways to fix it than that.
If you undershoot, add more boiling water.
If you overshoot, add more cold water.
It's not rocket science
MC
It's not rocket science, but either way, it's adding more water. You add more water and then your volumes can get off. Your volume gets off, your ABV gets off. If you try to correct your volume with extra boil time, your IBUs can get off...
I've had that downward spiral brewday. It's why I moved away from the "infusion" part of step mashing.
GrogNerd
mean old man
Then you would make adjustments with your sparge amount.
Might end up 3 qts off, or .3% abv off or 3 ibus off or maybe all 3
Well within my range of tolerance
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I do a continuous sparge. I keep adding sparge water until I have my desired pre-boil volume. It's worked great for me.
MC
That's not a step mash. That's a mash, and then a mash out.
You can simply mash at 150, and then either mash out (if you're fly sparging), or batch sparge with an addition of your sparge water at 180 degrees or so. No worries- it is NOT a step mash at all, and you can't mess it up any way you go.
Or even if you don't adjust your water volumes as the other guys indicated, collect a little more runnings, and assuming you know your boiloff rate you can very easily just boil a little more before hopping it. Boom. No change whatsoever.
To answer the OP, there's a number of ways to raise the temp. Infusions of boiling water is one way. That way's the easiest, and best route is to have plenty of boiling water (more than you think you'll need) add in increments, stir, and measure, so you don't over or undershoot. Direct fire (ie directly heating the mash) is another, also easy but if you don't stir enough you can scorch your grain and easy to overshoot. Recirculation via heating the wort via a separate heat source and returning to the mash is another, very accurate and stable but equipment intensive. There's also decoction, pulling out sections of the mash and boiling it and readding, which is labor intensive and may provide unwanted (or wanted) flavors depending on the beer. All have their strengths and weaknesses, and some may be better for some applications than others depending on the desired result.
I don't have the right gear set up to recirculate or direct fire, so I fall back on either infusions or decoctions when I want to step mash.
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