Is a Protein Mash Ever Useful?

[frazier]

My first book was one of Papazian's, and he routinely recommends a protein mash at 120* or so before stepping up to the 150's. Modern thought is that today's "fully modified" malts don't need this step. And how does one "modify" a malt anyway, but that's another topic.

I recently did a Scottish Ale with flaked oats; I did a mini-mash at 120 with the oats and an equal amount of the grist, then proceeded with the regular mash. The beer came out very clear and delicious. It was fun, but was it worth the trouble?

Any thoughts on the theory behind this?

 

[bernerbrau]

Benefits of the protein mash include improved lautering (especially with "doughy" grains), and improved clarity. Potential drawbacks include poor head retention.

Since you can normally get improved clarity with irish moss/gelatin/cold crashing, and improved lautering with rice hulls, and lack of head retention is generally considered a flaw, most people skip the protein rest.

I use the protein rest for a dough-in when doing a multistep decoction mash for my lagers, but I try to get away from protein temps pretty quickly.

 

[Bobby_M]

Any recipe based on high levels of unmalted grains and/or 6-row malt would benefit.

 

[terrapinj]

what about flaked adjuncts?

maize, rice etc?

 

[COLObrewer]

Yes, flaked adjuncts are typically unmalted, one can also perform a cereal mash with those however.

To the OP's question regarding "how does one "modify" a malt", Modification is the result of malting, an experienced maltster will be able to judge the correct time to halt germination during malting so that the starches in the barley grain are not used up by the plant or acrospire and they are at their peak starch content. The more starches retained (for conversion to maltose) the better modified the malt is.

Brew on my friend

 

[terrapinj]

Yes, flaked adjuncts are typically unmalted, one can also perform a cereal mash with those however.

To the OP's question regarding "how does one "modify" a malt", Modification is the result of malting, an experienced maltster will be able to judge the correct time to halt germination during malting so that the starches in the barley grain are not used up by the plant or acrospire. The more starches retained (for conversion to maltose) the better modified the malt is.

Brew on my friend

i thought that the flaked adjuncts didn't need to be cereal mashed?

is there a benefit to doing a cereal mash if not required?

im gonna be doing a cream ale with about 12% each flaked maize and flaked rice and ~18% 6row

 

[COLObrewer]

i thought that the flaked adjuncts didn't need to be cereal mashed?

is there a benefit to doing a cereal mash if not required?

im gonna be doing a cream ale with about 12% each flaked maize and flaked rice and ~18% 6row

Well, you don't have to, especially if your using 6row which is higher in diastatic power than 2row, it just makes it easier and faster.