mash temp ranges and their effects?

[raptorvan]

Now i know that lower temps create more fermentable sugars and lead to less body ( unless a carapils type addition is made) and higher temps lend to less fermentable sugars, fuller body and sweetness.....but how much of a change between smashing in at 150ish and say 153-155? I'm assuming it does affect the outcome but is the result marginal or more pronounced?

Thanks for the tips.

 

[BobC]

The rest temperatures for alpha and beta amylase are commonly between 149 *F (65 *C) and 165 *F (69 *C). A low temperature rest favors the beta amylase and sets the fermentbility of the wort. A high temperature rest favors the alpha amylase and completes the starch conversion. Many brewers like to use 152-154 *F (66.5-67.5*C) as their preferred mash temp as it gives a nice balance of body and fermentability that works well for British and American style ales. Temperatures closer to 133 *F (55 *C) result in more medium chained proteins (good for head retention and body).

 

[klnosaj]

From Palmer: "It doesn't take a large shift in mash temperature to produce a big range in fermentablity. Mashing-in at 158F instead of 150F would raise the FG of a 1.050 wort from 1.005 to 1.011 [according to scientific research]."

I dunno if it's directly scalable but if it is you're looking at a few points of sweetness at 153 over 150.

 

[BobC]

Also from Palmer: "A lower mash temperature, less than or equal to 150°F, yields a thinner bodied, drier beer. A higher mash temperature, greater than or equal to 156°F, yields a less fermentable, sweeter beer. This is where a brewer can really fine tune a wort to best produce a particular style of beer."

 

[RM-MN]

As an example, I mashed a beer at 152 but my thermometer was off by 4 degrees so in reality my mash temperature was 148. When it finished fermenting the FG was 1.002, extremely dry in my opinion. It should have had an FG of 1.012 to 1.016.

 

[lakeside53]

Exactly so. Just poured the first glass of a brew I mashed at 148* for 90 minutes
OG was 1.048 FG 1.000. It is bone dry, which was the plan as it is a saison.
Lower mash temp led to drier, thinner beer. Head and head retention are great, in part due to lower mash temp as well.
By the way, it is delicious!

 

[sok454]

I'll be interesting to see how my pliny the elder comes out since I mashed at 148 vs 152 and used Marris vs 2-row.