Mashing steps question

[mlloret]

Hi, i am preparing a Citra & Amarillo IPA recipe and i was wondering about how many steps should I use during mashing?

Why some recipes do have several mashing steps and others, like IPA, just one step?

some suggestions?

in my ipa recipe i would make just one mashing step with 154F during 60 min. Do i need more? (Why should i need more?)

 

[BobC]

Many brewers like to use 152-154 *F as their preferred mash temp as it gives a nice balance of body and fermentability that works well for British and American style ales.

ferulic acid rest 109-113 *F basically used for Bavarian Wheat beers.

protein rest - The temperature and extend of this rest depends on the degree of modification of the malt. Rest temperatures closer to 122 *F emphasize the generation of short length proteins (amino acids) and temperatures closer to 133 *F result in more medium chained proteins (good for head retention and body). Well modified modern malts, which already have higher levels of amino acids, may benefit from a protein rest closer to 133*F or don't require a protein rest at all.

There also is a dextrinization rest at 158-172F needs to be held until the mash is iodine negative but may be extended to 45-60 min. Many authors contribute head retention and mouthfeel benefits to extending this rest.

 

[pjj2ba]

I like to use step mashes. It gives me a lot of control over what the wort is going to be like. My grain bills for a helles and and a German pils are almost identical. I typically use two saccharification rests, one at ~ 147F and then at 158-160 F. I change the rest times at each of these depending on whether I want a crisp light beer, or a more fuller bodied beer. I especially like step mashes for the crisp beers as I can do a longer beta-amylase rest, which gives me high fermentability, but then follow that up before conversion is complete with a step around 160 to give me some large non-fermentable dextrins which keeps the beer from being too thin.

I've tried single infusions for my IPA, and I've gone back to mashing in around 122 and then immediately ramping up the temperature to my main mash temp. I've found I get a little better body, and much better foam this way.

I also always do a 15-20 min protein rest in all of my beers with lots of pilsner malt in them

A contributing factor to why I use step mashes is that it is very easy for me to do them on my system. It just takes me a little extra time