Step Mash vs. Simple Infusion for Belgian Beers

[Stand]

I'm reading all over the place trying to figure out whether or not there is a good reason to step-mash for a Belgian Tripel.

I'm reading this: https://beerandbrewing.com/belgian-beer-youre-probably-doing-it-wrong/

Telling me to step mash.

I'm reading this:

http://edsbeer.blogspot.com/2015/05/duvel-brewery.html

Staying Duvel is doing a single infusion.

And this:

http://brulosophy.com/2016/04/04/si...-brudragon-collaboration-exbeeriment-results/

Endorsing Simple Infusion as well.

Right now I'm not seeing convincing reason to move away from a simple infusion. Did I miss something?

Thanks!

 

[dmtaylor]

Ignore unnecessary and non-beneficial practices. Ignorance is bliss. Cheers.

 

[Big Monk]

I'm reading all over the place trying to figure out whether or not there is a good reason to step-mash for a Belgian Tripel.

I'm reading this: https://beerandbrewing.com/belgian-beer-youre-probably-doing-it-wrong/

Telling me to step mash.

I'm reading this:

http://edsbeer.blogspot.com/2015/05/duvel-brewery.html

Staying Duvel is doing a single infusion.

And this:

http://brulosophy.com/2016/04/04/si...-brudragon-collaboration-exbeeriment-results/

Endorsing Simple Infusion as well.

Right now I'm not seeing convincing reason to move away from a simple infusion. Did I miss something?

Thanks!

I know that all my favorites are step mashed: Chimay, Rochefort, Duvel, Westmalle, Ommegang, etc.

Does that mean that you have to? Absolutely not.

These breweries wouldn’t do it if they didn’t think it matter. As a person who has done both, I prefer step mashed beers.

 

[maisch]

I know that all my favorites are step mashed: Chimay, Rochefort, Duvel, Westmalle, Ommegang, etc.

Does that mean that you have to? Absolutely not.

These breweries wouldn’t do it if they didn’t think it matter. As a person who has done both, I prefer step mashed beers.

What is it that you find about a step mashed beer that you prefer?

 

[Steve-Ooo]

I read that it is for big fluffy head and head retention. Can't remember where I saw the article though.

 

[jcav]

A step mash will make a more fermentable wort and the yeast will attenuate it a little more if it is done correctly. Most of the better Belgian beers are highly attenuated which makes them very drinkable. If it were me I would do a step mash when brewing a tripel. You could use a single infusion mash temp though, if you want. Just stick to a temp that makes a little drier beer like 148-149 degrees. This should get you more in the range of what you are looking for. But a step mash would be better in my opinion. Good Luck!

John

 

[dmtaylor]

I read that it is for big fluffy head and head retention. Can't remember where I saw the article though.

I should show you the head on my single infused Belgian blond...

 

[Stand]

I know that all my favorites are step mashed: Chimay, Rochefort, Duvel, Westmalle, Ommegang, etc.

The blog says Duvel at least is using simple infusion, but I'm interested in what you see as the contribution from step mashing?

I always worry a little bit that those breweries might continue with that process even if it isn't necessary because it's traditional. My understanding at this point is that much of the step-mashing was because grains weren't fully modified, and modern malts don't benefit.

I'm new to Belgian Beers, so I'm happy to step mash if there is a purpose, but I wish there was a more clarity on the impact it has on the final beer.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

Probably not needed. You can brew world class Belgians without stepping. Step mashes should only be called out for rare and specific needs based on a grain type, chemical/enzyme need, or other rare situation. Some breweries will stick with the "years old" recipe and process, even if they don't need to. Others "think" they are getting some benefit from it when they actually are not. I'll get chastised for saying so, but I put it in the same category as decoction mashing. Pain in the butt, for very little gain.

Sure, there are times when it is indicated. I have a Bavarian Wheat recipe that just isn't right without stepping, but that's an exception, not a norm. There are specific reasons for it.

You can step if you want. It's your propane or electric bill. But before you do, read up on, and become familiar with, what each temp range does, why it might be used, and what effect it has. Ask why, then see if the answer jives, then decide if its truly needed.

 

[Stand]

You could use a single infusion mash temp though, if you want. Just stick to a temp that makes a little drier beer like 148-149 degrees. This should get you more in the range of what you are looking for. But a step mash would be better in my opinion. Good Luck!

What temperature schedule would you recommend for a tripel?

 

[jcav]

What temperature schedule would you recommend for a tripel?

I would like to see what your grain bill is, but typically for a tripel I would do
131 degrees for 15 minutes
146 degrees for 40 minutes
158 degrees for 15 minutes
168 degrees (mash out) for 15 minutes

John

 

[SoCal-Doug]

In the first article where it says "they do step mashing", read the following line... It says "they do it with less modified, Continental malt—European malt for European beers". There is part of your answer and his reasoning. Reading further, he says...

"There is nothing wrong with single-temperature mash per se. There are pragmatic and economic reasons for it, and it’s ideal for our well-modified malts. Most of us do it at home. And to be fair, mashing well-modified malts at a lower temperature, say 146–149°F (63–65°C), can get you pretty close. Will you get exactly the same result? No. It’s different malt and a different process."

Don't worry about "will it be exactly the same". It wont be anyway. You won't get the same yeast, or the exact same malt, or the exact same water, or hops and spices, as the brewer has back in Belgium. You also wont be brewing in the same quantity, which has effects on the mashing results.

While I agree that finding great Belgian beers brewed in the states is tough, its not impossible and they do exist. Yes, it will be a tiny bit different to use modern malts, but that does not mean they will be lower quality or less tasty. The author appears to be a bit extreme in his beliefs.

 

[jcav]

If you are using a cooler and have trouble with room for adding more water for step mashes, you could use 144 degrees for 30 minutes and then 154 degrees for 30 minutes and mash out at 168 degrees. I have a 3 vessel e-herms system so it is very easy for me to step mash, I just dial in the temp I need and wait til it ramps up to the temp I select.

John

 

[Big Monk]

What is it that you find about a step mashed beer that you prefer?

I sometimes speak in broad terms about ALL beer but I’ll keep it specific to the Trappist ales I like to brew.

I find I can get the same fermentability from a 30 minute, 2 β rest start as most seem to get from a single infusion at 60+ minutes. I’ll usually start the mash with 20 minutes at 145-146 °F then step it to 148-149 °F for another 10-15 minutes. If I want to eek out that extra 1-2% of Extract (if I hadn’t hit it already) I’ll step to 153 °F for about 5-10 minutes.

This generally nets me 100% Conversion η in about 30-40 minutes. As always you have to let the malt sheet give you the details about the specific base you are using. I typically take refractometer readings through the β rests to see how Extract is developing.

So far we have a beer that is extremely fermentable and only requires about 30 minutes in β rests to hit the attenuation limit. In the beers I brew, I’m looking for 85+% AA, so sugar and an extremely fermentable wort help.

I also want the beer to be full bodied. So I then step up from the β rests to the α/dextrinization rest at 162 °F. I stick there for 30 minutes with no fluctuation.

I now have a beer that is highly fermentable and full bodied.

The next thing I want to pursue is foam. I want mousse like foam that persists and has excellent lacing throughout the drinking session. Much of this comes from other process points but I’m adamant about including, and holding, a mashout at 171-172 °F for 10-15 minutes. The terminology gets squirrelly here for some, i.e. mashout, mashoff, etc. but in the end it’s a mashout rest at that temp. This rest promotes glycoproteins synthesis and aids in head retention, foam quality, appearance, etc.

So now I have a highly fermentable, full bodied, glorious foam (in more ways than one) having beer and a total mash time, including step times and a dual β rest of about 85 minutes or so.

The blog says Duvel at least is using simple infusion, but I'm interested in what you see as the contribution from step mashing?

I always worry a little bit that those breweries might continue with that process even if it isn't necessary because it's traditional. My understanding at this point is that much of the step-mashing was because grains weren't fully modified, and modern malts don't benefit.

I'm new to Belgian Beers, so I'm happy to step mash if there is a purpose, but I wish there was a more clarity on the impact it has on the final beer.

See above for the detailed explanation of what I do.

As for the malt, modification really doesn’t factor in at all. Yes, “modern malts” convert more thoroughly with single infusions than they did “back in the day” but as another thread on this site pointed out, “modern malt” is a bit of a misnomer. Malt has been “modern” since De Clerck and that was 75 years ago. Every beer you’ve ever drank or heard about was made with “modern” malt.

In short, high modification doesn’t preclude step Mashing.

It’s down to equipment as well. If you can’t step in a controlled fashion with direct fire, I’d recommend just single infusion. Part of the magic is sweeping through temperature ranges at a certain rate (generally accepted to be 1 °C per Minute) and basically hitting all the temps in between rests.

It’s not for everyone and you aren’t a hack if you don’t do it. I just feel, and so do many modern breweries, traditional or not, that it makes a difference.

 

[Big Monk]

In the first article where it says "they do step mashing", read the following line... It says "they do it with less modified, Continental malt—European malt for European beers". There is part of your answer and his reasoning. Reading further, he says...

"There is nothing wrong with single-temperature mash per se. There are pragmatic and economic reasons for it, and it’s ideal for our well-modified malts. Most of us do it at home. And to be fair, mashing well-modified malts at a lower temperature, say 146–149°F (63–65°C), can get you pretty close. Will you get exactly the same result? No. It’s different malt and a different process."

Don't worry about "will it be exactly the same". It wont be anyway. You won't get the same yeast, or the exact same malt, or the exact same water, or hops and spices, as the brewer has back in Belgium. You also wont be brewing in the same quantity, which has effects on the mashing results.

While I agree that finding great Belgian beers brewed in the states is tough, its not impossible and they do exist. Yes, it will be a tiny bit different to use modern malts, but that does not mean they will be lower quality or less tasty. The author appears to be a bit extreme in his beliefs.

“Modern” malt is a fallacy. Malt hasn’t been undermodified in probably 75 years or more. Step Mashing is independent of modification.

Enough people have problems with conversion and fermentability in the Homebrewing world using “modern malts” that it isn’t just automatic that you’ll get full conversion and the attenuation you want with highly modified malts. You still need to design mash conditions, single infusion or otherwise around the malt to be used.

 

[maisch]

I sometimes speak in broad terms about ALL beer but I’ll keep it specific to the Trappist ales I like to brew.

I find I can get the same fermentability from a 30 minute, 2 β rest start as most seem to get from a single infusion at 60+ minutes. I’ll usually start the mash with 20 minutes at 145-146 °F then step it to 148-149 °F for another 10-15 minutes. If I want to eek out that extra 1-2% of Extract (if I hadn’t hit it already) I’ll step to 153 °F for about 5-10 minutes.

This generally nets me 100% Conversion η in about 30-40 minutes. As always you have to let the malt sheet give you the details about the specific base you are using. I typically take refractometer readings through the β rests to see how Extract is developing.

So far we have a beer that is extremely fermentable and only requires about 30 minutes in β rests to hit the attenuation limit. In the beers I brew, I’m looking for 85+% AA, so sugar and an extremely fermentable wort help.

I also want the beer to be full bodied. So I then step up from the β rests to the α/dextrinization rest at 162 °F. I stick there for 30 minutes with no fluctuation.

I now have a beer that is highly fermentable and full bodied.

The next thing I want to pursue is foam. I want mousse like foam that persists and has excellent lacing throughout the drinking session. Much of this comes from other process points but I’m adamant about including, and holding, a mashout at 171-172 °F for 10-15 minutes. The terminology gets squirrelly here for some, i.e. mashout, mashoff, etc. but in the end it’s a mashout rest at that temp. This rest promotes glycoproteins synthesis and aids in head retention, foam quality, appearance, etc.

So now I have a highly fermentable, full bodied, glorious foam (in more ways than one) having beer and a total mash time, including step times and a dual β rest of about 85 minutes or so.



See above for the detailed explanation of what I do.

As for the malt, modification really doesn’t factor in at all. Yes, “modern malts” convert more thoroughly with single infusions than they did “back in the day” but as another thread on this site pointed out, “modern malt” is a bit of a misnomer. Malt has been “modern” since De Clerck and that was 75 years ago. Every beer you’ve ever drank or heard about was made with “modern” malt.

In short, high modification doesn’t preclude step Mashing.

It’s down to equipment as well. If you can’t step in a controlled fashion with direct fire, I’d recommend just single infusion. Part of the magic is sweeping through temperature ranges at a certain rate (generally accepted to be 1 °C per Minute) and basically hitting all the temps in between rests.

It’s not for everyone and you aren’t a hack if you don’t do it. I just feel, and so do many modern breweries, traditional or not, that it makes a difference.

Hrm, so your doubles, triples and quads are full bodied with lots of foam? And that's what you gain from step mashing?

 

[Stand]

I direct fire for my boil, but I got a RIMS tube with a 1650w element for for Christmas, so I need to see how fast I can use that to boost temp.

My guess is a big temp movement would require some boiling water.

Grain bill is for 10 gallon batch
21# pils
3# Munich
3# clear candi

White Labs 500

 

[Stand]

Stepping at 144 -> 154 -> 168 is definitely something I CAN do with my setup. I'm seeing some of these mash schedules stopping at like 125.

 

[Big Monk]

Hrm, so your doubles, triples and quads are full bodied with lots of foam? And that's what you gain from step mashing?

Again, as someone who brews a very limited variety of essentially the same “style” of beer, and who has done many of my recipes as single infusions (in my cooler days and even when I first went electric) it’s my opinion that my step mashed beers have 100% Conversion η, better fermentability, better body, and better foam.

And I don’t brew Quadrupels, I brew “Strong Dubbels”.

 

[Big Monk]

Stepping at 144 -> 154 -> 168 is definitely something I CAN do with my setup. I'm seeing some of these mash schedules stopping at like 125.

145-146 °F for 20 minutes
148-149 °F for 10 minutes
162 °F for 30 minutes
171 °F for 10 minutes

That’s pretty much my standard mash. You can vary the β rests or add a third if the malt calls for it.

 

[Big Monk]

I direct fire for my boil, but I got a RIMS tube with a 1650w element for for Christmas, so I need to see how fast I can use that to boost temp.

My guess is a big temp movement would require some boiling water.

Grain bill is for 10 gallon batch
21# pils
3# Munich
3# clear candi

White Labs 500

I’ll bet you’ll be surprised. Do some water tests and time how long it takes you to step. You’ll probably benefit from slightly lower times as you’ll essentially be doing “mini rests” on the wa6 up to the other temps.

See how far off you are from 1 °C/min.