What Does a Mash Out Do?

lumpher · Nov 16, 2021

Nope, it's not necessary. I rarely do a mashout. Normally I go straight from mash to boil, also. While I'm sparging, the wort is heating up in the boil kettle. When I'm done sparging, that goes straight into the boil also. Cuts my time way down, and the resultant beer tastes good either way. If I'm trying to do a beer for a competition, then I'll mash out "properly"; otherwise, mash to boil works for me.

hotbeer · Nov 16, 2021

lumpher said:
Nope, it's not necessary. I rarely do a mashout. Normally I go straight from mash to boil, also. While I'm sparging, the wort is heating up in the boil kettle. When I'm done sparging, that goes straight into the boil also. Cuts my time way down, and the resultant beer tastes good either way. If I'm trying to do a beer for a competition, then I'll mash out "properly"; otherwise, mash to boil works for me.

Going straight from mast to boil is the key thing here for why it's not necessary.

If it's going to be a while before boil, then a mash out should be done. Homebrewers typically go straight into a boil. Others brewing larger volumes may not be able to bring it to boil before enzymes and other things change the character of the wort.

Bassman2003 · Nov 16, 2021

I like Doug's post because it highlights the difference between gravity and fermentability. Homebrewers are often obsessed with gravity and not so much with fermentability. But fermentability is where the artistry happens with mashing. The great German and Belgian examples are all very well attenuated. I do not like to use the term "dry" here but they pretty much all do not have much extra residual sugar lying around.

With regards to if the mashout is necessary, that is a decision that you need to make as to what type of brewing you are going to do.