Speidel Step Mashing Experiments: Extreme Case No 1

[HomeBrewWest]

As part of our Speidel courses, I though it might be a great idea to demonstrate the flexibility of step mashing by brewing some extremes and having them available on the courses for evaluation.

So I'm going to run a few experiments. Ideas for other experiments would be much appreciated. The only general guideline for this is to produce ales of good clarity, with good head retention.

OK, so here's the first 2 extremes:
A: a light bodied mash containing as many fermentable sugars as possible, and
B: a full bodied mash containing lots of non fermentable sugars.

I'm using standard hopping schedules to about 20 IBU, and fermenting both at 20 oC for 7 days. Then into cornies for natural carbonation. Both will use 3.0 kg Viking Pilsner malt, 1.0 kg Best Caramel pils and 0.5 kg Best Wheat malt. The low IBU is deliberate as bittering hops affect head retention, and this is about mashing; we also want to be able to taste the malt.

Here's mash schedule A:
- mash in at 35 oC
- 15 minute rest at 43 °C
- 25 minute rest at 57 °C
- 60 minute rest at 62 °C
- 20 minute rest at 66 °C
- 10 minute rest at 77 °C
which is mashing in the Speidel as I write this.

And here is mash schedule B:
- mash in at 35 oC
- 15 minute rest at 43 °C
- 25 minute rest at 57 °C
- 60 minute rest at 68 °C
- 10 minute rest at 77 °C

What do you guys think? I have time to change B, but A is almost mashed by now. Maybe the 60 min rest in B should be higher at about 70 °C but I don't want an overly sweet beer either. Probably should do a starch test too.

Should be a fun experiment. I'll update with results: OGs, FGs, taste etc.

If you guys have ideas for other experiments, let me know and I'll see if we can fit them in. As is all things brewing, mash schedules are all about compromise and there are lots of combinations to play about with. 

[Leann ull]

Sounds like good fun but you would probably also need to look at other things for clarity and especially head retention though.
I've messed around with profiles and my experience would say to me most malts are well modified and not a huge difference from the rests I performed with the exception of weyermans floor malted pilsner where I got slightly better yields from step mashing.
Keep us in the loop in any case?

I found this article about a month or so ago
https://byo.com/mead/item/1497-the-science-of-step-mashing
Have a quick read of Beta-amylase and Alpha-amylase 3/4 way down which is the area that concerns most homebrewers and that fact that on Alpha using less water gives you more full bodied beer

[HomeBrewWest]

Cheers Ciderhead. For this experiment, its only different mashing schedules that we are exploring. Head and clarity are part of that I suppose, hence the low temp parts of the mash schedule. Also, efficiency isn't an issue at all with these tests . . . rather its about examining how far we can go (within reason) with "dry" beers, versus malty beers.

That's a great article; unfortunately byo have other articles with different advise on optimum temps for Beta and Alpha, so it can be a bit confusing.

Using less water boosts lots of enzymes, but I'm not going to go there just yet (its why the A mashing schedule in quite long).

[HomeBrewWest]

So mash schedule B today was as follows:
- mash in at 35 oC
- 15 minute rest at 43 °C
- 25 minute rest at 57 °C
- 60 minute rest at 70 °C
- 10 minute rest at 77 °C

We went for 70 °C in the end.

An interesting observation so far is that we are getting way better efficiency with these malts that any others tried so far, about 15% more wort at target OG in both experiments. That Viking is an impressive base malt. This needs to be confirmed with customers though, as 2 by 20 litre batches is insufficient data and could explained by crush, mix, or grain wetting etc. Still, 2 in a row though . . . .

[Leann ull]

Ooh good result what was your baseline malt?, I know BM's and GF are savage when it comes to efficiency

[HomeBrewWest]

We don't supply Irish or UK malts (as of yet), so that leaves us with European malts. It takes a lot to impress us.

The efficiency of this malt bill is remarkably high. The base is Viking. I can't comment on flavor or anything else yet.

Want some to try it out?

[Leann ull]

Cheers I'm ok for pilsner malt but I was looking at your best malt, done any trials with that so far?

[HomeBrewWest]

Not as base malts yet. Hmmm, can you think of a couple of tests to do with Best Pale Ale malts? Something that will alter the malt profile by using different steps?

[HomeBrewWest]

OK, thinking of exploring Best RedX base malt . . . should make a novel red ale, its certainly new at least in Ireland.
3.5 kg BEST Red X® Malt 28 to 32 EBC
1.0 kg BEST Caramel malts

Hopped with UK hops to about 25 IBU.

Haven't finalized the mash schedule yet but may veer towards the high temp end to increase dextrins for mouth feel. Will post schedule when I do it, probably Friday.

I'd like to make 2 versions of this with different mash schedules, again to demonstrate the flexibility of step mashing. Comments and ideas very welcome.
.

[HomeBrewWest]

This one is now mashing. Was tempted to do what would probably be the first "made in Ireland" Irish Red Ale with Red X. But then, true to style would require only bittering hops, little hop flavor (http://beersmith.com/blog/2011/08/24/irish-red-ale-recipes/). So we scrapped that plan. Modified the malt bill too as a secondary goal is to find out all about Red X which promises to revolutionize red ales:
4.0 kg BEST Red X® Malt 28 to 32 EBC
0.5 kg BEST Caramel Hell 20 to 40 EBC

Hopped with UK hops to about 25 IBU, with late additions.
- mash in at 35 oC
- 15 minute rest at 43 °C
- 15 minute rest at 57 °C
- 30 minute rest at 63 °C
- 30 minute rest at 68 °C
- 10  minute rest at 77 °C

The idea of these experiments is to to be able to modify beer characteristics by adjusting the mash schedule. So we will wait until we try it, then figure out how we want it changed, and design a new mash schedule to do it.