Step Mashing

[irish_goat]

Maiden City Brewers are getting to play with a 50litre Braumeister this weekend and figure we might as well make the most of it and do a step mash. I was thinking of doing a red IPA. Something with a good autumn colour with a nice dose of hops in it. Reading online there seems to be a consensus that there's not much need for step mashing pales ales, IPAs etc. I'd be aiming for something that's not too full bodied and pretty quaffable.

So far I've come up with;

20mins @ 50C, 60mins @ 65C, and 15 mins @ 77C

Anyone with experience reckon that's the job or should I go more adventurous? There'll probably be 10% wheat malt if that makes a difference.

[Dr Jacoby]

There's not much need to use step mashes with well modified malt but if you want to give it a go for the craic I'd recommend the following:  protein rest at 50C for 10 minutes (when the Braumeister starts to ramp up the temp it'll stay in the protein rest zone for a few minutes so it will really be a 15 minute rest). Any more and you risk harming head retention. I'd then go for something like 30 minutes at 63, 20 minutes at 70, and mash out for 10 minutes at 77.

That should give you a good mix of sugars for a nice rounded malt profile. Plus it won't take all day!

[Tom]

Mouth watering already! I like the idea of a mashout at 77.