My recipe calls for a two step infusion mash. "Mash at 122F for 15 minutes, then raise the temperature over the next 15 minutes to 154F and hold until conversion is complete." I have calculated the temperature and amounts of water to add using the equations from Palmer's "How to Brew". I based on 1 quart /pound of grist.
Questions:
1. Are two rests sufficient or should I go to three?
2. I don't generally use 1qt/lb ratio (usually 2) Are there going to be problems "doughing in". Suggestions.
3. I usually mash for 90 minutes, too long? long enough?
4. Palmer is basing his calculations on "moderately modified malts such as Briess Pilsen malt" I am using a Belgian Pilsen from Castle. Any thoughts on that?
5. Any thoughts on whether a multi-rest mash is necessary in the first place?
Thanks guys!!
Multi-step infusion for wit bier
Multi-step infusion for wit bier
John Buck
Brother John's Brewing
The Monk at the Hartley Monastary
Brother John's Brewing
The Monk at the Hartley Monastary
Tom is correct with today's modified malts stepped infusions really are not neccesary. In addition using a pilsner malt it would be time better spent reducing mash time to 60 minutes and increasing your boil time to 90 mins. With fully modified malts you should me at full conversion in 60 minutes if not less.
Regarding Question #5:
Conventional homebrewing wisdom (the tenets of which most of us subscribe to a bit religiously -- i.e. because someone really smart told us so, not because we have any empirical evidence one way or the other) states that multi-step infusion mashes with modern malts can potentially damage your beer and are generally unnecessary. That being said, there are some professional breweries (e.g. Ommegang) which still do multi-step mashes for wheat beers while others (e.g. Franziskaner) just go with single infusions. I've never seen a compelling, controlled series of experiments that definitively answer that question, just a bunch of hand-waving and references to some charts about enzymatic activity as a function of temperature and pH (e.g., see Palmer's explanation -- there's no real scientific data presented in support).
To give a counter-example to the conventional wisdom, I know a homebrewer that consistently make excellent beer and always includes 20 minute rests at 100, 120, and 130 before moving to a saccharification rest in the 150s (regardless of style). His beer never strikes me as lacking body or head retention, despite the belief most of us have (myself included) that protein rests might cause these qualities to suffer. I suspect the majority of the homebrewers in our club skip those rests (I know I'm just too lazy to do them) and their beer is typically excellent, rarely lacking for head retention or body.
If you really want an answer to that question, I think you're best bet is to do whatever you want this time, but take careful notes with a plan to do it again just a little bit differently next time. If you don't really care about the answer to the question, but just want to make a good Wit, I would recommend you focus your energy on other areas which are, in my experience, much more likely to influence the quality of your Wit -- fermentation temps and yeast pitching rates.
Conventional homebrewing wisdom (the tenets of which most of us subscribe to a bit religiously -- i.e. because someone really smart told us so, not because we have any empirical evidence one way or the other) states that multi-step infusion mashes with modern malts can potentially damage your beer and are generally unnecessary. That being said, there are some professional breweries (e.g. Ommegang) which still do multi-step mashes for wheat beers while others (e.g. Franziskaner) just go with single infusions. I've never seen a compelling, controlled series of experiments that definitively answer that question, just a bunch of hand-waving and references to some charts about enzymatic activity as a function of temperature and pH (e.g., see Palmer's explanation -- there's no real scientific data presented in support).
To give a counter-example to the conventional wisdom, I know a homebrewer that consistently make excellent beer and always includes 20 minute rests at 100, 120, and 130 before moving to a saccharification rest in the 150s (regardless of style). His beer never strikes me as lacking body or head retention, despite the belief most of us have (myself included) that protein rests might cause these qualities to suffer. I suspect the majority of the homebrewers in our club skip those rests (I know I'm just too lazy to do them) and their beer is typically excellent, rarely lacking for head retention or body.
If you really want an answer to that question, I think you're best bet is to do whatever you want this time, but take careful notes with a plan to do it again just a little bit differently next time. If you don't really care about the answer to the question, but just want to make a good Wit, I would recommend you focus your energy on other areas which are, in my experience, much more likely to influence the quality of your Wit -- fermentation temps and yeast pitching rates.