Should you perform multiple rests? It depends on your brewhouse capabilities, your goals, and whether your beer will benefit from the longer process. To explore this, I consulted with a customer, who uses multi-step mashes in every beer they make.

 

By: Galen Smith, Southeast Craft Sales Manager

 

Not long ago, I co-hosted a webinar on wheat beer best practices. An attendee asked if a protein rest was necessary with a grist of equal parts Pilsen and Wheat malt. I replied that it wasn’t necessary, but could yield positive results. I assumed it was common knowledge that with highly modified malt, multi-step mashing wasn’t required.

 

Modification is a process in malting where enzymes break down cell wall materials and proteins, simplifying them into useful components like FAN, amylase, and foam and flavor positive peptides. Previously, brewers had to perform multiple rests in their mash schedules to achieve adequate carbohydrate extract. Today, this happens in the malthouse, allowing for single-infusion mashing.

 

So, should you perform multiple rests? It depends on your brewhouse capabilities, your goals, and whether your beer will benefit from the longer process. To explore this, I consulted with a customer, who uses multi-step mashes in every beer they make.

 

Willi Wallstab, German born and raised Brewmaster for Gilde1546 in Charlotte, North Carolina, received training at the Feldschlößchen Brewery in Dresden before starting his brewmaster studies at the Technical University of Berlin. His dream of brewing in the United States became a reality when he was hired at the Gilde Brewery in 2019  and moved to the U.S. to run the Gilde1546. The brewery, equipped with a 10-barrel, 3-vessel brewhouse from Caspary, adheres to the German purity law, the Reinheitsgebot, using 100% malt.

 

Why Multi-step Mashing?

Multi-step mashing is crucial for achieving high yields with 100% malted grains. The efficiency of extract yield is vital, as raw materials vary in quality. Multi-step mashing allows brewers to adjust to these changing conditions and optimize starch conversion to sugar, tailored to the beer style.

 

Multi-step Mashing Programs

At Gilde1546, Willi employs multi-step mashing for all their beers and the beer style dictates what mash program to use. Key processes include starch, protein, and glucan degradation. The mashing temperature and pH levels are critical, with ideal pH levels around 5.4 to 5.8 for different amylases. Understanding the starches amylose and amylopectin, is fundamental. Amylopectin, with its branched chains, significantly influences beer properties. Enzymes like alpha and beta amylase, maltase, limit-dextrinase, and saccharase play essential roles in breaking down these starches.

 

For Pilsner, they combine multi-step mashing with decoction mashing to enhance sugar conversion and malt flavors.

 

For Oktoberfest Märzen, they use a three-step decoction to develop rich colors and malt flavors. Wheat beers undergo various mash rests to increase glucose, enhancing Hefeweissbier flavors during fermentation.

 

One interesting program aims to reduce dextrins during fermentation, increasing attenuation and decreasing calories. This involves low-temperature steps at 45°C and 55°C. After the 55°C rest, a portion of the thin mash wort goes directly into the fermenter. The remaining mash wort is brought to saccharification rest, lautered and boiled, and added to the wort already in the fermenter. The result is a very dry beer with minimal residual sugar due to the active enzymes in the thin mash wort.

 

Impact of Malt Selection

Malt selection, particularly for Hefeweissbier with at least 50% wheat malt, necessitates lower mashing temperatures due to wheat’s higher protein content compared to barley. This protein degradation significantly influences the beer’s characteristics and should be managed carefully.

 

Advice for Brewers

Willi advises brewers to understand the nature of barley, water, and their chemistry. Understanding the malting process is crucial for managing mash steps effectively, leading to improved yields and beer characteristics.

 

In summary, while single-infusion mashing is often sufficient with highly modified malts, multi-step mashing can enhance efficiency, yield, and flavor in specific beer styles. Understanding the underlying processes and adjusting them to your needs can result in superior beer quality.

 

Premium grains from field to flavor.

 

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About Galen Smith, Southeast Craft Sales Manager

Galen Smith serves as the Southeast Craft Sales Manager at Malteurop Malting Company, where he brings valuable expertise and passion to his role. He also sits on the board for the Carolina’s District MBAA. With a background of many years as a head production brewer in North Carolina, Galen made a significant career shift to leverage his experience and contribute to the industry as a malt supplier. Guided by his commitment to aiding brewers in utilizing malt effectively, Galen takes great pride in assisting them in optimizing their brewhouses to achieve optimal performance from the malt. His mission is to rekindle the allure of malt, making it captivating and desirable once more.

 

Learn more about Galen Smith

 

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About Malteurop Malting Company (MMC)

Malteurop Malting Company (MMC) is based in North America—specializing in growing and producing quality malts for the beer, whiskey, and food processing industries. With local farms and Malthouses spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Malteurop’s commitment to excellence is fully ingrained into every batch it produces, ensuring businesses of any size can create the finest beverages and food products on the planet.

 

Visit www.malteuropmaltingco.com to learn how we can support your malting needs.

 

Contact us at customersuccess@malteurop.com or (844) 546-MALT (6258) for questions or to place your order.

 

Malting is our passion. Quality is our promise.