did a step mash on alt today. went with 145F at 5.3PH for 30mins, then 158F at 5.45PH for 45 minutes. went pretty well, although first step strike water was hotter than needed, so will adjust down 3F next time.
interesting thing is my efficiency went up significantly. would have been 87-88% and came in at 96%. must admit I wasn’t expecting that big a difference.
anyway-thanks for those who provided input before I ventured forward.
edit: seems perhaps increased efficiency is not so abnormal…must be what those of you who step mash experience.
I always see a slight bump in efficiency when I do that mash schedule. Did you step with infusion water or direct heat? I use infusion water, but I could definitely see a higher bump in efficiency if using direct heat with the mash being more slowly risen to the hochmash.
Cool. I like the hochkurz step mash, it’s super easy; almost as easy as a single infusion, really. I’m guessing the rise in pH came from using untreated infusion water?
So I added part of salts to 1st infusion of 3.5 gals to hit target PH. I then withheld salts from second infusion and added baking soda to raise PH and also satisfy my desired sodium ppm. The rest of salts all went into sparge water to hit targeted ppm for entire mash.
I just quick carbed a sample yesterday of my latest Helles Exportbier. The last one was step mashed, this one I added 3% carapils subbed for some base malt (only recipe change) and single infusion at 150. The two beers are different only in malt presence. I think the step mashed one has a better German grainy Graham crackery thing going on, where the carapils single infusion one seems more American. I’ll be kegging tomorrow, and will do a blind T test once Its conditioned.
I can’t imagine even wanting to go higher! The last few stronger brews I have done, I too have hit a bump increase in my OG, sometimes more than desired for the pitch of yeast I have prepared in advance. It does kind of suck when expecting a 1.054 OG and hitting a 1.063 instead. Its not all about alcohol for me.