Multi step infusion mash

Brewing Processes
1

Hello,

I am attempting to brew the Hoegaarden witbier: Hoegaarden White Clone - Beer Recipe - American Homebrewers Association

However, I have never done a step infusion mash.  I went ahead and bought the grains/hops, but now I am doubting whether I can even do this brew with my mash tun (it is an igloo style cooler).

“Step infusion mash: add 9 quarts (8.6L) of 130°F (54.5°C) water to the grains. Stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122°F (50°C) for 30 minutes. Add 4.5 quarts (4.3L) boiling water. Add heat to bring temperature up to 150°F (65.5°C). Hold for 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167°F (65°C) lauter and sparge with 4.5 gallons (17L) of 170°F (77°C) water. Collect about 6 gallons (23L) of runoff for the wort. Add bittering hops and bring to boil. Boil time is 75 minutes.”

I am particularly worried about the steps where it says “add heat”.  I read elsewhere that you could add boiling water to ahcieve this, but that you could only do -2 rests.

What do you guys recommend for this?

From what I’ve read, this particular style benefits from multi step mashing; would it be terrible if I didn’t do this?

Thanks for any input.

2

Not terrible at all.  Do a mash at 148-150F for 90 min. and you’ll be good.

3

I did a protein rest at 122 F on my first witbier.  As a result it turned out clear as crystal with a thin watery body.  I don’t advocate protein rests anymore.  Just do single infusion.  You’ll be glad you did.

4

Temps are used to target certain enzymes. Though a single infusion is a valid compromise, you’ll have to decide if it’s right for you or not.

You can move the mash from one temperature to the next using hot water additions, direct heat, or decoctions. Here’s a calculator: https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash/

"The Hochkurz mash is arguably the most useful stepped-mash protocol available. Deriving from the German words hoch and kurz, meaning “high” and “short,” respectively, the Hochkurz mash is so-named because mashing begins well above the protein rest (hence, high) and requires less time than other traditional mash regimens (thus, short). A typical Hochkurz mash might proceed as follows:

Beta amylase rest: 144°F (62°C) for 30 to 45 minutes
Alpha amylase rest: 160°F (71°C) for 30 to 45 minutes
Mash out: 170°F (77°C) for 10 to 15 minutes"

5

I like 149 F (65 C) for 40 minutes.  Guess I should call it “Sehrkurz”, then people will respect it more because it sounds German and thus important.

6

LOL. I love it!

7

Those are horrible instructions for a “Infusion Step Mash” regime, and you should rightfully be concerned.  It’s not even an “infusion” when you have to “add heat” in some form other than hot water.  First it tells you to “add heat” to get to a mash temp, then it says to “raise temperature to 167F” for the mashout.  Horrible instructions!

If your igloo cooler is 5 gallons then you may not be able to accomplish all of the mash rests, specifically the mashout 167F rest.  Or, it’s possible that your tun will be filled to the brim if it only holds 5 gallons.

You will want to calculate your infusion steps manually based on your grain weight, water ratio, and overall volume.  The protein rest (122F) can be done with a low water:grist ratio of 0.7-0.9:1 - it’ll be thick but will allow you extra volume and lower infusion amounts for the next infusion rests.

Based on the specifics of the protein rest, you’ll calculate your next infusion to get you to 150F sacc rest.

Based on the specifics of the sacc rest, you’ll calculate your next infusion to get you to 167F mashout rest.

Finally, you’ll calculate the amount of brewing water already used to determine the amount of sparge water you can use to get the preboil volume you want.

Example using 9lb of room temperature grain (~70F grain) and brewing at sea level:

  • Protein rest (~0.8:1): 7.2qt of water should be 137F to get you to 122F (volume of tun: ~2.5 gallons)
  • Sacc rest (~1.25:1): 4.0qt of 212F water should added to the mash to get you to 150F (volume of tun: ~3.5 gallons)
  • Mashout rest (~1.75:1): 4.9qt of 212F water should be added to get you to 167F (volume of tun: ~4.6 gallons)

Note: If you are much above sea level then you will require more boiling water due to lower boiling point.  Also, if your rest temperature slips down during the rest then, again, you’ll require more boiling water to get to your next rest.  The way it has generally worked for me in the past is if I end up having to add more water than expected at the first infusion (i.e. sacc rest), they you will want to double that amount for the next infusion (i.e. mashout).  So if I’m supposed to add 4qt to get to sacc rest, but I add an additional 1qt to actually hit my temp, then the next infusion I will be looking at adding 2 additional quarts to hit my mashout.  You can see that if you required a total of 3 additional quarts to hit your infusions throughout the process then a 5gallon tun will not hold the full mash volume, which would be the ~4.6gallons + 3qts to make a total of ~5.3gallons volume needed.

The saving grace is that brewing is fairly flexible and as long as your mash rest is in the 147-157F range then you’re going to get sufficient conversion, although you may want to extend it a bit if your between 147-150F to give a little extra time for conversion since it’ll be converting at a slower pace.  Also, since wheat doesn’t have a husk then it generally doesn’t take up quite as much room as barley malt so you may have a little extra room in the tun for a batch with a large amount of wheat.  Lastly, even if you fall short of the mashout temp of 167, no worries because the sacc rest conversion is the most critical aspect to getting sweet wort to turn into beer.

Hope this helps.

BTW, I used rackers calcs to help determine the steps above:

8

Definitely a weird way to work out an infusion mash.

I don’t consider a step mash indispensable for a wit (although I would probably do one) but if you want to do one an easy way to work this out is with beersmith. It has profiles for equipment and mash schedules that will adjust to the recipe to help target volumes and water temperatures. It will take a few brews to dial in but if you’re a math adverse brewer like myself it’s a big help.

9

I’m with Denny on this.  I used to do step mashes (when called for) in a round cooler.  I was often frustrated that I didn’t hit the temps when adding boiling water, even with using brewing software and taking/using careful notes.  I was listening to a podcast from Jamil Z a few years ago, and he suggested that there would be no appreciable difference in just doing a single infusion mash.  In my experience, there is no perceived difference in outcomes.  I’m sure that there will be folks that say otherwise, but a long sacc rest, single infusion will get you very close to what you want.

10

I feel the stepping yields an appreciable difference but not something I would pursue until the rest of your process is pretty well dialed in.  Other things will have more of an impact on the final beer…  I have been brewing a long time and stepping in a cooler is HARD.  I still had issues even having calculated the tun’s thermal mass and using a calculator.  Moving target if you ask me.  I step direct fired in my kettle and return to cooler/tun after mash out.  Works like a champ but be sure to stir well to avoid scorching and keep temps uniform.  That said, I agree with the others that a single infusion will also make great beer.