Quick question, all though it may not be a quick answer, I have seen Dennys recipe for the Wee Shoormy in Stans Brewing local and have been setting it aside to brew once I find the correct mushrooms. Which in New England is apparently hard to find in January haha, so I’m setting the brew out till the spring. Either way I’ve just gotten into Iodine mash tests and realized that I’m converting my starches completely in half the time that I usually mash for. Back to the shrooms, the recipe calls for a 90 min mash. I was wondering what the upside of continuing the mash for about an hour after my starch has converted? Not that I think it’s wrong, obviously it’s done for a reason, just wanted to know more about the science behind it. Thanks guys!
I can think of two reasons to extend the mash. First would be if doing a lower temperature mash, to allow more time for enzymatic action to break less fermentable sugars down into more fermentable ones. Second would be to improve solubility of the sugars to improve extract efficiency. A 90 minute mash does seem a little long to me for either of those purposes. I don’t have my copy of the book on hand so couldn’t say what else it may help with in this case. Are the mushrooms added to the mash or the boil?
They are frozen and used as a “dry hop” addition for a couple of weeks in secondary fermentation. My system runs at an average of 80% efficiency even when I cut my mash time down. I blame that on my RIMS system. Do you think it’s fine to cut the 90 mins down too?
I thought I had heard of another benefit in addition to the (debatable) effect on fermentability. If not solubility, is there any other benefit? Regardless, not sure I understand what the purpose of a 90 minute mash is over a more typical 60 minute one, like the OP, just trying to understand the choice in the recipe formulation.
"3.2.1.3.2
Effect of mashing time on starch degradation
The enzymes certainly do not work uniformly
throughout mashing. Instead two time-dependent
stages in enzyme activity can be distinguished
amylase activity dependent on mash temperature and rest
duration
The maximum enzyme activity is reached
after 10-20 min. The maximum enzyme
activity is greater at temperatures between
62 - 63 °C than at 65 -66 °c.
After 40-60 min enzyme activity at first decreases
rapidly, but the reduction in activity
continuously decreases.
From this it must be concluded that the effect
of the mashing temperature must always be
considered in relation to the duration of mashing.
In general:
With increasing mashing time the concentration
of the extract solution increases. But
the rate of increase becomes slower and
slower.
With increasing mashing time (especially
when mashing at 62 -63 °C) the maltose
content increases and with it the attenuation
limit. These worts should produce a
vigorous main fermentation."
I’ve been playing with a 20 min. mash lately, usually around 153F. So far, despite the literature, I have found no real differences from a longer mash. And being an advocate of long mash times, I’m kinda stunned.
No definitely not missing the point. I was just saying that in a 62/72/77 ish °C Hockhurz, he mash times would be 25/30/10 min respectively and you can see by the β rest length that if 100% conversion is obtained, you don’t need all that much time to obtain a fermentable wort.
Now there are obviously other benefits gained from the 72/77 °C rests, but speaking purely of fermentable wort, I can see the shorter rest.
Take for example my kellerbier ( basically a helles) with 99% pilsner and 1% caramunich II
Does your 20 minute mash beer do that? Did it finish at 1.008, and have the appropriate body and head retention with no dextrine malts? I don’t think a single infusion, pils only, low hopped beer is going to do this. But I could be wrong. Standard 20/30/10 mash here.
My point was actually in favor of your short mashing, even outside of the optimal beta temp, beta activity will peak at 20 minutes then quickly fall off.
For instance for me to hit 1.008-9 on an all malt beer all I need is roughly 25 minutes at 62c, but for my pilsners to get to 1.006 I need 60 minutes.
It finished at 1.009 from 1.053 which is appropriate for the beer I was making. It has appropriate body and head retention. I used about 10% Sacchra 50 since it was appropriate for the beer I was making.
