From Novice to Expert: Understanding Why Mashing is Key to Beer Brewing Success

The brewing process of craft beer can be roughly divided into milling, mashing, boiling, fermentation, cooling and canning. The process of mashing is the process of converting starch into low-molecular-weight sugar represented by glucose, which is also a key step. Thus, the purpose of the mashing process is to control the degree of starch decomposition.

Definition of mashing

The beer production process is composed of wort preparation, beer fermentation, beer canning and other technological processes, and the wort preparation process is known as mashing. The purpose of mashing is to dissolve most of the malt contents through physical and biochemical measures, that is to say, by boiling and controlling temperature and PH, as well as exerting the effect of enzymes. And maintaining the largest output and Minimal loss rate. The task of mashing is to ensure that the composition of the wort is suitable for the reproduction of yeast and to ferment on the basis of cheap rationality.

Process of mashing

The feeding temperature is high, the feeding temperature of auxiliary materials can reach 65~70 Celsius, and the feeding temperature of malt can reach 50~55 Celsius. This kind of mashing process is fast, and the protein rest time is short.
The time of cooking mash, protein rest, and mashing is moderate and not fixed. For example, the time of cooking mash (100 Celsius) can be adjusted within 0 to 15 minutes, and the mashing process is based on a good iodine reaction. In this way, the time of each stage can be changed to limit the cycle of the entire mashing process.
Like the heating process of the leaching method, the heating temperature and the heat preservation time depend on the specific needs.
The effect of enzymes can be exerted at each temperature stage.

Method of mashing

The mashing method of malt can be divided into two categories: the leaching method and the boiling method.

The characteristics of the leaching method are: the mash is not boiled, various substances are leached only by the action of enzymes, and the wort still maintains a certain enzyme activity before boiling.
The characteristics of the boiled method are: This method is to heat a part of the mash to boiling point and then mix it with the other mash that is not boiled, so that the temperature of all the mash reaches the temperature required by different enzymes in stages, and finally reaches the final temperature of the mash. And according to whether the auxiliary materials are added in the mashing process, can be divided into the single mash cooking method and double mash cooking method. According to the number of times mashing, the cooking method can be divided into three cooking methods, two cooking methods, and one cooking method.

Factors that affect mashing

Materials: The difference in raw materials (especially malt) determines the difference in mashing feeding temperature, material-water mixing ratio, and pulverization effect, thereby affecting mashing.
Feeding temperature: Feeding temperature affects wort and beer, foam, filtration performance, and taste stability.
PH value of mash: the best pH value of various main enzymes in the malt is about 5.4-5.6.

Effects of mashing on craft beer quality

When using brewing equipment to brew craft beer, not only the quality of beer equipment is required, but also the concentration of wort craft beer brewing is required to meet the specified requirements, to ensure the mellow taste of craft beer. Oligomeric and volatile Maillard products have a strong effect on the odor and taste of beer. These substances are not only welcome in dark beers with typical malt aromas, but are also beneficial in light beers with a slight emphasis on malt aromas.

Flavour effects

The mashing of mash, especially the Maillard products formed when the wort is boiled, can promote the aroma of beer. But, if the Maillard reaction is excessive (such as prolonged wort boiling or strong heating, etc.), these aroma substances will be generated too much. will damage the typical taste of the beer.

Chroma effect

The chromaticity due to the Maillard reaction is generally irreversible. The increase in color during wort boiling was related not only to the formation of Maillard products but also to the non-enzymatic oxidation of polyphenols in malt and hops. Of course, the polyphenol polymerization process below the boiling point also affects the increase of chroma. But different from the color-enhancing effect of the Maillard reaction is the color that is increased by the action of polyphenols. Part of it can be decomposed again during fermentation, reducing the color of the beer.

Requirements of mashing process

Maximize the extraction of useful components in raw materials.
Reduce the dissolution of useless or harmful ingredients in raw materials.
The quantity and proportion of organic or inorganic components that are made into wort should meet the requirements of beer variety, type, and yeast growth and reproduction. If the quality of the raw material is unstable, it should be adjusted according to the process principle, and the wort composition of uniform quality should be obtained as much as possible. But, under the condition of similar raw materials can be made into wort of different components through different process control, and then brew different styles of beer.

How to choose Brewhouse Equipment

The mashing tank is used for the decomposition of malt starch and protein so that the mash is kept at a certain temperature and the starch is saccharified. The size of the container varies depending on the purpose. According to the feeding amount of 100KG malt, the volume of the container is 6-8HL for the mashing pot. Thus, the size of the brewhouse equipment depends on the amount of wort.
The mashing tank needs to have heating and stirring functions. And the design of the mixer size is very important. The rotation speed must be adapted to the diameter of the tank, and the speed must not exceed 3M/S. Otherwise, shearing forces will be applied to the mash, it could change the contents of the mash. The mash stirring device should be able to suspend the solid particles of the mixed material and distribute them in the liquid to avoid overheating and burning, which could affect the quality of the wort and beer.

Get a turnkey solution for craft breweries

If you are ready to open a craft brewery, you can contact us. Micet Craft’s engineers will provide you with a list of craft brewery equipment and related prices. Of course, we can also provide you with professional turnkey brewery solutions, allowing you more time to focus on brewing delicious beer. Micet Craft very much hope to cooperate with you, my friend!

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