mash schedule for Wheat beer?

[haaseg]

Hey all. First post here.

I'm getting ready to do an all-grain wheat beer for the first time, and I was looking at different Mash schedules and they seem to be a bit all over the place. I've seen people that do a single rest at 158 for 90 minutes. Some that do 122 for 20 minutes and 154 for 60. Some that do 4 different rests. I even found a recipe that calls for 6 different rests (might be a bit extreme)

I haven't finalized my recipe yet, but I'm thinking somewhere around:
#2 Durst Pilsner Malt
#5 Durst Wheat
#0.25 CaraPils

1 oz. Hallertauer

And maybe even a can of the Oregon Blackberry Puree and make a nice Blackberry Wheat out of it.

Any comments on mash schedule or recipe would be greatly appreciated.

[chris1kanobi]

I personally do 150-155 F degrees for an hour on every type of beer. I have done complex mash scedules, and tasted beers that had been step mashed and I honestly cannot tell the difference. Today's highly modified malts have lots of enzymes and even 100% wheat beers will convert at 150-155 F degrees for an hour. Even Moravian Pilsner malt and 6-row malts have been modified for more enzymatic power. That's my .02. :D

[Grog]

If you are doing infusion mashing stick to 2 steps. If you can directly heat or are doing decoctions then you can be as complicated as you like.

I have had very good luck with a rest (thick mash 1qt per pound) at 130-131°F (40-60 min), then infusing to 155-156°F (until conversion) and then decocting the liquid for a mash out at 168°F.

Produces a med-high fermentable wort with really good clarity and head retention.

At 131°F protien & some beta enzymes are both working, but you need the thick mash to protect the protein reducing enzymes at this temp; at 155°F beta & alpha are working.

My 2¢.

[haaseg]

I usually try to do a 3-step, with 122, 140, and 158 (40-60-70)... skipping the protein rest as most people say you don't need it with fully modified grains. I guess my question was whether or not the protein rest was needed for wheat, but after doing more research, it appears that most wheat that you get these days are fully modified and don't need it.

Sooner or later, I hope to do some controlled studies where I use the same recipe but with different mash schedules. I want to get a bit more experience under my belt first.

But it's an interesting topic to say the least. Given the difference between how Beta and Alpha Amylase (sp?) work, one should be able to seriously control the body of the final product by temperature and time.

Has anyone around here done such an experiment, or know someone who has?

[BrewDog]

Haaseg-

Welcome to the board!


I usually try to do a 3-step, with 122, 140, and 158 (40-60-70)... skipping the protein rest as most people say you don't need it with fully modified grains.


The 122 is the protein rest. Are you saying you will be skipping the 122 in subsequent batches because you don't need it any more? I guess I just don't understand the above statement. Could you elaborate? Have you lost body in prior batches due to using the 122?

I agree with your thought that it would be interesting to do a side by side comparison of the same recipe using 2 (or more) different mash schedules. I'm sure it has been done, but I haven't seen any writeups where someone specifically did this.
(I've been toying with a recipe of mine to increase body by playing with the mash schedule, but I haven't done it side by side, so it's not the same.)

[haaseg]

Whoops... my bad. I got the numbers switched in my head. I meant 104 degrees F. (40 C = 104 F). This is the liquification/acid rest.

I agree if it's not the same if you don't do it side-by-side... but you *are* adjusting your mash schedule on a specific recipe. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts/results. Please share (or post the link if you've already done so). :)

[BrewDog]

My bad. I should have caught that, too.

The new batch is still in secondary. We'll see how it ends up.