Mash Temperature and FG

[Martin Haworth]

HI there,

New to Brewer's Friend - though I've been brewing AG for several years.

Looking to play around with Mash Temp to get a lower ABV beer, but with lots of body and mouthfeel (Dextrins).

So far on Brewer's Friend, when I alter mash temp, FG does not change.

Does this software help me think through this process or not?

Thanks in advance.

Martin

 

[Yooper]

While it's been said for years that mash temp plays a huge role in fermentability (or lack of), the current knowledge shows that it's more the ingredients and yeast that have an effect on apparent attenuation.

For extremes, say mashing at 160F vs 147F, there may be a difference in FG, or doing a multi step mash where there is a lengthy rest at the lower extreme may create a more fermentable wort, but in most cases mashing at say, 149 vs 153, you won't see a difference in FG.

 

[Martin Haworth]

While it's been said for years that mash temp plays a huge role in fermentability (or lack of), the current knowledge shows that it's more the ingredients and yeast that have an effect on apparent attenuation.

Thanks for that,

I'm coming off the back of reading the relevant brulosophy exbeeriment on this, and reading Randy Moshers research / literature review into dextrin perception.

I've seen lots of graphs showing temperature vs yield and fermentability (Palmer) but haven't come across and calculations yet.

Anyway, I'll be brewing a mild and mashing at 72C (161F) - right at the top end, and using s04yeast I'm expecting it to finish in the high teens, but we'll see.

Thanks again for the reply

MArtin

 

[Pricelessbrewing]

There's definitely a difference in FG from 153-162 or so, 148-153 makes little difference, and 162+ makes little difference.

What that FG means in reality, as far as any difference in perception of sweetness, or body (apart from the abv) is anyone's guess as far as I'm aware. There's probably more info in professional papers but I haven't come across any yet.

 

[Mark Farrall]

I've screwed up a few mashes recently with changes to my system and had mashes over 72C. Definitely lower attenuation for those. I suppose if I was going to use brewers friend to predict this I'd change the yeast attenuation number and then adjust once I'd done some trials.