How to Control the Temperature of Mashing Feeding?
According to theory, the mashing process can be applied over a wide range of temperatures. However, in actual production, in order to fully utilize the enzymes and consider other factors, there are mainly two types of feeding temperatures: one is at a lower temperature of 35°C-37°C, and the other is at a higher temperature of 50°C.
If the malt is not sufficiently dissolved, the mashing feeding temperature should be selected between 35°C-37°C. At this moment, it benefits the leaching of various enzymes and extends the enzyme activity time. P-glucanase, a proteolytic enzyme, amylase, and amylase start to dissolve at 35°C. Once they reach the optimal temperature, these enzymes will immediately become active, making it easier to obtain more fermentable sugar and improve the final fermentation degree. If the malt dissolves well and the enzyme content is high, the mashing feed temperature can be selected at 50°C, which significantly shortens the mashing time while ensuring the mashing effect.
When using a strong mashing method, such as the three times boiling and mashing method, the feed temperature should be low. In each temperature stage (50°C, 62°C, 72°C), the mashing process will be paused after mixing with wort. High-temperature feeding cannot complete this operation. The leaching mashing method is generally also a low-temperature feed because it does not involve cooking. To maximize the potential of the enzyme, it should be leached beforehand for various enzymes and stopped within the optimal temperature range.
Factors Affecting the pH of Cold Wort
The pH of feedwater should be between 5.5 and 6.5. The pH of wash grain water should also be between 5.5 and 6.5. CaSO4 can be added to adjust the pH of wort. The gelatinization pot will heat up to 60°C after feeding to prevent rancidity. If the protein interregna and mashing interregna are too long, it can lead to wort acidification.
The Crafting Process of Mashing
Use whole malt without adding any ingredients, following the German Beer Purity Law – the heating leach method.
45°C: Add material -> 50°C (30-minute protein interregna) -> 65°C (70-minute iodine test at the end) -> 72°C (10 minutes) -> 78°C (10 minutes) -> filter
Filtering Process
Before entering the wort, connect a pipe from the wort to the hot water at 78°C until the filter plate overflows. This preheats the tank wall, exclusion tube, and the bottom of the false bottom.
Pump the mashing wort, then turn on the cultivator and rotate 3-5 turns to evenly distribute the mash.
Let it stand for 10-30 minutes to allow the mash to settle and form a filter layer.
Extract the cloudy wort through the wort valve or wort pump and return it to the tank for re-filtration until the wort becomes clear, usually taking 10-15 minutes (this process is called “reflow”).
Perform normal filtering, adjust and gradually increase the flow of wort while collecting the “first wort”. This step generally takes 45-90 minutes.
When the malt grains start to show up or leak, start the cultivator and loosen the malt grains.
Spray water to wash the grains, using continuous or 2 to 3 rounds of grain washing while collecting the “second and third filter wort”. When it becomes cloudy, continue reflowing until clarification.
When the concentration of the washed grain residue reaches the target value (0.1°P, 1.0°P, or 3.0°P), the filtration is complete. Turn on the agitator, open the malt grain discharge valve, discharge the malt grains, and then clean the lauter tank.
Add Hops
Hops primarily provide beer with a pleasant bitter taste and specific aroma, improving beer’s non-biological stability. Generally, both hops and aromatic flowers are added and boiled for 5 minutes. Fragrant flowers are added 5 minutes before boiling stops, with a hops-to-fragrant flowers ratio of 2 to 1. The principle of adding hops is to add the “good” ones first, then the “bad” ones; add new hops before old ones; add bitter ones before sweet ones; and add fewer hops before more hops.
About Steam Emission Methods in the Kettle Tank:
1. Directly discharge indoors without any collection device (no exhaust device). This method is generally only suitable for small devices below 300L.
2. Directly discharge to the outside through stainless steel pipes. This method has good steaming effects, but it is complicated for plant construction. It should not be placed against walls, near windows, or on rooftops, making it unsuitable for certain situations.
3. Equip a circulating water tank and circulating water pump. This method appears normal and effective on the surface, but during usage, the circulating water can become hot, resulting in poor steam exhaust effect.
4. Equip a circulating water tank without a circulating pump. This method not only has poor steam exhaust effect, but also increases equipment investment for condensate water tank.
5. Equip a steam pipeline indoors and connect it to tap water. Tap water is discharged from the bottom of the steam exhaust tube. This water can also be used for cleaning, achieving multiple uses (this method has good effects).
