Mash Temp & Boil Time

[andysmok]

Hi all, heres two amature questions for you all.

1/ What is the reason for mashing at typicaly 66 degrees. What would happen if you where to mash at say 70 degrees or 60 degrees?

2/ In what way does the length of the boil change the final product?

[BarryNL]

As always, my favourite enzyme diagram:



As you can see, 66 deg.C is smack in between the ideal temperature ranges for the two amylase enzymes which break down starch into sugars. It's basically the best compromise to get both enzymes working as well as possible.

[beesley121]

wow baz,

now thats a diagram!!!

i love it when a diagram shows exactly why we use the methods we use. It makes it all make sense.

[andysmok]

Agreed, this makes perfect sense now. My first 3 AG's all seam to be a bit hazy so i am now wondering if i need to tinker with my water PH levels as looking at the diagram if it is below 5.1and above 5.5 then it wont really matter what the temperature is as the two are significant important to the mash process. I've got some testing paper for my next batch, hopefully on Saturday a GW Deuchars IPA. This one will go on Brewdays with pic's so please look all you pros and see if you can spot what I'm doing wrong!

[adypyk]

With ref to the second question, does anyone have the answer?
Whats the difference in a 60 min boil to a 90 or 100 or even 120 min boil?
is it simply just the hopping or something else?

[anomalous_result]

And, trivially, longer boils can be used to reduce the volume so increasing the OG and final alcohol content.

[adypyk]

So it's almost distilation in reverse?
ie bigger og.