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Light, Medium and Full body

Rep

Grandmaster Brewer
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I am rechecking my mash profile and am unable to find any information on what this is.

Do I change my mash profile each time I brew a beer based on that beer's lightness? Or????

ty
 
Hi,
  The mash profiles actually refer to the body of the beer.  Light bodied beers are typically mashed at lower temperatures for a longer time which results in a more complete conversion of the sugars and lighter body.  Heavier beers are mashed at a higher temp which results in less complete conversion, and some complex sugars are left that are unfermentable.  These unfermentable sugars result in residual body and sweetness suitable for full body beers.

Cheers!
Brad
 
BeerSmith said:
Hi,
  The mash profiles actually refer to the body of the beer.  Light bodied beers are typically mashed at lower temperatures for a longer time which results in a more complete conversion of the sugars and lighter body.  Heavier beers are mashed at a higher temp which results in less complete conversion, and some complex sugars are left that are unfermentable.  These unfermentable sugars result in residual body and sweetness suitable for full body beers.

Cheers!
Brad

TY - So do I basically ignore this issue as a new brewer?
 
No,
  If you are brewing a light lager or wheat beer or something with less body, try the lighter mash profile.  For something like a Porter, Stout or other full body ale, use a full body profile.  For average beers, use the medium setting.

Cheers!
Brad
 
BeerSmith said:
No,
  If you are brewing a light lager or wheat beer or something with less body, try the lighter mash profile.  For something like a Porter, Stout or other full body ale, use a full body profile.  For average beers, use the medium setting.

Cheers!
Brad

Brad
I appreciate your assistance and ask for a confirmation on what I did.  I think I am on the right track.

I created a standard mash profile.  It was a mash with a two step equal batch sparge procedure.

I then duplicated that three times and made a light, medium and full body mash profile. Each or the three profiles was designed as a two step sparge following my original.  Then, I simply used the numbers from BeerSmith's standard mash profile for each of the single infusion, XXX Body, Batch Sparge profiles and plugged them into my now corresponding 2 step profile.

My intent would be to use the appropriate profile with the correct body of the beer I brew.

Does this make sense?
Thanks
 
Hi,
  That should work fine - the most important step is the conversion step which takes place in the range of 148-158F (higher for full body beer) and lasts usually 45 minutes or more.  As long as you have that step temp correct in each profile it should work fine.

Cheers!
Brad
 
Brad

The light bulb may have been turned on.  If so, this thread may turn into a suggestion rather than a support topic.

When examining Beer Smith's, "Beer Styles" view, and looking at the individual beers and their characteristics I find that within the, "Profile" of each beer the BJCP guidelines tell us if the beer is as a light, medium or full bodied beer.

Now, if that is our resource for determining the set up of mash profiles for a particular beer we want to brew, Somewhere Beer Smith could guide us or inform us on how to do this.  I don't know if that is within your help system or what, but it may hand new brewers a valuable tool earlier in their brewing career.

If what I have observed is correct, I would recommend that you add some help or guidance information within the software to assist people in understanding this.
 
Thanks Rep,
  I'm actually in the process of creating a weekly blog where I intend to post "how to" articles as well as articles on brewing once a week.  I should have it up and running in the next few days.  Look for the "Blog" link on the main BeerSmith page next week.

  I'll add this to the list of articles I need to write - one on mashing profiles.

Cheers!
Brad
 
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