To Protein Rest or Not to Protein Rest

I'd like to make one of the recipes in Mosher's book.  His summer ale on page 82.  The recipe consists of 4 lbs of Marris Otter, 2 lbs of Pilsener malt and 10 oz of Malted Wheat with some sugar added to the kettle. 

I'm wondering if I should do a Protein Rest or not.  Now Mosher doesn't prescribe one for this recipe but looking through Palmer's book, he says, on pg 146 "Moderately modified malts are becoming harder to find, but one example (Pilsen malt) is available from Briess malting, and others may be available from German or Czech maltsters".  Now my LHBS carries Briess Pilsen malt so thats the one I'll have to use.  I went to the Briess website and the pdf for the malt said this about its modification "Pilsen Malt is slightly undermodified and suitable for any mashing regime. If used in a single step mash, it will produce slightly lower yields and fermentibility. Decoction mashing will produce increased yields and degree of fermentability, but is by no means necessary"

The Pilsen is 25% of the grain bill while the malted wheat is only 8% but Palmer also says on pg 147 "A protein rest need only be used for moderately modified malts or when using well-modified malts with more than 20% of malted wheat, rye or oats" 

I'm thinking that since 33% of the grain bill is either malted wheat or Pilsen a 20 minute protein rest may be a good thing?  However, I don't want to do it if I'm not going to get anything out of it, why take the time? 

WR

I would do it, and I would make sure to use some 5.2 ph stabilizer also. A 30 min protein rest at 130 will be beneficial to head retention and help get everything ready for the Sacrification rest.

Is there a difference between Pilsen and Pilsner malt? I think it is different. I use Pilsner malt as a base for allot of recipes.

Cheers
Preston

Thanks Preston, I was leaning toward the Protein Rest it makes sense if you want to get all you can.

Having said that, I went to the Briess website and they do not distinguish between Pilsen and Pilsner malt.  At least they don't offer both, they only have Pilsen listed so although there might be differences between different Pilsner malts I'm not sure there is a difference between Pilsen and Pilsner malts?

There isn't much of a difference between Pilsen and Pilsner (or Pilsener for that matter) malt. It's a lot like the difference between "Biscuit" and Briess' "Victory" malt. Or Special B and "Special Roast". Briess has propietary names for a lot of malts. And other maltsters do the same thing. Pilsen and Pilsner are essentially the same malt. As far as I know anyways.

Darin

I thought that was the case, since they sounded similar. Thanks for the information.

Cheers
Preston