Difference between revisions of "The Science of Mashing"

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In mashing the milled grain (grist) is mixed with water to create the mash. It is an essential process in the production of beer and a continuation of the malting process on the way to sweet wort. During the mash soluble malt compounds like enzymes, proteins and sugars are dissolved by the mash water and insoluble malt compounds like starch and some long chained proteins are converted into soluble compounds and dissolved into the water. The latter happens through a combination of physical and biochemical process which can be controlled by the brewer to achieve a sweet wort of desired quality. The biochemical processes are catalyzed by various malt enzymes. Their function and behavior is dependent on the conditions in the mash (e.g. temperature, pH, concentration, etc.) and the brewer should be familiar with that behavior in order to control the quality of the sweet wort that is run off from the mash in the lautering process.
 
  
=Enzymes=
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In mashing the milled grain (grist) is mixed with water to create the mash. It is an essential process in the production of beer and a continuation of the malting process on the way to sweet wort. During the mash already soluble malt compounds like enzymes, proteins and sugars are dissolved by the mash water and insoluble malt compounds like starch and some long chained proteins are converted into soluble compounds and also dissolved into the water. The latter happens through a combination of physical and biochemical process which can be controlled by the brewer to achieve a sweet wort of desired quality. The biochemical processes are catalyzed by various malt enzymes. Their function and behavior is dependent on the conditions in the mash (e.g. temperature, pH, concentration, etc.) and the brewer should be familiar with that behavior in order to control the quality of the sweet wort that is run off from the mash in the lautering process.
  
Enzymes are very important to mashing. They catalyze conversion reactions which break down malt compounds (the largest one being starch). In the case of starch this conversion is necessary to form water soluble dextrines and sugars. The latter of which can be metabolized by the yeast. Enzymes are proteins (chains of amino acids) which have the ability to lower the energy needed for a chemical chemical reaction which allows that reaction to occur faster and at lower temperatures. Most enzymes are very specific to the reaction they catalyze and work only with a specific substrate and produce only a specific product. In case of the beta amylase enzyme, for example, the substrate is a glucose chain and the product is maltose. The reaction that is catalyzed the the split of a glucose chain link while a molecule of water is consumed. The highly specific nature to the reaction that is catalyzes stems form the shape of the enzyme which is just right for reacting with the substrate and releasing the product and residual product shortly after. The enzyme itself is not consumed in the reaction. I.e. once free again it can catalyze another reaction.
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* [[Enzymes]]
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* [[Carbohydrates]]
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* [[Starch Conversion]]
  
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The article [[Enzymes]] explains the dynamics of enzymatic reactions. In particular how parameters like substrate concentration, enzyme concentration, pH, temperature and time affect the speed of the enzymatic reaction and the amount of product that is produced.
  
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The article [[Carbohydrates]] sheds some light on the largest group of substrate and products that is involved in mashing. It details the structure of simple and complex carbohydrates all the way to the structure of the starch granule.
  
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The article [[Starch Conversion]] explains in detail how in mashing the starch found in malt or mash tun adjuncts is converted into fermentable and unfermentable sugars. It covers the process of gelatinization and the enzymatic hydrolyzation of starch.
  
* what is an enzyme?
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[[Image:Work_in_progress.jpg]]
* structure of an enzyme
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* how does it work
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* temperature affects on enzymes
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* idealized model for enzymatic activity
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* optimum temperature vs. time
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* [http://www.rsc.org/education/teachers/learnnet/cfb/enzymes.htm]
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* Proteins
* [http://www.worthington-biochem.com/introbiochem/default.html]
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* Protein degradation
* [http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/biology/enztech/ph.html pH effects are reversible if pH shift is low]
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* other mash enzymes
* [http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/biology/enztech/temperature.html the effect of temperature on enzymes]
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=Starch=
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* where it is found
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* glucose and 1-4/1-6 branches
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* amylose
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* amylopectin
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* starch granule structure
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=Starch conversion=
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* gelatinization
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* active enzymes
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* emzyme temperature and pH optima
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* mash parameters affecting conversion
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=Proteins=
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* [http://www.rsc.org/education/teachers/learnnet/cfb/proteins.htm]
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=Other enzymes in mashing=
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=Sources=
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Latest revision as of 04:43, 8 March 2009


In mashing the milled grain (grist) is mixed with water to create the mash. It is an essential process in the production of beer and a continuation of the malting process on the way to sweet wort. During the mash already soluble malt compounds like enzymes, proteins and sugars are dissolved by the mash water and insoluble malt compounds like starch and some long chained proteins are converted into soluble compounds and also dissolved into the water. The latter happens through a combination of physical and biochemical process which can be controlled by the brewer to achieve a sweet wort of desired quality. The biochemical processes are catalyzed by various malt enzymes. Their function and behavior is dependent on the conditions in the mash (e.g. temperature, pH, concentration, etc.) and the brewer should be familiar with that behavior in order to control the quality of the sweet wort that is run off from the mash in the lautering process.

The article Enzymes explains the dynamics of enzymatic reactions. In particular how parameters like substrate concentration, enzyme concentration, pH, temperature and time affect the speed of the enzymatic reaction and the amount of product that is produced.

The article Carbohydrates sheds some light on the largest group of substrate and products that is involved in mashing. It details the structure of simple and complex carbohydrates all the way to the structure of the starch granule.

The article Starch Conversion explains in detail how in mashing the starch found in malt or mash tun adjuncts is converted into fermentable and unfermentable sugars. It covers the process of gelatinization and the enzymatic hydrolyzation of starch.

Work in progress.jpg

  • Proteins
  • Protein degradation
  • other mash enzymes