SC - Fermentation temperatures

[Nick Sasso]

 Njs at mccalla.com
> writes:
> 
> << Even wonder what they used for timing and
>  thermometers in the brewing; afterall, yeast is VERY temperature
>  sensitive.

<SNIP>

> As any lady with a child can tell you , you should use the inner wrist.
>Simply  drop a few drops of the solution on this area and you will
>immediately know if  it is too hot or cold. :-)
> Ras
********Adamantius wrote:
The brewing recipes in Markham's "The English Housewife" (c. 1615,
but republished earlier material) include fairly specific instructions for
an English-ale-style infusion mash. You add enough boiling water, in
small increments, like, say, a ladel-full at a time....
<SNIP>.........this also accounts for the fact that the type of starch
conversion to dextrins, which normally happens _after_ the conversion
to fermentables when using modern step-mash methods, is called the
aplha conversion, and not the beta conversion.

<SNIP>

Adamantius,

You are right on for what I know of modern techniques.  The alpha and
beta mash rests also refer to the alpha-amalayse and beta-amalayse
enzymes we now know of.  They work in different effective heat
ranges.  The high heat destroys one as the other kicks in.  They convert
different sugars at different efficiencies.  I suspect that your account
may also explain the names of these little critters.

Decoction adn step mashing are all very carefullt controlled and
delineated in modern manuals, but the true masters of our craft (those
brewers in the middle ages)did it with little machinery/technology and
did so regularly.  Anheuser-Busch is such a media created monster
after all is said and done!!

niccolo difrancesco
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