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Author Topic: Is there really only so much aroma?  (Read 2863 times)

Online BrewBama

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Re: Is there really only so much aroma?
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2018, 12:17:37 pm »
I incorporated a few low O2 steps in a German Pils yesterday - conditioning the malt and crushing it right before mash in, pre-boiling all the liquor (mash and sparge), adding camden tablet, pumping the strike water under the false bottom into the mash tun with minimal stirring, recirculating through 3 temp steps (148F, 160F, 170F) and even adding some CO2 to the bottom of the boil kettle at the start of the sparge. 
No malt aroma escaped my brewery.  We'll see if the beer has more malt flavor than my regular method.

Sounds like a good brew day.


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Offline jeffy

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Re: Is there really only so much aroma?
« Reply #16 on: July 23, 2018, 01:24:48 pm »
I incorporated a few low O2 steps in a German Pils yesterday - conditioning the malt and crushing it right before mash in, pre-boiling all the liquor (mash and sparge), adding camden tablet, pumping the strike water under the false bottom into the mash tun with minimal stirring, recirculating through 3 temp steps (148F, 160F, 170F) and even adding some CO2 to the bottom of the boil kettle at the start of the sparge. 
No malt aroma escaped my brewery.  We'll see if the beer has more malt flavor than my regular method.

Sounds like a good brew day.


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It was a bit longer than my normal brew day.  I forgot to mention the low intensity boil.
I also had to repair the house A/C, which had stopped draining water outside and filled the pan in the attic until the float switch tripped.
And I smoked some ribs.
And we went out for drinks late afternoon.
So it was a full day.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Is there really only so much aroma?
« Reply #17 on: July 23, 2018, 01:58:11 pm »
I have to say that I don't know how much any one of the strike water preboil with mash water adjustments and mash process steps aids in the flavor profile, but I certainly believe that the combined processes have improved the flavor profile in the end for my paler beers.  I was simply commenting that the aromatics are not escaping during the mash in a very perceptible way.  I have applied the same techniques to other styles with a little less significant improvement to my palate, but improvement in any event.  There are adjustments that arise with the process, such as lighter colored wort that I perceive to be a result of lower oxygen intrusion pre-boil and gentler boiling.  Again, I cannot quantify the differences, because I have not done side by side blind triangle tests on these things - I could be biased and I readily admit that, but for my money, I am going with the preservationists on this one.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Online BrewBama

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Re: Is there really only so much aroma?
« Reply #18 on: July 23, 2018, 03:42:54 pm »
I incorporated a few low O2 steps in a German Pils yesterday - conditioning the malt and crushing it right before mash in, pre-boiling all the liquor (mash and sparge), adding camden tablet, pumping the strike water under the false bottom into the mash tun with minimal stirring, recirculating through 3 temp steps (148F, 160F, 170F) and even adding some CO2 to the bottom of the boil kettle at the start of the sparge. 
No malt aroma escaped my brewery.  We'll see if the beer has more malt flavor than my regular method.

Sounds like a good brew day.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
It was a bit longer than my normal brew day.  I forgot to mention the low intensity boil.
I also had to repair the house A/C, which had stopped draining water outside and filled the pan in the attic until the float switch tripped.
And I smoked some ribs.
And we went out for drinks late afternoon.
So it was a full day.

I think anytime I add a procedure in my routine I add an hour until it becomes fully incorporated.  I brew less these days (about once a month) so I like to take my time and enjoy the process.

You sound like me brewing and BBQing at the same time.  I position the cooker thermometer where I can see it from the brewery (aka laundry room) window.  My cooker is seasoned well so it requires only one or two adjustments for energizer bunny-style marathon cooks.  It is about as set it and forget it as a naturally aspirated charcoal cooker can be I guess.

...and naturally there has to be a house crisis thrown in as a stress reducer. LOL


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Offline leejoreilly

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Re: Is there really only so much aroma?
« Reply #19 on: July 24, 2018, 06:22:48 am »
It seems to me that there are three places that aroma can manifest itself; in the wort, in the air, and in the spent grain. After all, spent grain does have SOME aroma and flavor, unless you sparge for days on end. So, decreasing the aroma in the air doesn't NECESSARILY increase the aroma/flavor in the wort; more may just remain in the spent grain. Maybe.