What mash temp for low abv beer?

[Mark Weusten]

How high mash temp would you go for a 3% hoppy pale ale? I was thinking 69C......

[andrei cotiga]

I cracked one open yesterday. It seriously lacks body and general maltiness. Next time I would probably work a little around the SO4/Cl ratio (say 2.5g of table salt). It resembles a cream ale minus the creaminess. Or like a commercial beer on steroids (hop). Not a bad beer considering it's just under 3.5% ABV. 

Changes for next time:

1. Mash higher at 69 for 30 min and then increase to 72 for another 30 then mash out at 75

2. Add some salt to make it maltier (table salt for Chch water) and get the SO4/Cl ratio to about 0.3.

3. Add some aromatic malt and remove some of the others. Belgian aromatic, biscuit or something with a bit more maltiness punch. It would actually be interesting to see what happens if I add about 0.5kg of the said malt.

[Mark Weusten]

I agree with changes 1 and 2. I think caramalt or victory certainly helps body and perceived maltiness.

[andrei cotiga]

Since it's a long weekend this weekend a great brewxperiment willl take place Sunday and Monday. I'll brew 4 batches of different malt combos all with S-04 and the same hopping schedule. I'll post the details in a new thread once I've got the recipe nailed. For now I've bought the malt:

60% Maris Otter + 40% Melanoidin

40% Maris Otter + 60% Melanoidin

50% Munich + 50% Medium Crystal

50% Munich + 25% Med Crystal + 25% Melanoidin

It will be very interesting to see which one is drinkable. Haven't set yet on the mashing temperatures not on the salts.

[Sam DT]

Looks like a good experiment, just be careful of your diastatic power, if your Munich is low L you might struggle to get it proper conversion

[Tom C]

That's a hell of a lot of Melanoidin. 

I've found using more than 10% gives an almost oxidised note to the finished beer.  Same for many of those 'maltiness' malts - Special B etc - they just seem to overdo it.

I'd back it off and use wheat (or if you like it, some Carapils) in place.

[andrei cotiga]

Too late. I've already got the malts. I guess we'll see. I'll approach it in a Darwinian way. The winner of the four will qualify for further experimentation.

[DMAC]

"Easy drop" from the grainfather website is mashed at 71c which you can find on their website under resources in the grain kid instructions. I've had this beer and it delicious though slightly higher abv at 4%