Wednesday 11 June 2008

Munich method of decoction

I'm feeling revitalised. So much so that I've had the energy and drive to read brewing manuals rather than the football reports on the tram and bus today. Lucky you. It means I've already a second installment to my summer decoction series.

Today it's the turn of the Munich method. Again, taken from "Handbuch der Chemischen Technologie: Die Bierbrauerei" by Dr. Fr. Jul. Otto, published in 1865, pages 120 to 122.

For 100 pounds of malt, 800 pounds of water are used. [Not sure what sort of pounds. I would assume around 1 pound = 0.5 kg.]

Half to two-thirds of the water is cold and used to Einteigen. The rest is brought to the boil in the kettle. After Einteigen, the mash is left to rest for 3 or 4 hours. If warm water is used for Einteigen, the mash should not be left to rest.

When the water has boiled it is added to the mash. The temperature should rise to 30-37.5º C.

When this temperature has been reached, about a third of the thinner part of the mash is transferred to the kettle and boiled for 30 minutes. (Boiling the first Dickmeisch.)

The Dickmeisch is returned to the mash tun and mashed for 15 minutes, so that the thinner and thicker parts completely separate. The temperature should now be 45-50º C.

As soon as this is finished a third of the mash, again the thicker part, is transferred to the kettle and boiled for 30 minutes. (Second Dickmeisch.)

The second Dickmeisch is returned to the mash tun and mashed. The temperature should now be 60-62.5º C.

Now a portion of the thin mash is transferred to the kettle (enough to raise the temperature of the mash to 75º C when returned to the mash tun) and boiled for 15 minutes. (Lautermeisch.)

The Lautermeisch is returned to the mash tun and there's another round of mashing. The temperature should now be 75º C. The mash is left to rest for 90 minutes.

After the wort has been drawn off, more water is brought to the boil (30 - 60 pounds for 100 pounds of grain) and poured over the grains. The resulting wort is either added to the main wort or used to make Nachbier (Small Beer), which in Munich is called Scheps.


I think there's a mistake in the text I've quoted. For the first decoction it says "use the thin mash", but then for the second it says "use the thick mash again". For the last it says "this time use the thin mash". I suspect the first decoction should be of the thick mash.

Which method should I do next? Bamberg 1819 or Augsburg 1860's? Let's just see how the fancy takes me.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

*snigger* Dickmeisch *snigger*