Darkening Beers Through Extended Boiling

Yes, either more Vienna or a lesser amount of Munich instead. Or I could try Carafa III (unhusked).

 

OK, I'll stick to Vienna or Munich. I personally have never enjoyed any type of highly roasted malt. I'm extremely sensitive to it and even a very little amount seems to 'grit' heavily on my palate.

 

Except for the amount of kilning, there's not a whole lot of difference between Vienna and Munich. The main difference, other than color and a roastier taste, is that because of the heat, Munich malt no longer has any active enzymes. It looks like it would take a lot of Vienna to achieve a significant difference in color, so I might try one of the lighter Munichs instead.

 

I wonder how that works, when the malt is heated to 212 F? I thought enzyme activity stopped at about 170 F, one of the reasons that sparging water should be heated to that temperature?

 

I found the following at:

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/using_munich_malt

"Enzyme activity: Despite the fact that Munich malt is kilned off at around 212 °F, the long, gradual process that leads up to this temperature is the key to Munich malt’s enzymatic profile. A typical pils malt may have a diastatic power (rating of enzyme activity — the higher the number the more the enzymes) of 105 degrees Lintner (dL); Munich malt is usually around 50 dL. This diastatic power rating may seem small relative to pils malt, but it is plenty to convert the starch present in the malt. It may be insufficient to convert a significant amount of starch from adjuncts, but a typical beer made with Munich malts would not normally use a high quantity of adjuncts but would instead use standard malts of high enzymatic power".

 

I agree - the explanation does not seem logical. Why should enzymes care whether they're being roasted fast or slow? Unless it's like the famous frog experiment where the frog would jump out of water heated rapidly, and stay in much longer when heated gradually.

The following provides a little more detail about the process, and seems to suggest that, as long as the grain is relatively dry, much of the enzymes are preserved. The temperature is raised to a temperature below 170 F (actually about 160 F) until the grain is mostly dry. Then it is raised to about 230 F to for a final quick curing, retaining enzymatic power.:

"Unlike other aromatic malts—such as caramel, chocolate, and roasted—Munich and Vienna malts are kilned gently at perhaps 50°C to 70°C (roughly 120°F to 160°F) until the moisture content has dropped to 10% to 20% to preserve much of their starch-reducing diastatic enzymes. Any remaining moisture is then quickly driven off during a quick final curing at approximately 110°C (230°F). This initiates the melanoidin-producing Maillard reaction. Melanoidins give beer malty-sweet aromas and deep color. The retention of enzymatic power is important, because this allows Munich malt to be used as a base malt, where it can lend deep malt flavors to beers styles such as märzen".

https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/mkURPnjPOf/

 

In addition, some people (myself included) allow the portion of mash that is to be decocted, to rest at conversion temperature for about 15 minutes or so before raising it to boiling temperature. That allows some conversion of that portion to occur before the enzymes are denatured.

 

Sorry for being a little off-topic. I was just wondering at the name you use ("Paulaner") - is that meant to refer to the Paulaner line of lagers? If so do you happen to have a recipe for Paulaner Premium Pils? I've had some of the other beers that Paulaner makes and I found them to be quite good. I've never been able to obtain a bottle of their Premium Pils, which I would really like to try one day.