Enough Diastatic Power for Conversion?

My spreadsheet says that grain bill would yield about 31 degrees Lintner, which I would consider to be 'marginal.' Given time though, it will get the job done.

 

Vienna has enough enzyme power to convert itself but it will take longer. I've only used it at a 50% ratio with pale base malt before. How long are you planning to mash? Maybe just try 90 minutes instead of 60.

 

M.O. has about the same DP as Vienna. Possibly less. I use 50 Deg L for Vienna and 45 Deg L for M.O.
Though I would welcome better average DP data for both malts if someone has it.

 

I've seen that page (with 120), but I think it's a typo. Everything I've seen that appears to be derived from malt analysis is in the 45-60 range. Of course it would vary from maltster to maltster due to kilning differences, but the basic grain is the same, and should be the major driver with any pale malt. What I'm saying is... I can't prove that TF M.O. doesn't have 120 Deg L, but I highly doubt it.

 

Yes, a thinner mash (within reason) should result in more efficient conversion.

 

Any reason you can't spend a couple bucks on Alpha Amylase powder and call it good?

 

Hmm. I have been thinking of MO in the 70 degrees Linter ballpark (like other Pale Ale malts), so have been doing some googling and most of the info I've been seeing says less. The beersmith website did list it at 120 in a blog entry (http://beersmith.com/blog/2010/01/04/diastatic-power-and-mashing-your-beer/). And check this out: http://listermannbrewing.com/product/muntons-maris-otter-55-lb/

There's a lot of variety in this variety. Does it relate to the lighter kilning, I wonder, of the muntons? Or is there just a lot of misinformation out there?

 

You could. Adding Alpha Amylase (and no Beta Amylase) would get you a faster conversion, but probably a less fermentable wort, unless you allow extra time for the limited Beta Amylase to work.

 

I think there's a lot of misinformation. One of your links shows Munton's MO at 149L Deg L. But here's a guy who says he got the specs from Munton's, at 62 Deg L...
http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2453

Edit: forgot to mention...the reason I would tend to believe the guy at the last link is that he/Munton's contacts gave the diastatic power in both Lintner and WK units. And the values are consistent with each other. Reduces the chance of a typo.

 

Throw some wheat malt in there, that will help.

 

One thing I've been doing with oats as of late is using Thomas Fawcett Oat Malt in place of flaked oats. It is my understanding that this comes with enough DP to convert itself and probably a bit more, although I must confess to not finding a link to back me up on that. It seems to me that Drewbage had a Zymurgy article about oat malt several years ago and I am basing my understanding of the it's ability to convert off my memory of the article.

In fact, now that I am reassessing my understanding of Maris Otter's DP, I am glad that the box coming from Midwest Supplies ("wait for it...") has TF Oat Malt in it for the dark oatmeal mild I am hoping to make on Friday or Saturday ("wait for it...")

 

There is a different metric used in Europe, WK as Vikeman pointed out. Beware of high numbers for Euro Pale malt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degree_Lintner

 

There are different malts, with different Lintner ratings.

If we are talking Vienna, thi looks right for Euro Vienna. Something around 50 (to 60 +on the web).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mash_ingredients

Then there is Briess Vienna from NA 6 row, listed as 130 Lintner. Was probably 120 a few years back.

http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Assets/PDFs/Briess_PISB_ViennaMalt.pdf

Then thre is the new one from 2 row at 80.
http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Products/Base.htm#Goldpils

It is always good to have a malt analysis for the grain you have