I'm planning for my next batch of beer which will be a SMASH beer consisting of Munich malt of 16-20 EBC and Saaz hops. I'm wondering if using a malt such as this on its own will require some special steps during the mashing stage and if I can expect to run into any problems (and if there are solutions to those problems). On the producer's website they write: "The decreased enzyme activities have to be taken into consideration when designing the brewing recipe." I guess this means that there is a risk of unconverted starches remaining in the wort and fermenting beer unless steps are taken to mitigate this. With a Munich malt such as this of 16-20 EBC, is it merely a question of extra time to allow for enough conversion to take place or is it necessary to work with different temperatures somehow? So far I've only attempted a single-temperature mash using pilsner malt, so I'm wondering if I need to change this technique for this batch, or if I really don't have anything to worry about?
The flavor of lower color or “standard” Munich malt is malty with a slight toasty edge. This toasty edge increases with color, becoming the dominant flavor in the high-color Munichs. The low-color Munichs have enough enzymatic power to convert themselves, but above 15° Lovibond, Munich starts to lose enzymes at a rapid pace, so it must be used in conjunction with two-row (which you’d usually do anyway). Munich malts are well modified and require no special attention during the mash. http://byo.com/mead/item/710-grain-on-the-brain
Thanks for the link, alot of interesting information in it. The lovibond to ebc conversion formula has had me stumped however. Thanks. That's good to hear. I've found some different charts for lovibond-ebc conversions but they seem to deviate a bit from each other as it pertains that upper limit of 15 lovibond and its corresponding ebc value. It would be interesting to know that value and test the limits of brewing with a high ebc malt in a smash beer. One thing that I want to find out through brewing this batch of beer is what type of color I'll be getting out of this particular malt at 16-20 EBC and, by way of future batches, how dark of a beer I can get out of a single malt which still can be used on its own. I was going to go with a darker Belgian Munich malt but decided to start with this one since the website recommended that only 60% of the Belgian malt be used in a grist. That particular malt was said to be 22-27 EBC which according to some charts ought to be no more than 13 Lovibond (at the maximum 27 EBC).
If I was to brew an all Munich SMASH it would probably be with the lightest continental Munich I could find (6.5L I think)
One can brew an all dark Munich beer, be prepared to do a 90 mash for a fermentable wort, step mashes may help. Once the RBC/Lovibond is too dark, you need to get 20% or more Pils malt to add enzymes.
I once did an dunkelweizen that was pretty much all weyermann dark wheat (6-8 lovibond)/dark munich(8-10 lovibond) with a touch of chocolate wheat for color. I took forever to convert with a single infusion. I'd say that whenever you're using the darker base malts as the bulk of a grist, either be patient for a single infusion (and do an iodine test!), or look into decoction.
