Mash Temp/ Sugars Question

[dan_rouse]

The question I have is whether wort from a cooler mash temp tastes less sweet than wort from warmer mash.

I made an IPA yesterday, and have been fighting a sweeter finish than I like on some of my pales. So I mashed at 148, instead of my standard 150-154. When tasting the wort, it seemed a lot less sweet than normal. But I had great conversion. So do the unfermentable sugars just taste sweeter? I also mashed for 90+ minutes, if that matters.

 

[Yooper]

The question I have is whether wort from a cooler mash temp tastes less sweet than wort from warmer mash.

I made an IPA yesterday, and have been fighting a sweeter finish than I like on some of my pales. So I mashed at 148, instead of my standard 150-154. When tasting the wort, it seemed a lot less sweet than normal. But I had great conversion. So do the unfermentable sugars just taste sweeter? I also mashed for 90+ minutes, if that matters.

I've never heard of the wort tasting sweeter or less sweet depending in mash temperatures. I mean, if you have an OG of 1.070, it's the same amount of sugars no matter what type they are.

But in the finish, an IPA with a mash temp of 148 will finish drier than one mashed at 154, all things else being equal.

Usually, if you want a drier finish in a beer, using less crystal malts and using a more attenuative yeast, as well as using some simple sugars will do the job regardless of mash temp to an extent. If that is done, and a drier finish is still desired, then the mash temperature can be lowered to favor beta amylase and give more simple sugars.

I hope that's helpful, and that I explained it ok.

 

[dan_rouse]

Very helpful. Thanks.

It is more of a curiosity to me, than anything else. When I tasted the wort, I assumed that my gravity was going to be really low, because it wasn't all that sweet. Then when I took the reading, it was at 1.075. Maybe I just needed to eat a cracker to cleanse my palate!

 

[Pratzie]

Palettes differ from person to person as far as sweet/sour/bitter/etc. Thats why tasting runnings isn't a good way to test conversion and people use iodine instead. Might just be ur tongue playing tricks on ya, or just ur perception.

Only other question is if u tasted right after mashing but before the addition of hop bitterness from the boil. Most IPA recipes call for higher bittering hops by nature, and conversly a higher malt presence that will bring some balance to the brew. Have u made this recipe before?

 

[dan_rouse]

Nope. But I've made several hoppy pales. Although this has a much simpler grain bill, with less crystal malts. Sorry if this comes twice. Stupid iPhone app froze.

 

[dan_rouse]

The IPA is done. It's really good, but there's something present than was definitely present in the Red Chair clone I brewed. Everyone that's tried it says it's great. But my wife (non-beer-drinker) tasted it and said it is sweet. It's not. It ended up at 1.010, or so.

I was using a recipe I found on this site for a Jade IPA. I subbed amarillo for the Jade, as it was the closest in profile that my home brew supply store carried. It had just under a pound of hops in a 10-gal batch, with six of that used for dry-hopping. So there are plenty of floral, fruit aromas going on that could give a perception of sweetness. But, for me, it's not that. It's more like the feeling in your mouth that you get when you drink a regular Coke, after having had only diet Coke for years. It kind of coats your throat. The only thing this beer has in common with the Red Chair clone with the same mouth/throat feel is that both have caramel/crystal malts. This one only has 2.2 lbs for a 10-gal batch.

I mashed at 148, and did a 90 minute boil. I used S-05 yeast, which is a departure from my norm (liquid with starter). I oxygenated with this handy thing that goes in the drill, and has wings that swivel out at the tip when it rotates. So I pretty much whip the stuff to introduce O2. I have no strange off flavors. Just that sweetness (perceived).

Any ideas? I will remake the recipe at some point in the near future, and will not use any crystal malts at all. I will also introduce some simple sugar as suggested. I will also change the yeast to a liquid yeast with a starter. Maybe WLP-001 California, as it's known for a clean finish.