Thank you! I was going my alpha amylase in hopes for longer chain sugars for a higher FG, it just was not excessive than I had hoped. Just wondering if anyone thought it'd be too sweet. It actually turned out amazing!
For many homebrewers differences in mash temperatures don't always translate to the expected (FG) results. Some have mashed at 148F and at 154F finding either similar attenuation, or not as far apart as expected. Our relatively large process variations may have to take blame for that. I'm sure in a better controlled environment those differences are very real.
Now once one gets to the edges of enzyme activity and denaturing effects, the differences are much more pronounced. Overshoot by 2 degrees and you've got a dextrin soup, undershoot by 2 degrees and the wort becomes much more fermentable than attributable to a 2 degree difference somewhere in the middle range.
I brewed this Dark Oat Mild:
- 60' Mash, Temp 161°F
- Between 157 and 163 actually, hard to keep constant in (insulated) kettle
- OG 1.034
- FG 1.019 (WY1099)
Very drinkable, low alcohol (2.0%), not sweet and plenty of body and flavor to stand on her own.
The only problem was I didn't get any lasting foam, even under 30-40 psi with a 40' line. The foam was soda-like, big bubbles that dissipated fast.
I think the oils from the large load of Flaked Oats (16%) and Golden Naked Oats (8.5%) were the culprit there.
I'll be brewing this again soon.
Dextrins are not perceived as sweet, they're different than larger sugar molecules, such as maltotriose, which definitely tastes sweet.
There must be studies on dextrins, alone.
