Brewing process-Mashing

Mashing converts the starches relesed during the malting stage into sugars that can be fermented.
The milled grain is mixed with hot water in a large vessel known as a mash tun. In this vessel, the grain and water are mixed together to create a cereal mash.
During the mash, naturally occuring enzymes present in the malt convert the starches in the grain into smaller molecules or simple sugars.
The result of the mashing process is a sugar rich liquid or wort, which is then strained through the bottom of the mash tun in a process know as lautering.
Prior to lautering, the mash temperature may be raised to about 75℃ to deactivate enzymes.
Additional water may be sprinkled on the grains to extract additional sugars.(a process known as sparging)
 
Mashing usually takes 1-2 hours, there are two main methods-infusion mashing, in which the grains are heated in one vessel; and decoction mashing,
in which a proportion of the grains are boiled and then returned to the mash, rasing the temperature.
Mashing involves pauses at certain temperatures and take place in a mash tun, an insulated brewing vessel with a false bottom.
The end product of mashing is called a “mash”.