The description for Infusion and Decoction Process in Tiantai Brewhouse



The description step by step separately for decoction and infusion are as below.
Usually, the whole brewery system should be able to produce different kinds of beers, including pilsner and ale type of beers.

For Pilsner, it is the typical three times decoction methods. It is better to choose 3 vessels (Mash Tun +Lauter Tun + Kettle/Whirlpool Tun, and How Water Tank)
(Or: Mash/kettle Tun + Lauter Tun+Whirlpool Tun, and How Water Tank).

The decoction steps are as follows:
1. The mashing temperature (feeding temperature) is 35-37℃ in mash tun.
2. Take part of mash into cooker. (we can use kettle boil as cooker) (mash= grain wort)
3. Heat the part of mash up to 70 ℃ in cooker. Maintain the temperature for 20min.
4. Heat the part of mash up to boiling 100℃. Maintain boiling for 30min.
5. Take the part of boiled mash back from cooker to mash tun, mix.
6. The temperature of mix mash in mash tun becomes 50-54℃.
7. Take the second time part of mash into cooker. The second part of mash temperature is 50-54℃ in cooker.
8. Heat the part of mash up to boiling 100℃ in cooker. Maintain boiling for 30min.
9. Take the second time part of boiled mash back to mash tun, mix.
10. The temperature of mix mash in mash tun becomes 63-70℃. Iodine reaction is complete.
11. Take the third time part of mash into cooker, the third part of mash temperature is 62-65℃ in cooker.
12. Heat the part of mash up to boiling 100℃ in cooker. Maintain the boiling for 10min.
13. Take the part of boiled mash back to mash tun again, mix.
14. The temperature of mix mash in mash tun becomes 76-78℃.
15. Mashing rest, start to lauter.
 
For ale type of beers, infusion method is common. Always there are 2 kinds of infusion.
For infusion method, both 3 vessels (MT+LT+KWT, HLT) and 2 vessels (MLT+KWT, HLT) are OK. 3 vessels is more efficiency.

The infusion steps are as follows:
First: constant temperature infusion:
1. The mashing temperature (feeding temperature) is about 65℃ in mash tun.
2. Pump the hot water into mash tun, mix the hot water and mash.
3. Heat the mash up to 78 ℃ in mash tun.
4. Mashing rest, start to lauter.

Second: step infusion:
1. The mashing temperature (feeding temperature) is about 30-35℃ in mash tun.
2. Heat the mash up to 50-55℃. Maintain temperature for 30-60min.
3. Heat the mash up to 65-68℃. Maintain temperature for 30-60min.
4. Heat the mash up to 76-78℃. Maintain temperature for 10min.
5. Mashing rest, start to lauter.

The compare between decoction and infusion:
1. Brewhouse structure: for decoction, 3 vessels (MT+LT+KWT, HLT) is good, for infusion, both 3 vessels (MT+LT+KWT, HLT) and 2 vessels (MLT+KWT, HLT) are OK.
2. Malt: for decoction, it has a lower demand of malt quality.  for infusion, it has a high demand of malt quality.
3. Operation: for decoction, longer mashing time. for infusion, shorter mashing time.
4. Wort: for decoction, wort constitution is more reasonable, more molecular products in protein and dextrin. for infusion, the wort has high sugar content, less molecular products in protein and dextrin.
5. Beer: for decoction, pilsner type. for infusion, ale type.