Mashing

Mashing is a work process in brewing beer, in wine-making and in the production of whiskey, grain, potato and fruit liqueurs and in the Tabasco sauce.

In general, to distinguish between a) a mash that converts the starch into sugar (original product: Cereal / Mälze or potatoes) and b ) of the fruit mash is fermented in the sugar into alcohol.

In case a) are different than raw starch-containing natural products such as cereals or potatoes. It must first be broken down into long-chain starch by yeast, short chain fragments, that is be sugar-coated. Since, in contrast to fruits such as bird - cherries, sour cherries, pears or apricots same time usually there is no fruit juice, water must be added, depending on the raw material quality. The mixture of liquid and starchy or sugary substance called mash. Specifically, the mashing is still divided into different phases to control the mashing process. In this case, time and temperature are varied. Is mashed in special mash vats in which to corrosion- free material, effective stirring ( fast / homogeneous), effective cooling (continuous / coolant requirement ), hygienically flawless execution and impeccable Schwaden-/Wrasenabzug is respected.

In case b) is also referred to as blended fruits mash is then prepared from those directly by fermentation of alcohol.

Potato mash

Potatoes are dampened with water first before mashing, to cleave the starch microbial enzymes ( Verzuckerungsstoffe ) or plant enzymes from malt are used. The classical length of fermentation the mash is 3 days ( fermentation onset ≈ 20 hours, primary fermentation ≈ 18 hours fermentation ≈ 30 hours) at temperatures between 20 and 36 ° C.

Mash of cereals

In the beer and whiskey production malted or unmalted grain is broken and mixed with water.

More information can be found in the main articles about brewing beer and whiskey.

Grape mash

In winemaking, the berries are freed with a Destemmer ( Rebel machines or de-stemmer ) from the stalk structure and crushed with nip rollers. This mixture of wine, grape skins and grape seeds is called mash.

For white wines the targeting of maceration is of particular importance in the quest for the production of typical varietal wines. By maceration certain substances are released that affect the sensors of the future wine. The life of the white grape mash is relatively short and lasts up to 24 hours. Since the 1980s, the mash for dry white wines is given specific attention. For this type of wine, the maceration was developed.

If, as requested in red wine vinification, a maceration, this mixture is allowed to stand. It begins to ferment and thereby dissolves phenols and tannins from the skins. Simple wines are made by two - to three-day maceration during fermentation. Some wines are also offered for some time on the skins.

In wine making, after Quevri method in kakhetian style mash fermentation plays a major role. The grapes are given together with the skins, seeds and stems in Quevris and kept long together. In this way, additional tannins and polyphenols are delivered to the wine, which thereby becomes very long and full-bodied. According to the state of archaeological finds, it is likely to be the expansion in kakhetian style is the oldest form of expansion in the world.

Fruit mash

The production of fruit brandies and cry the fruit is coarsely ground, the mash is made of fine pieces of fruit and the effluent must. This mixture is fermented and then fired.

The sugar is in the cells of the fruit which are held together by a cementing substance, the pectin. To speed up the fermentation process, you can make the cleavage of the pectin by the addition of enzyme (called gelling ). Especially pome fruit contains a lot of pectin, so these mashes are often very thick. During fermentation, the pectin is slowly degraded, so that the mash is thinner. For a better pumpability, faster and more complete fermentation, decreased ceiling education, better heat transfer and a lighter stirring mash different treatment materials can be effected.

To avoid errors in fermentation and flavor loss, the mash can be treated differently:

• In the focal mash are located next to the desired wild yeast and some unwanted. Thus, this does not prevail during fermentation, then one speaks of a spontaneous fermentation, is one of the must yeasts in the form of dry yeast, liquid yeast and compressed yeast to. For the propagation of the yeast cells is needed nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, and vitamins ( especially vitamin B1). These can be added together with Gärsalzen or yeast nutrients to the mash.
• In addition to the yeasts come from the fruit and thus in the mash numerous other microorganisms before that can spoil the mash. Although these are inhibited by the pressure developed during the fermentation alcohol in their growth, however, is the beginning of the fermentation it yet present in the mash. To ensure the inhibition of undesired bacteria and yet to adjust the optimum pH value for the added enzymes, acid is added. Addition of acid is therefore particularly at low acid fruits, such as apple variety Golden Delicious is recommended. The adjustment to pH 2.8 to 3 would be an ideal acid protection. The problem is that when an acid additive action of the enzyme is strongly inhibited at a pH below 3. When the fruit is clean and healthy, and the mash is distilled immediately after fermentation end, is sufficient to pH 3.2 to 3.5 in the mash. At this pH value, a sufficient enzyme activity is still given. If a longer mash bearing arrangement is required, it can still end in fermentation acid must be added to a pH of 2.8 is reached.
• To prevent fermentation and acetic acid to obtain the fruit flavors, anaerobic conditions must be present ( that is, to exclude oxygen). Thus, the mash is transferred to a closed bung fermenter.

Depending on the type of fruit does the fermentation of the mash 2 to 3 weeks. By subsequent firing, the resulting ethanol during fermentation, and the flavor and aroma carrier is recovered.