Mashing Explained: Temperatures and Enzymes

Mashing is one of the most important steps in brewing. This is where you determine how sweet or dry, how full-bodied or light your beer will be.

What Happens During Mashing?

During mashing, enzymes in the malt are activated to convert starch into sugar. These enzymes are temperature-sensitive and work optimally in different temperature ranges.

The Key Enzymes

Beta-Amylase (60-65°C)

Beta-amylase produces maltose - a sugar that yeast can ferment well. The result:

Alpha-Amylase (68-72°C)

Alpha-amylase produces dextrins - longer sugar chains that yeast cannot ferment. The result:

Practical Mash Temperatures

TemperatureResultSuitable for

62-64°CVery dry, lightSession Ales, Pilsner
65-67°CBalancedMost beer styles
68-70°CFull-bodied, sweeterStouts, Bocks, Wheat
71-72°CVery full-bodiedSweet Stouts, Doppelbock

Single Infusion Mash

The simplest method is a single infusion mash at 66-68°C for 60 minutes. This temperature activates both enzymes and produces a balanced beer.

Step Mashing

For more control, you can combine different rests:

Tips for Perfect Mashing

Calculate your original gravity with our OG Calculator.

AI Tip: Create Mash Schedules Automatically

Don't want to figure out rests and temperatures yourself? Our AI recipe generator creates style-specific mash schedules automatically — with the right rests for your beer style. Also try our gravity calculator for grain bill calculations.