Decoction Mash

[DannyW]

... I've taken so much crap when I alluded to them...

Don't let the haters get you down, man! Momilies die hard sometimes.

I'm starting to wonder how many historical brewing techniques and ingredients that some people hold so dear are just perpetuating flaws and compromises that came to be back before they had the tools and the science to make the beer they really wanted to make in the first place.

Likewise, how many techniques (fly sparging, maybe decocting) are based in commercial brewing's need for the last degree of efficiency, which has almost no place in homebrewing. We can afford to brew purely for quality and forget about the yield per lb and such.

[Denny]

I've actually gotten quite a bit of data from pro brewers who wonder about the effects of decoction...including a prof. at Weihenstephan! John Palmer has graciously agreed to review my techniques and data and help me put together the articel, so I'm gonna get back to it sometime this winter.

[Kaiser]

Danny,

This certainly is very appreciated and I encurage this effort. I never wanted to be understood as giving you crap as I was simply interested in reviewing your data. And it certainly encurages me to do some more research on my own.

DannyW,

Likewise, how many techniques (fly sparging, maybe decocting) are based in commercial brewing's need for the last degree of efficiency, which has almost no place in homebrewing. We can afford to brew purely for quality and forget about the yield per lb and such.

Decoction mashing is actually less cost effective for a brewery these days due to higher malt modification and higher engergy prices. But still many (even big breweries) hold on to at least one decoctcion. If this is pure tradtion or necessary for flavor seems to be unclear based on Danny's earlier comment.

Kai