Mashing

In mashing, crushed malt is mixed with water and heated in stages. The enzymes contained in the malt break down starch into fermentable sugar and other soluble substances. The mixture is called mash.

The temperatures of the individual rests influence how much fermentable sugar is formed, and thus body and alcohol of the finished beer. After mashing, lautering separates the liquid wort from the solid residue, the spent grain. Spent grain is a valuable animal feed. The wort is then boiled with hops. Alongside fermentation and maturation, mashing is one of the most important steps in brewing.