Does anyone employ a step mash in a NEIPA? Is there any benefit?
I brew one hazy IPA a year for my daughter’s birthday party because that’s what dads who come and know I brew beer want to drink. I don’t love the style, but I try to brew it well. I brew in a 240v Anvil Foundry now, with the same pump I always used in my old DIY “Frankenstein” system.
I don’t need to hear advice on O2 scrubbing, as I am already aware of all I can and can’t do to remove O2 from the brew. I still choose to use the pump to recirculate, despite the O2 pickup (the beer gets consumed in one day or at least within 2 weeks, FWIW.
But since it is easy for me to run a step mash with the Foundry, I often opt to run a 145-158-168F mash with this setup for beers that I would usually have just run at 152F for 60 mins with no mashout in my older system. I don’t always see a benefit, but just enjoy that I can do it, and haven’t made a bad beer doing this. However, I know with Hazies sometimes get mashed very high (156 to 160F) to maximize body without employing crystal malts. Is there a downside to employing a 30-45 min rest at 145/146F? Is there a downside to adding dextrose to bump up ABV a bit? I also see sugar in a lot of hazy recipes out there, so it seems like that’s okay, but since I brew and drink these infrequently, I’m curious what the consensus is.