Mashing Is a Brewing Step Before It Is a Side Dish
To mash is to crush into a soft mass. In brewing the word names the stage that makes beer possible.
To mash is to crush something into a soft pulpy mass. In brewing, the *mash* is the stage where crushed malt is steeped in hot water so its enzymes convert starch into fermentable sugar. Temperature decides the outcome: a cooler mash yields more fermentable sugar and a drier beer, a warmer one leaves more body and sweetness. The word is Old English and related to *mix*, and *mash* for a horse's warm bran feed is the same word.
- To crush. *Mashed potato.*
- A brewing stage. *The mash tun.*
- Animal feed. *A bran mash.*
- Mash-up — a blend. *A mash-up.*
- Old English — *masc*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | mash | Mashing. |
| Noun | mash | Mash. |
| Past | mashed | Mashed. |
| Compound | mash tun | A mash tun. |
| Old English | masc | Mash. |
- Mash the potatoes.Cooking.
- The mash ran for an hour.Brewing.
- A warm bran mash.Horses.
Why mash temperature matters
- Two enzyme groups work at different temperatures
- Cooler mashing favours the enzyme producing simple sugars
- That yields a drier, stronger beer
- Warmer mashing leaves longer sugars the yeast cannot ferment
- Those give body and sweetness instead of alcohol
Old English *masc*, a mash for brewing, of Germanic origin, related to *mix*.
What is mashing in brewing?
Steeping crushed malt in hot water so its enzymes convert starch into fermentable sugar before boiling and fermentation.
Why does mash temperature change the beer?
Different enzymes work at different temperatures. Cooler mashing gives a drier stronger beer, warmer mashing more body and sweetness.