Mash Protocol 1: 100% Sorghum Malt Enzyme Mash
This protocol is staged. Each temperature move, enzyme addition, pH/mineral condition, stirring requirement, and hold has a job.
100% Sorghum Malt Enzyme Mash Protocol
| Step | Action | Target | Additions | Hold / endpoint | Move on when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set brewing water, mineral and pH plan, mash thickness, cooling/dilution plan, and records before grain-in. Verify the mixer is ready for continuous stirring. | Water-to-malt ratio: about 1.4 qt/lb working basis, with cooling/dilution water recorded separately. Mash pH target: 5.5 to 5.6. Calcium target: 100 to 150 ppm. Chloride and sulfate: keep low unless the beer design requires otherwise. | Brewing water. Mineral and acid adjustments, if used. | Water, pH/mineral plan, cooling/dilution water calculation, grain, rice hulls, enzymes, and records are staged. | Hot liquor is at 190 F (88 C), stirring is ready, and the cooling/dilution plan is recorded. |
| 2 | Mash in sorghum malt and rice hulls into hot liquor at 190 F (88 C). Add Termamyl SC DS at the beginning of mash-in. Stir continuously. | 190 F (88 C). | 100% sorghum malt. Rice hulls at 5% of sorghum malt weight. Termamyl SC DS at 2 mL/lb sorghum malt. | Hold 60 minutes with continuous stirring. | The 60 minute liquefaction hold is complete and the mash remains mixed, pumpable, and evenly heated. |
| 3 | Cool or dilute the mash into the conversion range according to the pre-calculated cooling/dilution plan. Add Ondea Pro and the second Termamyl SC DS addition. Keep stirring. | 145 F (63 C). | Ondea Pro at 1.5 mL/lb sorghum malt. Termamyl SC DS at 0.75 mL/lb sorghum malt. Calculated cooling/dilution water as needed to hit target. | Hold 45 minutes. | The 45 minute conversion hold is complete at the target range. |
| 4 | Hold at conversion temperature and add Amylase AG 300L. | 145 F (63 C). | Amylase AG 300L at 0.75 mL/lb sorghum malt. | Hold 10 minutes. | The 10 minute finishing enzyme hold is complete. |
| 5 | Raise the mash to mash-out while continuing to mix. | 176 F (80 C). | No new routine addition. | Hold 10 minutes. | Mash-out hold is complete and the mash is ready for wort separation. |
| 6 | Check iodine context, run off, and move wort to the boil. Record the sample point. | Final wort iodine negative. | No new routine addition. | Separate wort, track runoff and clarity, then boil. | Final wort is iodine negative, kettle transfer is complete, and batch records are filled in. |
Fermentable grist is 100% sorghum malt. Rice hulls are a process aid, not fermentable grist.
Calculate cooling/dilution water before mash-in. Record the water addition and final mash thickness after the mash reaches 145 F (63 C).
Dosing And Process Basis
| Item | Protocol value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sorghum malt basis | 100% sorghum malt | Dose enzymes per lb of sorghum malt. |
| Water-to-malt ratio | About 1.4 qt/lb working basis, with cooling/dilution water recorded separately | Record initial water, cooling/dilution water, and final mash thickness after the mash reaches 145 F (63 C). |
| Cooling/dilution water | Calculated separately before mash-in | Add only what is needed to reach 145 F (63 C); record added water and final mash thickness. |
| Rice hull basis | 5% of sorghum malt weight | Use as mash-structure support for runoff. Record actual weight and timing. |
| Termamyl SC DS initial dose basis | 2 mL/lb sorghum malt | Add at the beginning of the 190 F (88 C) liquefaction step. |
| Ondea Pro dose basis | 1.5 mL/lb sorghum malt | Add after cooling or dilution to 145 F (63 C). |
| Additional Termamyl SC DS dose basis | 0.75 mL/lb sorghum malt | Add with Ondea Pro at 145 F (63 C). |
| Amylase AG 300L dose basis | 0.75 mL/lb sorghum malt | Add during the 145 F (63 C) finishing enzyme step. |
| pH target | 5.5 to 5.6 | Measure and record actual pH by step. |
| Calcium target / mineral condition | 100 to 150 ppm calcium | Record mineral additions and measured water profile. |
| Chloride/sulfate note | Keep low unless the beer design requires otherwise | Track any additions because high levels can interfere with enzyme performance. |
| Stirring requirement | Continuous stirring through the mash | Prevent settling, uneven heat, poor hydration, and weak enzyme contact. |
Iodine And Conversion
Do not panic if an intermediate mash iodine check is still positive at the end of saccharification or mash-off.
Starch-degrading enzymes may continue working during wort separation. Final wort should be iodine negative.
Record sample point, time, temperature, and whether the sample was mash or wort.
Why The Hot Liquefaction Step Comes First
Sorghum malt needs an aggressive starch-access step before the rest of the enzyme work can succeed. Mashing into hot liquor at 190 F (88 C) opens and thins the mash while Termamyl SC DS works as the heat-tolerant liquefaction enzyme.
This step is also a physical handling step. A hot sorghum mash can thicken, clump, settle, or heat unevenly. Continuous stirring keeps water, grist, heat, and enzyme in contact so the mash becomes workable before conversion.
Why The Mash Moves Into Conversion Range
After hot liquefaction, the mash moves to 145 F (63 C) for conversion and fermentability work. The cooling/dilution water should already be calculated before mash-in, then recorded with the final mash thickness. Ondea Pro, the second Termamyl SC DS addition, and Amylase AG 300L are added in that lower-temperature work because the protocol has moved from opening starch to building useful wort.
The shift matters. Temperature, pH, mash thickness, stirring, enzyme dose, and timing all determine whether the wort becomes fermentable and repeatable.
What To Record
| Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Protocol revision used | Keeps trials comparable from batch to batch. |
| Sorghum malt lot | Malt lot changes can affect starch access, conversion, runoff, and flavor. |
| Crush profile | Sorghum needs enough opening for water and enzyme access without turning the bed into flour. |
| Water-to-malt ratio | Mash thickness affects heat movement, enzyme contact, stirring load, and runoff. |
| Rice hull use | Rice hull weight and timing affect bed structure and wort separation. |
| Actual pH by step | Enzyme performance depends on the real mash environment, not only the planned target. |
| Calcium / mineral additions | Mineral conditions affect enzyme performance and batch repeatability. |
| Chloride/sulfate if adjusted | These ions should be tracked when water is adjusted for enzyme performance. |
| Enzyme product, dose, and lot | Product identity, dose, and lot define the enzyme work being tested. |
| Addition timing | Adding the right product at the wrong step changes the mash result. |
| Actual temperature path | The protocol depends on hitting 190 F (88 C), 145 F (63 C), and 176 F (80 C) at the right times. |
| Actual hold times | Conversion and liquefaction need recorded time in range, not only planned time. |
| Stirring / mixing observations | Settling, clumping, vortexing, or dead zones can explain weak conversion or poor runoff. |
| Iodine checks | Sample point and result help separate mash conversion from final wort starch carryover. |
| Gravity | Gravity shows whether the protocol made useful wort. |
| Runoff behavior | Flow rate, compaction, and stuck-bed risk show whether the mash can separate. |
| Wort clarity / turbidity | Clarity and turbidity help distinguish conversion problems from separation problems. |
| Fermentation result | Attenuation, final gravity, and yeast performance show whether the wort profile worked. |
| Finished beer body and sensory notes | Enzyme choices can change body, dryness, mouthfeel, and balance. |
What Not To Copy Blindly
Do not swap enzyme products casually.
Do not change dose, pH, water ratio, or mash temperature without recording the change.
Do not treat this as a millet, rice, corn, or mixed-grist protocol.
Do not ignore crush, stirring, runoff, and final wort iodine result.