Overnight decoction mash - faux lager with Ubbe Kveik

[Davidman]

What are people’s opinions on doing a decoction mash and leaving the last infusion overnight?

I’ve done single infusion mashes overnight with a lot of success - always ends up fermenting a bit drier, so mashing pretty high usually works.

Basically I’m brewing a prototype for a lager type thing that I’m brewing next year for my sister’s wedding. I’m aiming for somewhere between a classic Czech Pilsner (Urquell etc..) and a more hoppy pale NZ lager using Motueka and Saaz. Keeping it simple grain wise - mainly pilsner, a bit of carapils and s tiny bit of acid malt.

The twist is I’m using WHC Ubbe Kveik, which apparently has all the characteristics of a lager yeast. (I think it’s the same as bootleg Oslo). I’ve read it doesn’t ferment as dry as some actual lager strains so maybe the extended mash might be beneficial?

Anyway. I’ve never done a decoction so interested to hear opinions and whether it’s worth it.

[Jocky]

I've done a few decoctions. They just add some kind of mouthfeel or something that's quite difficult to define. There's many ways of achieving one too, with the least intensive being a quick and slightly thin decoction at the end of the mash once conversion is all done.

Having said that, the change is subtle. You need to have a very good beer in the first place to really enhance it. I'd say that you should make the base beer and try it without decoction - if it's good then come back and make it again with some decocting.