Why does my mash smell like pizza?

[Pennine]

I brewed up a dark mild yesterday and the milled malt and 20 min in the mash made the brewery smell like a pizzeria.

It had a local pale ale malt which smelled normal when used before, Simpsons med crystal which I have also used regularly before. The two I have not used recently are amber malt and roasted barley. Was I
just hungry or has anyone also experienced this?

I also condition the malt before milling.

 

[Agentgonzo]

I can't say I've ever noticed that. Maybe next door was cooking pizza at the same time?

 

[Clint]

Perhaps it was when you were ..doughing in..

 

[The Baron]

Hi Pennine the only time I have had a cheesy/pizza smell from mash is when the temp dropped below 50c which can cause Lactobacillus to start in the process.
I have also looked up this answer which I have taken from the tinterweb and may be of some help
Most likely the Lactobacillus bacteria naturally present in grain has produced isovaleric acid in the presence of oxygen. Your mash was likely on the way to souring

 

[MashBag]

Yup. What he said.
Especially if its a bit Parmesan/funky cheese sort of smell.

If you like sours, crack on. Else dump it and steam the beejeebers out of everything it touched.

 

[YeastFace]

Sure you're not making Mamma Mia! Pizza Beer?

 

[Pennine]

Hi Pennine the only time I have had a cheesy/pizza smell from mash is when the temp dropped below 50c which can cause Lactobacillus to start in the process.
I have also looked up this answer which I have taken from the tinterweb and may be of some help
Most likely the Lactobacillus bacteria naturally present in grain has produced isovaleric acid in the presence of oxygen. Your mash was likely on the way to souring

Interesting, I wonder with spraying the malt with water and letting it sit for 30 minutes before I milled it was enough time for this to happen?

It wasn't quite cheesy smelling but more like how pizza smells when it's cooked in a wood oven. It actually smelled quite good and the finished wort was fantastic too but definitely not pizza like.

Speaking of which I no chilled this batch I need to add the yeast....

 

[Sadfield]

I've heard about these Neapa's, or Neapolitan beers as they are more formally known.

 

[NormanHurst]

If you add your grain bill too quickly it can result in these sort of aromas.

It is known as the the Domino's Effect.






I've got my coat.

 

[H0PM0NSTER]

Showing my brewing lack of knowledge, but what's the benefit of spraying the malt with water before mashing?

 

[The Baron]

A quick lift
Malt conditioning is a very simple process which consists of adding a very small amount of water to your grain bill prior to milling. The addition of water to your un-crushed malt results in more resilient grain husks. The husks take on a more “leathery” feeling. They are less dry and brittle, which means that they will remain much more intact during the milling process.

Why would a brewer care to leave their grain husks more intact during the milling process? There are several reasons that would lead one to consider malt conditioning:

• Pulverized husks can lead to tanning astringency in beer
• Intact husks will create a more free flowing grain bed (fewer stuck sparges)
• You can crush finer to increase conversion efficiency without shredding husks

 

[An Ankoù]

I shouldn't worry about it, apart from general curiosity. I often leave a mash overnight and by the time I get back to it, it's pretty cool and the lactobacilli have definitelyy been having a field day. The pong disappears during the sparge and certainly doesnlt taint the wort and, at the end of the day, it's no different to adding a bit of acidulated malt to your grist.

 

[The Baron]

And wow does it pong like cheesy feet

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Most likely the Lactobacillus bacteria naturally present in grain has produced isovaleric acid in the presence of oxygen.

A bit of isovaleric acid in itself may not be a bad thing - it can form useful esters in its own right, and can also act synergistically to enhance the perception of fruity flavours per :
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._their_sensory_effect_on_hopped_beer_flavours
although isobutyric acid is better. Scott Janish has suggested using slightly cheesy old hops based on this logic.