MASHING

Grist is then mixed with hot water in the mashing machine which pours it into the mashtun, which capacity can be in excess of 25.000 litres. Three successive waters, with temperatures varying from 63 to 95°C, are used to produced a sugary liquid known as wort.

Those will be taken away at the end of the process and are excellent food for cattle.
The last water used for mashing will be directed to a tank and used as the third water of the next mashing. Wort will then travel through a heat exchanger to be cooled to about 20°C, to prevent yeast cells which will ferment it from being killed.
Traditional mashtuns may be enclosed by a copper dome so as to preserve heat which allow for a better extraction of sugars contained in the malt.

mashtun : cuve
wort : le mout
cattle : brassage
yeast cells : cellule de levure
copper dome : dome en cuivre