Cold steep or late in the mash?

[Brewnaldo]

For your dark grains, in a stout or porter which do you prefer any why?

I will be doing one or the other for a big stout soon, I have ordered the roasted grains and dark crystal seperately from the base grain so that I can have a go at getting a smoother flavour.

Lets see what the consensus is and why?

 

[Stevieboy]

In the mash, 1 less pot to wash up.

 

[Alastair70]

In the mash. I've had good results with Wayermann Carafa Special which are de-husked to reduce astringency.

 

[Brewnaldo]

In the mash, 1 less pot to wash up.

Solid logic, especially as its a stretched brewday already, mashing 2 lots of base grain....

In the mash. I've had good results with Wayermann Carafa Special which are de-husked to reduce astringency.

How long? 20 mins enough? Its a mix of chocolate malt, carafe special 3, and dark crystal.

 

[Stevieboy]

For my Stevieboy's Stout, it all goes in at the start - but I must admit that the mouth feel is a tad grainy. Tastes amazing though!

 

[MrRook]

For your dark grains, in a stout or porter which do you prefer any why?

I will be doing one or the other for a big stout soon, I have ordered the roasted grains and dark crystal seperately from the base grain so that I can have a go at getting a smoother flavour.

Lets see what the consensus is and why?

It has to partly depend on which dark grain you're using. Some have an overall smoother flavor.

 

[Alastair70]

How long? 20 mins enough? Its a mix of chocolate malt, carafe special 3, and dark crystal.

I mashed for the full 60 minutes without picking up an ashy aftertaste or any excess astringency. I was using the Get'er'Brewed recipe creator at the time so there was no option to do anything else.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I mash dark crystal for 30-40 minutes and the chocolate/roasted grains for 10-20.

 

[Brewnaldo]

I mashed for the full 60 minutes without picking up an ashy aftertaste or any excess astringency. I was using the Get'er'Brewed recipe creator at the time so there was no option to do anything else.

Yeah iv always been the same... I just worked out that its no bother to make up 2 separate recipe kits in the same order, so I did that with the darker gear basocally its own recipe

I mash dark crystal for 30-40 minutes and the chocolate/roasted grains for 10-20.

Ok, the dark crystal is in with the roasted stuff so I might split the difference and go half an hour. My precious mash for 1 hour altogether stouts havent been bad so I think half an hour certainly cant hurt.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

That will be fine. We’re talking about fine tuning to get the best out of your ingredients rather than the difference between a good beer and a ruined beer.

 

[Brewnaldo]

That will be fine. We’re talking about fine tuning to get the best out of your ingredients rather than the difference between a good beer and a ruined beer.

Yeah, my tonka stout I felt had a slight astringency to it, at least my taste but it wasnt bad or anything, then my Irish Dry was better in that regard but like you say, its just about trying to tweak it to see whats best. I dont think cold steeping would see the best use of the crystal. Im trying to get some dark caramel/toffee type flavour in the background.

I think im looking at around 9% abv though so I imagine it will be able to take quite a big hit of roastiness.

 

[Sadfield]

Straight into the start of the mash, then First Wort bittering addition with something smooth like Pacific Jade to avoid any harshness. Appropriate water treatment with a healthy amount of sodium and chloride.

 

[foxy]

Three ways to do it, you aren't looking for extra sugars from the non fermentables. Cold steep overnight, Hot steep for 20 mins at 77C or last 20 minutes of mash (mash out 77 C) whichever one will eliminate any chance of astringency from the roasted grain and not mess with the gravity figures.
A no brainer really just to perform a mash out and add them then.
https://www.guinness.com/en/our-craft/art-of-brewing-guinness/

 

[Irishwizard]

Agree with our ozzy member - me - I cold steep overnight

 

[Brewnaldo]

Now as regards pH adjustment, for a stout I generally have to add bicarb.... Wpuld I do the same as ever for a late mash addition?

 

[foxy]

Now as regards pH adjustment, for a stout I generally have to add bicarb.... Wpuld I do the same as ever for a late mash addition?

No for your pH you are only mashing the base malt so just use that. Brewers Friend you can work it out easily. Just plug in the non fermentables as late addition, then tick the Late Mash box.

 

[RockTKaz]

Last stout I added the dark grains for the last 10 mins of the mash, whilst the stout is nice and light I felt it lacked a bit of the roastness, I think I’ll do 20 mins next time