Steeping & mashing speciality grains - flavour differences?

[GMH]

Hello folks.

Can’t quite find an answer to this: will steeping a roasted malt produce similar flavours to an AG recipe that uses the same grain in the mash?

As I currently understand it, when you steep a roasted/kilned grain you are mostly extracting flavours etc rather than fermentable sugars. If you were to mash them with something with ‘diastatic power' you would, however, extract something fermentable.

I am interested as I would like to ‘convert’ some of the AG recipes to extract as faithfully as I can (no room for proper AG yet…) and I’m unsure whether producing similar effects might mean altering quantities etc.

Thanks,
Dave

[sparky Paul]

Crystal, Chocolate, Black, Carapils and Roasted Barley are okay to use without mashing.

The process these grains go through has already converted any available starches into sugar, so they don't need mashing. Any of these are suitable for steeping - you don't have to specify any special type - just get crushed, and away you go.

I might be wrong, but once the grain is kilned, I don't think any further starches can be extracted. Crystal and Carapils certainly is dried at mashing temperature, which allows them to mash themselves and caramelised the sugars before being kilned.

[GMH]

Thanks Paul, but does that mean that the end flavours will be the same - for example, will 100g of steeped crystal have the same flavour characteristics as 100g that has gone through a mash?

Dave

[sparky Paul]

Thanks Paul, but does that mean that the end flavours will be the same - for example, will 100g of steeped crystal have the same flavour characteristics as 100g that has gone through a mash?

As far as I know, that's correct. I use these types of grains to spice up kit brews, and I was told that it doesn't matter if you throw these grains into a mash or steep separately - there are no starches for mash enzymes to convert, and steeping, or indeed boiling, extracts the sugars and flavours present. The usual method when making an extract brew is to throw all of the extract and grains in together, and boil the whole lot with the hops.

Some recipe books, such as GW's BYOBRA and Marc Ollosson's 'Real Ales for the Home Brewer', give instructions for extract equivalent brews where possible, and some interesting theory behind it. I would recommend both books for an extract brewer, there are lots of recipes which can be converted to extract once you see how it can be done.

[GMH]

Thanks very much for your help - time to get brewing...

[EoinMag]

As said, steeping grains don't need mashing, I do partial mashes and add the crystals etc to the grain bill with stuff that needs mashing, but it's only for convenience to prevent having another step. There is no difference in the end product and steeping when done right is practically the same as mashing anyway.

[Minimasher]

Sorry to go off on a tangent but Sparky Paul, I noticed your doing a Geordie Mild. How have you done it and is it any good? I look at the 8 quid can in Wilkinsons and am tempted (I love Dark Milds) but can't help thinking you get what you pay for. Would it benefit from spraymalt instead of sugar?

[EoinMag]

Sorry to go off on a tangent but Sparky Paul, I noticed your doing a Geordie Mild. How have you done it and is it any good? I look at the 8 quid can in Wilkinsons and am tempted (I love Dark Milds) but can't help thinking you get what you pay for. Would it benefit from spraymalt instead of sugar?

Almost every beer will benefit from spraymalt instead of sugar......absolutely.