GrahamB8 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Im sure I can Google a wealth of conflicting knowledge from the far corners of the internet but I thought I would start here with the loyal Coopers brewing roadies since thats my bread and butter extract. Lets talk speciality grains, I recently add my first steep of speciality grains to an extract brew, it was choc malt to a stout, made perfect sense to me and I dont know why in two years of making beer I hadnt been doing it from the begaining....Now I want a variety stock pile [biggrin] So which grains work well with which brews, which grain (or combination of) do you add to your different styles? Is there a good website which profiles the more popular grains? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Here is a bit of info from Craft Brewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamB8 Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 They do have nice little descriptions but to read throught them, remember them then check if the local HBS has any of them is a tad much for my simple mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 I doubt you are going to get a great response to your question as it is too broad. It is like asking which foods do you put Pepper, Salt and Sugar on? There are too many options and the choice is really yours as to how much of which you want to include. The more experience you have using them then the more knowledgable you will obviously get. i.e. salt in your coffee... nah next time I'll try sugar. Having said the above we are all happy to help you where possible but you need to give us something like a recipe of which we could recommend a change and whether you take that recommendation is then entirely up to you of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Hey Graham, BillK is right in saying your's is too broad of a question but these answers are easy to come by if you ask specific recipe questions. For example Choc. malts are more suited to porters and Mazens,as roasted barley fits for a stout. Crystal malts work in every brew with varying amounts and degrees of colour. these add body, colour , Head retention, and to some extent sweetness to the brew. CaraPils is a trademark name for a Dextrin Malt which is light crystal specifically to add head retention and body. These are a few examples of spec. grains to play with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raider Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 When a recipe calls for "light crystal malt" would this be caramalt? I am looking to order a few different grains for steeping and am just getting a bit confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Raider, I'm not sure about Caramalt but i think it maybe a trade name for crystal malt. Crystal malt are usually classed in colour (light, medium, or dark), Levels of Lovibond (ei 20L, 40L, 80L...etc.) or by region (ie Caramunich, German light Crystal, English Crystal, etc.) Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 I think Caramalt may well be a trade name. It is a very light crystal around 20L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raider Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 The place I am looking at has: Caramalt Malt (Barett Burston) EBC 35-50 and Crystal Malt Pale (Thomas Fawcett) EBC 90-110 So I guess from the EBC there is a fair difference, do you think the Caramalt one would be a better all round malt to put in most ales? Thanks for your help again guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 The place I am looking at has: Caramalt Malt (Barett Burston) EBC 35-50 and Crystal Malt Pale (Thomas Fawcett) EBC 90-110 So I guess from the EBC there is a fair difference, do you think the Caramalt one would be a better all round malt to put in most ales? Thanks for your help again guys. Definitely for sure. I use CaraMalt as a staple for my AG. It goes in almost every Ale I do unless I am brewing outside the square. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raider Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 My milled specialty grains arrived today from CraftBrewer[biggrin] I have been trying to get some info on the best way to store these and how long they can be stored. Some people suggest putting it in air tight containers and into the freezer while other people say to just keep it in a cool dark area. So any suggestions as to what is best to do? The grains come in vacuum bags but once I open them they are obviosly pretty useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 None of my grains are frozen, all serving containers out of direct sunlight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 This link may answer some of your questions Graham. I posted this in another thread not able to find this one but alas [biggrin] Post #2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 My milled specialty grains arrived today from CraftBrewer[biggrin] I have been trying to get some info on the best way to store these and how long they can be stored. Some people suggest putting it in air tight containers and into the freezer while other people say to just keep it in a cool dark area. So any suggestions as to what is best to do? The grains come in vacuum bags but once I open them they are obviosly pretty useless. All my grain is stored in garbage bins. I'd be pushing crap up hill trying to store over 250kg grain in the freezer, obviously not enough room [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien E1 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 My milled specialty grains arrived today from CraftBrewer[biggrin] I have been trying to get some info on the best way to store these and how long they can be stored. Some people suggest putting it in air tight containers and into the freezer while other people say to just keep it in a cool dark area. So any suggestions as to what is best to do? The grains come in vacuum bags but once I open them they are obviosly pretty useless. All my grain is stored in garbage bins. I'd be pushing crap up hill trying to store over 250kg grain in the freezer, obviously not enough room [biggrin] 250 kg on hand! Sure you're not planning on setting up a full time microbrewery Bill?[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrendanS8 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 How long is grain good for? I've got grain left over from previous brews thats been sitting around for over 6 months sitting in a drawer, in a bag with a peg holding the bag shut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 How long is grain good for? Well, some years back, people (allegedly) came up with a limited release beer based on ancient grain found in Egyptian monuments of some sort, but that was probably a special case sprinkled with equal doses of hype and BS. Oxygen is your enemy here. If you examine the methods used by the folks with an interest in preserving grain for the long term, (mormons, FEMA, US county extension people, end-of-the-world crazies etc.), most revolve around displacing oxygen in a good quality food-grade container, such as wrapping a piece of dry ice in paper towel or similar at the bottom of a polyethylene bucket and allowing it to sublimate until the bucket and its contents are full/overflowing with CO2. Luckily, many brewers who keg their product have access to a much easier to handle source of CO2 in the bottle form, and can use that to purge containers of oxygen. In fact, it's not so crazy to even consider using a keg as the ideal storage vessel for grain, with that nice dip tube to the bottom and release valve at the top, if the person didn't mind the cost and wanted the ultimate in storage duration. For everyone else, reducing, displacing or sealing out that oxygen is key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Or just brew faster [lol] I buy no more than i can brew in about 2-3 months, but like bill i mill my own grain and it will keep longer. Fresh ingredients will always make a superior beer to that of long term storage ingredients. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raider Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 So maybe next time I would be better off getting the grain un-milled and just bashing it with a rolling pin when I need it so that it will stay fresher longer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 My milled specialty grains arrived today from CraftBrewer[biggrin] I have been trying to get some info on the best way to store these and how long they can be stored. Some people suggest putting it in air tight containers and into the freezer while other people say to just keep it in a cool dark area. So any suggestions as to what is best to do? The grains come in vacuum bags but once I open them they are obviosly pretty useless. All my grain is stored in garbage bins. I'd be pushing crap up hill trying to store over 250kg grain in the freezer, obviously not enough room [biggrin] 250 kg on hand! Sure you're not planning on setting up a full time microbrewery Bill?[biggrin] Well TBH I am waiting to finalise a bulk buy at the moment to top up my supplies. I should actually then have only 220kg and about 7.5kg hops: 50kg JW Traditional Ale 15kg BB Ale 25kg BB Pilsner 20kg Bairds Perle 25kg TF MO 18kg CaraMalt 12kg CaraAmber 12kg CaraPils 8kg Munich 8kg Vienna 8kg Victory 10kg Choc 8kg Wheat 1kg Black patent Hops: Challenger perle Centennial Cascade Galaxy CZ Saaz Nelson Sauvin Amarillo EKG POR I should be right for a little while now [cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 So maybe next time I would be better off getting the grain un-milled and just bashing it with a rolling pin when I need it so that it will stay fresher longer? Yes Raider, if only using up to 1/2 kg of specialty grain just buy it not cracked and do it yourself with a rolling pin or mortar and pestel when you need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 naturally all those items listed were half of what you actually want, you just cant fit them in with all the shoes? [lol] [roll] [bandit] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Yeah you obviously have a good memory Jesse... bloody women and their shoes!!!... argh you started me off again.... not only has she got a million pairs for my daughter, my 22mth old son would have about 10-12 pairs and increasing now too. [pinched] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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