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Author Topic: Roasted Barley dilema  (Read 1438 times)

Offline soymateofeo

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Roasted Barley dilema
« on: December 25, 2017, 09:23:38 am »
I've been brewing for over 15 years but have yet to make a stout. So I took my grain bucket down to the homebrew shop with a buddy and he gives me the following recipe:
7 lbs 2 row
2 lbs munich
.5 lbs chocolate
.25 lbs crystal 120
1 lb roasted barley (595 lov)
.25 lbs of special B.

 What are your comments on the roasted barley?
Here are my concerns.
 I didn't realize that the roast was so dark. I've only used around 325 lov roasted barley and am concerned that this will come out super acrid and over smoked. 8.7% roasted barley seems ok but is it ok with 595 lov roasted barley?  But then I cruised a couple of recipes in the AHA winner list and people are using 1 lb of roasted barley in 5 gallons but don't list the lov.  I'm thinking I could either:
1. split the batch in half so I have .5 lbs of roasted barley and then just add more of each of the other grains.
2. add a coiuple more lbs of 2 row.
3. brew it as it is (which I don't want 5 gallons of beer I don't like)
4. something else.

Input por favor.

Offline mabrungard

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Re: Roasted Barley dilema
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2017, 10:09:54 am »
The proposed percentage of roast barley isn't out of line with recipes I use. I wouldn't worry too much about the roast barley's color rating either. While that color is high, it doesn't necessarily mean that its more acrid or harsh. In talking with the team at Briess, I learned that the acidity of roast grains will actually DECREASE as the color gets very high. By 600L, the grain is nearly all carbonized (think charcoal) and it is no longer a significant acid producer. Since there is likely to be unevenly kilned grains in that product that are more carbonized, its more likely that it has similar acidity as other roast grains. If you look at the results of BrauKaiser's roast acidity testing, you'll see that most roast grains have somewhat similar acidity, regardless of their color rating.

The most important thing for brewing a good stout is to have sufficient alkalinity in the mashing water to prevent the wort pH from dropping too low. If your tap water doesn't have much alkalinity, then adding alkalinity to the mashing water via baking soda or pickling lime is highly recommended. You can figure out proper dosing using something like the Bru'n Water software.
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Roasted Barley dilema
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2017, 10:17:20 am »
If you look at the results of BrauKaiser's roast acidity testing, you'll see that most roast grains have somewhat similar acidity, regardless of their color rating.


Somehow I've missed that in all the trips to that site. Thanks for posting, Martin. I always had the assumption that darker equaled higher acidity.
Jon H.

Offline brewinhard

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Re: Roasted Barley dilema
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2017, 05:08:50 pm »
If you look at the results of BrauKaiser's roast acidity testing, you'll see that most roast grains have somewhat similar acidity, regardless of their color rating.


Somehow I've missed that in all the trips to that site. Thanks for posting, Martin. I always had the assumption that darker equaled higher acidity.

I have thought the same. But maybe it is just that we typically use such low percentages of highly roasted dark malts that regardless of the color rating they just don't play an abnormally huge role in pH effect?

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Roasted Barley dilema
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2017, 05:55:23 pm »
If you look at the results of BrauKaiser's roast acidity testing, you'll see that most roast grains have somewhat similar acidity, regardless of their color rating.


Somehow I've missed that in all the trips to that site. Thanks for posting, Martin. I always had the assumption that darker equaled higher acidity.

I have thought the same. But maybe it is just that we typically use such low percentages of highly roasted dark malts that regardless of the color rating they just don't play an abnormally huge role in pH effect?

Yeah, I assume so.
Jon H.