Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Substitute for Special "B"?  (Read 25624 times)

Offline beerrat

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 186
Substitute for Special "B"?
« on: January 16, 2011, 09:24:55 am »
I'm working on a robust porter recipe that calls for special B about 3% of the grain bill.  I'm not familiar with this grain, and don't have it on hand.  Is there another grain I can substitute for this for flavor that it may add, say in the crystal family?  looks like it ads color too, which I can get from crystal 120.

I have done some google searches, and most discuss color, not flavor.

TIA,

Dan

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: Substitute for Special "B"?
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2011, 09:42:30 am »
I think the closest I've come across is an Extra-Dark English crystal malt, typically about 160 SRM. Weyermann's new CaraAroma sounds like it's supposed to be similar, but I haven't used it yet. Special B is pretty unique. A US crystal malt won't be all that similar IMHO.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline tumarkin

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 666
Re: Substitute for Special "B"?
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2011, 11:04:22 am »
for a porter, color is pretty easy... you can get the srm's a number of ways. Special B, on the other hand is pretty unique. It's going to contribute raiseny, dark fruit, dark but not burnt malt flavor. If you have a local shop, I'd really suggest you go in a chew a little bit (good to do for ALL malts for familiarity with flavor) to get a better sense of what is 'Special' about this malt.

if you want to use it in your porter, I'd suggest keeping the amount pretty low. it's intense, a little goes a long way. in the right place, it's wonderful..... imagine a Belgian Dark Strong.
Mark Tumarkin
Hogtown Brewers
Gainesville, FL

Offline passlaku

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
Re: Substitute for Special "B"?
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2011, 11:21:44 am »
If your in a pinch I think C120 will work.