1%?!

So the question is how much does 1% really add to a recipe? I have a recipie that uses more that 3 ingredients of 1% or less. Just wondering if you could even taste this in a 5 gal recipe.

1% can certainly add a bit of color to a recipe. e.g. if you have a 99% 2-row and 1% black patent, your beer is going to be significantly darker than 100% 2-row.

might depend on the ingredient. 1% peat malt, I think you could probably taste. especially if it was all pale 2 row and the 1% peat.

Yep depends on what that 1% is.
Light caramalts = not so much
dark malts = yep

Here is the malt bill-

AleSmith IPA clone (AleSmith Brewing Company) (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) OG = 1.073 FG = 1.014 IBU = 93 SRM = 9 ABV = 7.6%

Ingredients 14.66 lbs. (6.6 kg) Gambrinus 2-row pale malt 2.0 oz. (56 g) crystal malt (15 °L) 2.0 oz. (56 g) CaraPils malt (6 °L) 2.0 oz. (56 g) Munich malt (10 °L) 2.0 oz. (56 g) wheat malt 1.0 oz. (28 kg) honey malt

While it is only a small amount of each, the total spec. grain is going to produce a different beer than a using just 2 row. it will be subtle but it will be there

I agree, ive been starting to experiment with small amounts of similar grain, and have had nothing but good results as of yet.

I dunno I think that while in aggregate all those little 1% malts will add up to some significant contributions in the recipe, that sure seems like a recipe that could be simplified substantially and still get (essentially) the same beer. Like 1% honey malt is anyone REALLY going to notice that amongst everything else there? I don't really believe that. You'd have to do a side-by-side double blind study to convince me you can really pick that up in the flavor profile vs, say 2% C15 and 0% Honey. Same goes for carapils vs C15. There is probably a lot of room there for simplification.

4% honey malt in a Ras-Wheat was disgustingly sweet (despite being at 1.010 from 1.056) until adding 3lbs of raspberries (balanced the tartness) in one of my last brews...

I'd imagine 1% of honey malt would add a distinct sweetness to a beer mashed for a light body. I'd also imagine (as mentioned before) 1% of black patent would add a significant color change.

But, also as mentioned.. I'd say that in the example recipe, it could be simplified. Those percentages might make sense in a 10bbl batch, but the measurements for a 5 gallon batch? I dunno...

So here's a link to the BYO article http://byo.com/english-scottish-strong-ale/item/153-attack-of-the-hop-clones

They end up thanking the Peter Zien for "Extensive" help with the recipe, so this makes me believe that they were really working with the him to get it correct.

My personal take on this is that with the exception of extremely strongly flavored ingredients, like black patent, peat smoked malt, etc. if that it would be extremely difficult to perceive (although you might in aggregate, as mentioned). I steer clear of recipes with tiny quantities of specialty grains. For most, 1/2 lb is about as low as I will go. Unless your LHBS sells grains in ounce increments, it is just not very frugal to brew that way (for me at least).

acidrain23 said:

My personal take on this is that with the exception of extremely strongly flavored ingredients, like black patent, peat smoked malt, etc. if that it would be extremely difficult to perceive (although you might in aggregate, as mentioned). I steer clear of recipes with tiny quantities of specialty grains. For most, 1/2 lb is about as low as I will go. Unless your LHBS sells grains in ounce increments, it is just not very frugal to brew that way (for me at least).

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I would agree, if a recipe was 1-2 oz each of 10L, 20L, 40L, 80L crystal I would probably sub a medium crytal for the total amount to simplify. Will it be exactly the same, probably not / will it be a good beer, probably