I may stop using Crystal Malts

[Grannyknot]

I might just start using different base malts to alter the color & complexity of my "lighter" beers. Wheats, Pales, India Pales, etc...
The fermenter below is an American Wheat that only used a 1/4lb of crystal 40 for a 5 gallon recipe. I hit all my #s, including volumes dead on, but the recipe only predicted an SRM of 3-4. I got, what looks to be a good 6ish. Obviously its hard to tell looking at that large of a volume, but I'm guessing 6-7srm in the glass.

Is it possible that a rigorous boil is scorching (for lack of better words) some of the wort? Am I stupid to just throw crystal malts out of the equation on future beers? Doesn't matter too terribly much to me.....just curious about other opinions.

Cody

 

[ChelisHubby]

I think you might want to rethink beer without various crystals they add flavors!

 

[mmb]

I might just start using different base malts to alter the color & complexity of my "lighter" beers. Wheats, Pales, India Pales, etc...
The fermenter below is an American Wheat that only used a 1/4lb of crystal 40 for a 5 gallon recipe. I hit all my #s, including volumes dead on, but the recipe only predicted an SRM of 3-4. I got, what looks to be a good 6ish. Obviously its hard to tell looking at that large of a volume, but I'm guessing 6-7srm in the glass.


Is it possible that a rigorous boil is scorching (for lack of better words) some of the wort? Am I stupid to just throw crystal malts out of the equation on future beers? Doesn't matter too terribly much to me.....just curious about other opinions.

Cody

No, you're not stupid for thinking about tossing crystal malts. They contribute to a beer but there are many styles that don't need crystal. Unfortunately, I've always thought American Wheat was one of them. 50% 2row/50% Wheat Malt.

And color in bulk will be much different than in the glass.

I think you might want to rethink beer without various crystals they add flavors!

There are dozens of styles without crystal malts that have plenty of flavor.

 

[NathPowe]

And color in bulk will be much different than in the glass.

This. I can't say whether it will be 3-4 SRM or not, but I bet that will look much lighter once it's in your glass.

 

[julioardz]

My last 5 or 6 batches have used base malts and sometimes roasted malts. I've been staying away from crystal malts because I'm bored of the flavors. I've been using them for years and want something different in my beer.

I made my most recent pale ale with Vienna as the base malt and a bit of Victory and Brown malt. It is a very nice rust orange or bright amber color when poured. The one before that was all Maris Otter. Both of these have the IBU of a pale ale but were steeped and dry hopped like an IPA. They have a nice malty balance to all that hop flavor, but without the residual sweetness and thick mouthfeel I get when using crystal malts.

Don't get me wrong. I like crystal malts. I'm just bored of them right now. They definitely add their own character to beer, but so do other non-crystal speciality malts. Crystal malts aren't necessary if you don't want them to be.

 

[Xpertskir]

you should probably stop using secondaries first

 

[Grannyknot]

you should probably stop using secondaries first

I don't normally, but I'm adding berries to this, & the instruction I got recommended removing it from the yeast cake before adding the berries.

Thanks for your input.

 

[rekoob]

I wouldn't worry to much about it. The color will be okay once you tip a glass.

 

[Rivenin]

not trying to be an ass here, but it'll sound like it
if you are complaining about 2 SRM difference... and nothing else... i'd like to be in your shoes!

I made a blonde that looked absolutely like a red in the car boy, but i didn't panic, oncee you get it into a glass and once it settles down, it'll fit right in.

Wheats make everything a tinge darker looking because of all the sediment too... if you made it with just pale malt, it'd be prolly spot on.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

you should probably stop using secondaries first

What does that have to do with color? Answer is below.

 

[Grannyknot]

By no means complaining. Mostly just curious if recipe calculators just do a crap job with SRM prediciton, or if there is such a thing as wort scorching due to a heavy boil.
I had read once that there was such a thing in extract brewing, and didn't know if something similar could happen when AG brewing.

 

[Grannyknot]

What does that have to do with color? Answer is below.

I shouldn't have even responded to that d-bag.
That's coming from a guy who thinks Bell's is the most overrated brewery & all their beers are "a joke".

 

[Bensiff]

Maillard reactions occur during the boil which will darken the wort. The higher the gravity, longer and more intense the boil, the greater the impact. IMO the color of the beer means very little. If you make a beer to style you will use the grains appropriate to that style and the color will be appropriate for said style.

 

[GrogNerd]

all of my beers were coming in dark. not just 2 SRM, more like 8-10.

t/s it down to possible high mash pH.

so, last batch I added acidulated malt (1% of grain bill) and it came out more in line with what the recipe said it would be.

 

[Bensiff]

Perhaps time to buy a pH meter? I have never heard of mash pH causing an impact on srm, interesting. Do you have more info on that?

 

[GotPushrods]

Perhaps time to buy a pH meter? I have never heard of mash pH causing an impact on srm, interesting. Do you have more info on that?

Maillard reactions are sped up at higher pH, hence higher pH worts being slightly darker after the boil.

GrogNerd's experience is the first time I've seen someone actually put a number on the darkening. I can't provide any specific numbers, but it can certainly happen.

 

[Weezy]

Are you boiling vigorously?

 

[GrogNerd]

Maillard reactions are sped up at higher pH, hence higher pH worts being slightly darker after the boil.

GrogNerd's experience is the first time I've seen someone actually put a number on the darkening. I can't provide any specific numbers, but it can certainly happen.

can't give it an exact number, but it was significant

here's one of my first brews, a Belgian Blonde. yes, a Blonde. recipe says SRM of 6.6. maybe even 20 SRM difference. it's pretty dark

(forgive the orange slice. the brew was for the BigHair)

 

[chickypad]

Maillard reactions are sped up at higher pH, hence higher pH worts being slightly darker after the boil.

GrogNerd's experience is the first time I've seen someone actually put a number on the darkening. I can't provide any specific numbers, but it can certainly happen.

Yes, Kai mentions this on his site in the caption of an impressive pic about 2/3 of the way down the page.

 

[Bensiff]

Yes, Kai mentions this on his site in the caption of an impressive pic about 2/3 of the way down the page.

Awesome thanks, I learn something new.