Sparging Dark Grains

[rodwha]

Anyone used all of their dark grains just in the sparge to introduce mostly color without much of the flavor contribution?

When I sparge I stir the grains a bit and then let it sit 10 mins before I drain and repeat. At times it can take 3 sparges to complete giving it a 30+ min mash in essence. I’ve read of some claiming this can be all it takes for a nearly complete conversion. Has anyone calculated this?

I’m using 8 oz of Midnight Wheat to an otherwise pale ale and looking for it to be black so I calculated 1/2 the color and sugars for this addition by calculating it as half the addition (4 oz). I’m curious how close I’ll be (brewing it today).

 

[mschoeffler]

Cold Steeping is what you are after. Overnight steeping of dark grains in the fridge added in the kettle. All the color and half the flavor but none of the astringency of the roasted malts and no impact on your mash pH. Honestly only use it for black IPAs (cascadian dark).

 

[rodwha]

I’ve been doing this but have never used the whole bit in the sparge. I had been after a black beer that tastes like an amber but the last attempt tasted like a blend of that with a mild brown ale so I figured I’d see what all did. And if it converts a little all the better, I like efficiency.

 

[rodwha]

I’m curious what this’ll bring, but I’m wondering a bit more now about this cold steeping. The way I’ve been making my black IPAs is to use half in the mash and half in the sparge and it comes out with just a hint of roasty but not nearly like most commercial examples I’ve tried. For this I think I want none. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Jaybird]

Try the 12hr cold steep method. It will blow you away!

Cheers
Jay

 

[rodwha]

Try the 12hr cold steep method. It will blow you away!

Cheers
Jay

Yeah, I’m a bit curious now, something else I think I need to try at the very least. And it’s got me wondering how various roasty grains might come out done this way. More testing!

 

[Jaybird]

Yeah, I’m a bit curious now, something else I think I need to try at the very least. And it’s got me wondering how various roasty grains might come out done this way. More testing!

You'll find that any harshness you get from the darker grains just disappear. Its super SMOOOOOOTH!

Have fun

Cheers
Jay

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Anyone used all of their dark grains just in the sparge to introduce mostly color without much of the flavor contribution?

If you have a copy of Modern Homebrew Recipes (Strong, 2015), check out the "Four Seasons IPA" recipe for another approach for getting color without the harsh flavors that some perceive with traditional black malts. Personally, I find that de-bittered black malt in the mash is sufficient when I'm looking for color without harshness.

As always, YMMV.

 

[rodwha]

If you have a copy of Modern Homebrew Recipes (Strong, 2015), check out the "Four Seasons IPA" recipe for another approach for getting color without the harsh flavors that some perceive with traditional black malts. Personally, I find that de-bittered black malt in the mash is sufficient when I'm looking for color without harshness.

As always, YMMV.

I tried carafa dehusked (II or II) long ago, and don’t recall why I switched to Midnight Wheat. Any real difference?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

@rodwha : I have not used the Wyermann Cafara Special Type 2 / 3 (link) dehusked malts.

With Briess malts, I have used a number of the dark malts (link) over the years and I have personal preference for Midnight Wheat or Black Prince when I'm looking for color without "roasty" flavors.

 

[doug293cz]

I’ve been doing this but have never used the whole bit in the sparge. I had been after a black beer that tastes like an amber but the last attempt tasted like a blend of that with a mild brown ale so I figured I’d see what all did. And if it converts a little all the better, I like efficiency.

Whether or not you get any conversion during a rest during a batch sparge will depend on whether you mashed-out, or your sparge water temp is high enough to effectively perform a mash-out. A mash-out denatures the enzymes that catalyze conversion, so if they are destroyed, you will get no conversion of anything added during the sparge.

Depending on the type of dark grains you add for the sparge, they may or may not have soluble sugars in them (converted during the malting and kilning process) which can be extracted during the sparge. But, if there are no active enzymes in the sparge, there will be no conversion of any starch in the grains added during the sparge.

Brew on