Best way to add Carafa II to my Vienna Lager

[Augusto Sotero]

Hi there homebrewers!
I need some help finishing up the details for my next beer.
I took the recipe from an article written by Jamil at the byo magazine.

The point in question is that it asks for a little bit of huskless Carafa II.

What would be the best way to add it to my Vienna lager? Cold steep over night ? At then end of mash in? Any better ideas ? I don’t have any experience using roasted malts like that.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BigEd]

The best way to add Carafa to a Vienna is to leave it out. All you need for a Vienna is lots of high-quality Vienna malt. If you do add it, I'm assuming it's a tiny dose for color, just add to the rest of the grain bill.

 

[stieg000]

I use carafa special all the time; I just toss it in the mash. It's just a steeping grain like any other.

 

[CrimsonYeti]

I use carafa special all the time; I just toss it in the mash. It's just a steeping grain like any other.

Me too. I use it quite a bit in black ipas. Make it a late addition if you are all grain or throw it in for the full mash.

 

[Augusto Sotero]

Thanks guys. I just want it for color adjustment. Don't any of the roastness from the malt.

Do you guys just crush the grains and add it like 10 minutes before start sparging ?
Or add it in a grain bag or something, leave it for 10 minutes and take it out before start sparging?

 

[CrimsonYeti]

You might get some slight roasty flavors. If you want color maybe sone black prinz at like 2oz might do better. Or some debittered black malt.

 

[BurntOrngeLonghorn84]

Maltoferm

 

[stevehaun]

Add it during the last 5 to 10 minutes of the mash. This will add color without adding a roasty flavor.

 

[Augusto Sotero]

Thanks very much guys! =)

 

[Queequeg]

You might get some slight roasty flavors. If you want color maybe sone black prinz at like 2oz might do better. Or some debittered black malt.

I agreed, black Prinz or midnight wheat would be better.

I would use only a tiny amount and steep it overnight. Then pass the runnings through a coffee filter before adding at knockout.

This way you minimize any potential flavor addition.

 

[Augusto Sotero]

I think I am gonna go with cold steeping as well... from what I have been researching seems like the best method to add colour without flavor.

Do you use the same amount the recipe calls ? I am afraid cold steeping the colour I am gonna get is less than if hot steeping so i would have to add a little bit more. I am adding 50 grams to 19L

 

[Miraculix]

I just did some cold steeping for a Schwarzbier, I pitched yeast into, yesterday. I used double the amount of carafa special 2 usually used, but I was also trying to get it as dark as a stout. I have the feeling, judging the colour I see there and comparing it to stouts with the same amount of roasted malt but mashed normally, I would say add 1/3 to 2/3 of what the recipe asks for and the colour should be in the ballpark of what you'd get from including it in the mash.

I used a ratio of 1/4 in weight between roast malt and water. It did soak for about 20h.

 

[filthyastronaut]

With regular Carafa, if you don't want roast, you can steep in the kettle while you're running off, cap the mash with it, or cold steep it in a french press or something and add it near the end of the boil. You may want to opt for a dehusked malt or a roasted wheat malt instead, however, because you can just add them to the entire mash and not worry about it.