Complex Grain Bill with Extract...waste of time?

[Billy Klubb]

I've been using Cooper's Light LME lately. I'm a fan of Muntons as well.

[Old_Skool]

How about this for the extract + steeping grains?

6.5 lbs Light DME
3.0 lbs Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
3.5 oz Munich Malt
3.0 oz Crystal Malt 60°L
1.5 oz Cara 8 - Caramel Malt
1.5 oz Melanoidin Malt
0.5 oz Wheat Flaked

0.5 oz Magnum (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 75.0 min
0.75 oz Columbus (15.0%) - added during boil, boiled 75.0 min
2.0 oz Cascade (5.6%) - added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
1.0 oz Cascade (5.6%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
1.0 oz Columbus (15.0%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
1.2 oz Centennial (10.0%) - added dry to secondary fermenter

So IMHO using 1.5oz of melanoiden is really not effective same with the caraB or 3oz crystal all these little amounts just get lost in the mix. If you have some real dark - bitter grains like Black Patent then maybe a 1.5 - 2oz might be a real choice. Looks like a kitchen sink recipe --- what is the focus of the style or idea.

Also agree that any unconverted grains (maris pale otter) must be mashed --- and for partial mashing 3lbs is a goodly amount of grain to mash properly. I again reference JZ and Palmers book "Brewing Classic Styles" --- the recipes are very focused and fairly simple. Yet they are all award winners.

[captain carrot]

Here is a recipe, there are lots of different versions:

Ingredients:
10.0 lbs Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
3.4 lbs American 2-row
1.5 oz Munich TYPE II
3.0 oz Crystal Malt 60°L
1.5 oz Cara 8 - Caramel Malt
2.0 oz Munich Malt
1.5 oz Melanoidin Malt
0.5 oz Wheat Flaked
0.5 oz Magnum (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 75.0 min
0.75 oz Columbus (15.0%) - added during boil, boiled 75.0 min
2.0 oz Cascade (5.6%) - added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
1.0 oz Cascade (5.6%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
1.0 oz Columbus (15.0%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
1.2 oz Centennial (10.0%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
1.0 ea WYeast 1056 American Ale

Thanks for the replies.

This beer may just give me the kick in the ass I need to go all grain.

Well, go all grain either way. When we took the 3Floyds tour last December and the tour guide said they were using Canadian 2 row as a base malt. I don't know if there are any Canadian extracts available but if not I would use an American extract like Alexanders or Briess. Given the small amounts of specialty grain I wouldn't worry about it muddying up the beer. Good luck!

[Spelt]

The original recipe has grains you'd have to mash not just steep to convert the sugars. Not sure how you'd do the posted recipe steeping alone. Substituting the base malts with extract would be the way to go.

[JRR]

"The original recipe has grains you'd have to mash not just steep to convert the sugars." This I did not know about base malts, thanks for the knowledge. I'll make the necessary adjustments. AND, now I know why my Stock Ale last summer wouldn't ferment down enough.

"Given the small amounts of specialty grain I wouldn't worry about it muddying up the beer." I'll go this route and find out.

BTW Captain Carrot, how was that tour? I'd love to visit that place. Did you try any of their other beers?

[BDawg]

I don't see what good these TINY amounts of grain bring to the beer.

1.5 ounces of Melanoidan? 1.5 oz of caramel 8? A half ounce of flaked wheat? Seriously?

What's the OG on this recipe?