I seem to recall someone, maybe Noonan in NBLB, talking about adding a very small amount of roast barley or other dark malt to the mash to slow oxidation and staling. Does anybody else recall this or have a citation for it?
I remember this, though I can’t remember if it was to prevent staling. I haven’t read NBLB, so it wasn’t there. (That could be the original source though, good brewing advice gets repeated 
)
I remember that from a few places, as the dark/roasted malts are antioxidants. Strong dark beers like a RIS last a long time and age well.
Some also say to put a crushed campden tablet in the mash, as the sulfites are strong antioxidants. Then there was the talk on the HBD a long time ago that a little coriander is a strong antioxidant.
And Charlie’s use of cinnamon in the mash to slow staling. I want to include some info in the book and I can’t for the life of me remember where the idea of using dark malt came from.
All my google-fu can turn up is this reference, but it isn’t cited particularly well so I’m not sure what the primary source is for this quote: “The use of dark malts and high hop
grists give beer better keeping qualities.”
Thanks, man. That’s better than what I’ve found.
Kinda defeats the purpose of aerating the wort.
I seem to remember it from some older books - maybe Charlie P’s.
The reactions that take place in the mash will reduce the staling compounds in the grains. The excess sulfites are boiled off in the kettle. You aerate in the fermenter. I did this for a long time, still do sometimes.
Maillard Reactions
http://www.brewery.org/brewery/library/Maillard_CS0497.html
Malanoid reductones. Fix is mentioned in the references here.
Some in Briggs
More in Briggs, but he says the Melanoidins may be a negative. Says dark beers are more stable.
Thought about it and I’m positive that it is in one of Charlie’s books. I can even remember it being ina recipe of his.
Yup, I remember it too. Maybe a Pils recipe?
Yes. I think that’s right!
Bamforth on Brew Strong podcast on either HSA or Haze, maybe both, stated that roast acts as antioxidant and SO2 reduces staling
Thanks, everybody! I recall it being mentioned in regard to a pils also becasue it seemed like such a weird idea! Anyway, that section’s done now and on its way to the editor.