What is the effect of crystal 20, 40 and 60 when used to achieve the same SRM? Let’s say I brew a 10 gal APA at 1.055 OG and SRM 8. I can use 4 lbs of Crystal 20, or 2 lbs of Crystal 40, or 1.4 lb of Crystal 60 and achieve the same SRM! Given this scenario I would like to know two things:
What is the effect on the brew’s flavor?
What is the effect on the FG?
I believe it was Vinnie Cilzuro who touted the virtues of Carastan 30-37, but I bought a bag of the stuff and used the whole thing without noticing a difference!
Not a perfect method because of fermentation and stuff but you could do minimashes to taste, etc. Or the differences between specific grains. I’ve done it before.
FWIW, I don’t like to use that much C malt in a beer. I shoot for closer to ~5%.
As the beers get darker the C malt gets darker, whether that’s an English Crystal for an English beer, a Cara- for a Continental beer, or a C# for an American beer.
Limiting the C malt gives me good results. I’ve never used as much C malt as you suggest in a beer but I imagine it could throw a wrench in the works.
Great way to do a flavor check. You can also blend them to see what combos taste like. You just have to remenber that its an approximation since fermentation will change the flavor.
My experience is that the more crystal (no matter the color) I use the more the FG rises. Flavor-wise, I find the most crystals over 60L taste more and more raisin-like and toffee-like as the lovibond increases. I use a lot of Golden Naked Oats in my recipes; its an oat crystal malt of low lovibond. I also brew an American brown ale that I put equal portions of C20, C60, and C90 in. I think that combo was pretty arbitrary when I formulated the recipe years ago; I’ve never altered the crystal ratios or removed any of them just to see. It ain’t broken so I don’t fix it.
Oh, I don’t know… I don’t think my comment is based on an arbitrary limit at all. I base my personal recipe guidelines on reason: numerous trial and error batches (aka experience) vs random thought or personal whim (aka arbitrary).
We agree it does work for me, which is why I offered how I approach the issue: it might help others. The comment is worth every penny paid to receive it (zero). …but arbitrary? …by chance? No.
You can tell (or not tell) people anything you like. I’ll do the same. …but it won’t be ‘arbitrary’.
No, you’re thinking of Wayne Wambles’ talk on wood-aged beers. This was David Richter talking about different colored malts doing different things to beer color. The fact that the seminar was early in the morning after Club Night may have made me less enthusiastic about listening.
I guess where I’m going with this is that I like a brew (mostly APA/IPA) with some character, but I don’t like sweet brew. A certain amount (~5%) of Special B, aromatic or melanoidin malt is interesting, and some color (SRM 6-8) looks good in the glass. Above all I shoot for the lowest possible FG, and I wonder if the crystal malt gets in the way (and I strongly suspect it does, but I don’t know to what extent).
This is interesting to me. Looks like a sample of grain with a mixture of water? How much water do you add and how long does it sit before the flavor is fully extracted?
