Cafara Special Ii

[Kai]

I was wondering what people's experience with carafa malts are, especially the dehusked versions. I would like to use a fair amount for colouring but I don't want to overdo the roast flavour, I know that carafa special is milder, but I'm not experienced in how big the difference is.

The weyermann site recommends a maximum of 5% of the grist for all carafa malts. However, they also recommend a maximum of 10% for roasted barley. I certainly wouldn't ever want to use that much roast barley, so it makes me wonder how reliable their recommendations for carafa are.

What's the most carafa special you've used before, and how much would you consider too much, in what sort of style, what strength of carafa flavour, etc?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Have used a bit of carafa II, seems like a fairly strong grain. has the colour ( may be darker), but not the bitterness of roast barley.

I am going to try it in a scottish this weekend.

 

[Gough]

G'day Kai,

I've used its big brother, Carafa III quite a bit. I use it a lot as a 'colour only' malt in beers like alts where I want to add a touch of darker colour without any attached roasty flavour - in this case I tend to add it at the sparge and it does the trick.

I've also used it in Porters and Stouts before, mashed in with the rest of the grains. Indeed the last two beers I've brewed used this malt in this way. It gives a very strong dark colour to the beer - stronger than you might think looking at it in the grain bill compared to say, black malt or roast barley. It gives an intense kind of dark chocolaty flavour for want of a better descriptor. Definitely less 'roasty' than the roast barley, and smoother all round, but flavoursome and intense nonetheless.

If you are the kind of brewer who uses 10%+ roast barley in a brew then you could easily use the same or more Carafa III without 'over-roasting' your brew. Personally the most I've used is 6% and I wouldn't go much higher - but again, that is just personal taste. I'm sure there are plenty that will tell you otherwise That is the Carafa III though, which is the darkest/strongest. You may well be able to push your percentages further with the I or the II. That said, if you want the touch of roastiness associated with a good stout, I'd still use a little RB as well. That's what I did on Saturday for eg... 300gms Carafa III and 100gms roast Barley in a 1.067 Extra Stout (23 litres) along with some Xtal etc... Is tasting lovely out of the fermenter. I have used it without the RB, but in my opinion that works better in a porter than a stout...

Hope that helps a little.

Shawn.

 

[Kai]

If you are the kind of brewer who uses 10%+ roast barley

Definitely not

I will likely as not just add it to the sparge. Thanks for the advice, was it the dehusked version of III that you were using?

 

[Gough]

Yes it was.

It does give a lot of colour bang for its buck by the way. When I've used it as a colour only malt and added it to the sparge in the last 3 altbier styles I've made for eample, I've used 25-30 grams only. That little of the carafa III, added to the sparge took my alt styles to the darker end of the guidelines no worries at all. That was in a maltbill of either 60/40 Weyermann MunichI/II, or 60% Wey Munich I and 20% each of Wey Munich II and Pils malt. Like I said, colour wise the Carafa III is strong stuff

Shawn.

 

[Kai]

Thanks Shawn, I was going to use 5% CSII but I think I'll cut back a little.

 

[Gough]

Thanks Shawn, I was going to use 5% CSII but I think I'll cut back a little.

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Last thing I'd add is 'depends on the style'. If it is in a Stout or porter then 5% or more isn't going to be OTT at all. If it is to add colour only to something like an alt then 5% would IMHO be overkill. That said, all our tastes are different - just giving my experience. I tend to be a bit of a 'less is more' kinda brewer... except with the Munich malt of course Too much is barely enough...

Good luck with the brew. I love the Carafa III, and my HBS now has the I and II as well, so I'll give them a go soon as well

Shawn.

 

[Tony]

i like the carafa spec 1 @ about 900 ebc

Its very smooth and you dont notice a few % and gives a great colour.

IMO.... the heavier the roast, the stronger the roast flavor but you dont use much less of the 1 that the 2 or 3 for a colour addition.

Another great local grain to sconsidder for a smooth roast flavor and great colour addition is JW roast wheat @ 1300 - 1400 EBC.

verry nice stuff and no husk to speak off....

cheers

 

[mje1980]

I recently used 400g of carafa 1 in a dark ale. It was one of the best beers i have ever made, definately in the top 3. The flavour was sooo smoooth, and the clolour was almost identical to tooheys old, you know that kind of ruby colour. Top stuff, if you like a hint of roast, but not enough to strip your tongue of tastebuds!!