Cube Malting

[dent]

Since my stocks have been getting used up by the keg lately, I figured I'd go back to no chilling for one evening and crank out a 60 litre batch of non threatening paleish ale over three cubes. I got to thinking about the lack of variety anticipated as a result, and figured I'd at least put some extra hops in one cube. Then it occurred to me, why not put some specialty malt in one of the other cubes - basically a steeping operation just like old timey extract days.

Has anyone else given this a go? I figured I can risk one cube on the experiment. There doesn't seem to be much against it.

I guess there is maaaybe more likelihood of infection, but really, this is a no chill operation and we expect heat to kill things. I took care not to leave any grain dust around the outside of cube lid and thread. Astringency should hopefully not be an issue since the pH will stay low enough. Probably I will cop some starch haze for a while, hopefully this will drop out. I wouldn't try making cubes of different coloured pilsener this way, that's for sure.

So I double crushed up 250g of pale choc malt - make this cube some kind of porter - and jammed it in. I'll report back in a week or two when it has fermented out and we'll see how it goes.

 

[barls]

just thinking your going to end up with some funky sours as theres all sorts of bacteria living on the husks of grain.

 

[Thefatdoghead]

Great way to change it up when your brewing 60 liter batches. Although I would save some wort from the batch and use that to steep your spec or roast malt in.
Then add it to your wort on pitching day.
Just read the rest of your post. If you get away with it without it getting infected ill be very surprised. The heat will kill anything on the outside of the grain but everything on the inside will thrive in there. Send us a few pics of your swollen cube when it comes time.

 

[dent]

theres all sorts of bacteria living on the husks of grain.

Clearly there is, or at least was, until they were killed by fire.

 

[dent]

I'm pretty sure the heat can penetrate the one or two millimeters of soggy grain chunk enough to kill whatever lies within.

 

[bum]

Never heard anyone advise that grain steepings should be pasteurised rather than boiled. Will be very interesting to see where this goes. Be sure to keep us updated, dent.

 

[barls]

Clearly there is, or at least was, until they were killed by fire.

the ones in the roselare bend can survive over 80 degrees, found this out the hard way.
just making a point.

 

[dent]

I just don't see it happening, you know? Unless my calculations are way off, putting 20L of boiling wort into a 1.3kg container of HDPE at room temp reduces the temperature of the wort by about 4 degrees. I preheated the silicon hose to feed it in. I guess I should consider the specific heat of the added grain but it will be negligible I expect. I probably lose more heat from the mouth of the kettle, and radiated from the hose while I am waiting for it to drain.

Hell, look at the experiments from our mate Braukaiser with adding unboiled mash wort to ferments for extra enzymes - that is way more courageous.

 

[manticle]

How did you contain the grain? I regularly add steeped, boiled grain runnings to already fermenting brews. Be interesting to see how this goes.

 

[Edak]

Sounds interesting, good luck with that. Next time decoction might give you the maltiness you desire.

 

[Edak]

Oh wait, I now get what you are trying to do. Ignore previous suggestion.

 

[Ross]

I see little risk with this method (specialty grain does not have the bacteria content of base grain), but if you want to take out the risk & avoid the grains potentially sitting in the cube for a long period, just add the grains to your last 20L in the kettle & simmer gently for 10 mins before transferring.


Cheers Ross

 

[mmmyummybeer]

The specialty grain may not have any bacteria on it but how are you going to crush it. Unless your lucky enough to have another grain mill for specialty grain. if its crushed in the same mill used for the base grain, you could be a cross contamination issue. I haven't had a lot of experience with steeping, but couldn't you do separate steeps and then boil to kill any micro's and add the mix or mixes to the cube. You could probable add different hops to the mix as well or roasted grains as well. You could even probable prepare it whilst still doing the original mash.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Why not steep the grains then boil then add to cube.

 

[dent]

Yeah it did occur to me this morning I could have just added the grains to the kettle after filling the first cube - but then the contact time will then not be as long, which will possibly decrease the flavour value of the addition. Plus I liked the idea of the possible variety being limited to the number of cubes - in the kettle one would be limited to wort A, wort A+grainsB, wortA+grainsB+grainsC etc.

But yeah, grains in kettle is a good idea.

The specialty grain may not have any bacteria on it but how are you going to crush it.

I consider all grain to be loaded with infectious bacteria, specialty or not.

 

[dent]

Why not steep the grains then boil then add to cube.

Sure that would work great, but I enjoy a minimal effort plan.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Takes bugger all effort with a better result. You only need to boil for 5mins.

 

[jyo]

Should be interesting. Considering the amount of threads that have popped here where new brewers have just steeped specialty grains and not actually boiled the resulting wort, without managing to pick up an infection, chances are you will be fine.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

An experiment in the true Bassendean style, push those boundaries.
Nev

 

[QldKev]

An experiment in the true Bassendean style, push those boundaries.
Nev

and one that doesn't involve a flagon or petrol :huh: