Munich And Chocolate Malt Make?

[buttersd70]

Ah, found (almost) what I'm looking for...I've posted my method before, but can't find it (it's bad when you can't even find your own posts :lol: ), but I've found the article I got the method from anyway
link

I used the slow method, which is at the bottom, to retain diastatic potential...ramped mine up (JW traditional ale) to the 120 mark for about 20/30 mins, this achieved colour similar to munich 2, roughly. Also did a batch where I took it too far, and got amber/brown...stuck out like dogswotsits. Took a while to settle in (cos I didn't realise I'd gone too far, and it was 50% of the grist).

Theres an article here with the hotter for quicker method, but my 2c is that slow and steady wins the race if only going to a light grade which will form a significant portion of the grist. At the bottom of that, it's got suggested times for roasting crystal into darker grades, and it also talks about raw barley.

As for the crystal...only briefly skimmed that article, as I said, I'd accidently found it....method is fairly similar to mine, difference being I didn't do the stewing in the oven, I did it in the mash tun with a very thick mash....I think in hindsight, the oven stew would probably be better.

 

[acoulson]

It's really great to bounce ideas off you guys. Once you hear a different perspective its much clearer.

The Cascade IS really citrusy. Better to leave it out. I dry hopped a wheat with the cascade and split the secondary in two- the other half with coriander and orange. The bloody cascade came out more citrusy than the orange! I've got some fuggle hop oil in the fridge- could pump a bit of that in a few bottles if it really needs it (it's not the same though :unsure: )

I'll trim the choc back to 8-10% I do all my calculations myself but the one thing that is a real guesstimate for me its the colour so I really appreciate you checking that for me Tony :beer:

Thanks Butters for the roasting post. I think I'll roast up a really small amount just for some astringency and balance.

All the suggestions are fantastic and actually this the brew I'm most looking forward to doing for a long time

 

[acoulson]

Well, I brewed the Choc. Munich porter on Tuesday and all went well. I had a bit of trouble with lautering as I expected but really happy with the colour and OG.


One extra thought though- I had a bottle of Orval a two weeks ago and for sh**s and giggles I cultured up the yeast. I was surprised to find it was brettanomyces (colonies slightly brown, slower to grow on solid media than usual slightly acetic odour and colonies rounded rather than apiculate) so I started a propagation to check out the properties.

Question #1 Does anyone know what strain of Brett??? that Orval uses?

Also the stars seem to have aligned and my porter will be ready to go into secondary tomorrow. I was thinking of splitting it into two and throwing my brett prop. into one half.

Question #2 Has anybody used brett. in a porter or stout and what were your results?

 

[Steve Lacey]

Where are you in Japan? I may know some people who could help with your future ingredient stocks ... better PM me.

 

[acoulson]

Steve- sent you a PM. Thanks.

I didn't get any advice about the Brett question so I just pitched my prop into 5 L of the green beer. I'll leave it for a few months and see how it goes.

I've got a big function coming up in a week so I fermented at a higher temp. and bottled straight from a slightly extended primary. FG was 1012 and the flavour on bottling was very complex, estery, slightly toffeeish and very smooth. Didn't get a perceivable rye flavour but didn't really expect to at that grist level.

Colour was dark enough, with a red hue when held up to the light. Can't wait to taste the carbonated version. Thanks all for your input.

 

[mje1980]

but I have no problem with using german malts in english beers. :lol:

I agree 100%. I use caramunich in my bitters. Excellent. I just did a vienna dark ale. Very nice. Dark ale with vienna as the base. Mmmmmmm