Starch Conversion

[JWB]

Just a quick question about starch conversion guys

If I do a partial mash and use 500g amber malt will the starch convert using only this amber malt or do I have to use other malts as well?

The reason I ask is I mashed some grain a few months ago doing a partial mash and could not get conversion.
The iodine test on a white plate still went inky black even after 1.5 hours of mashing.
I read somewhere that you need other grain in the mix to mash successfully
Any advise will be well recieved

Thanks in advance

JWB

 

[newguy]

Any malt that has been heavily kilned will not have any surviving enzymes. Caramel/crystal, amber, any of the dark brown/black grains - they don't have enzymes left. You need pale malt (ordinary 2 row, pilsner, vienna, munich, etc) to contribute the enzymes to allow conversion.

 

[JWB]

B) Thanks New Guy.

It actually says on the packet that this amber malt has Reduced Enzyme Content

I am off to get some pale malt shortly.

What is the ratio of Pale malt and amber malt to get good conversion.

Would something like 500g Amber and 200g pale work ?

 

[newguy]

I'm not sure. I have no experience with steeping grains - I jumped to all grain very early. If you go roughly 50/50 you should be safe; I'm not sure if pale malt can convert a proportion of specialty malt greater than the pale malt itself.

Can anyone more knowledgeable chime in?