fezzman

Recipes 

I've got a BB Russian Imperial Stout kit at home. Sitting here at work pushing papers around I wondered what would happen if I were to do a mini mash on the grains rather than a steep.

Would I need to alter the hop bill any? Would I just be wasting my time and should leave well enough alone?

Thanks for any input

Mirage

Recipes 

The grains they usually give you in the BB kits are specialty grains. Not sure if that is the case here, but if so, you won't get any added benefit with a mash. See Deathbrewer's tutorial on Partial Mashing or search diastic powder and it will give you a better understanding on the difference between specialty grains and the grains that you would mash with (2 row etc).

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Revvy

Recipes 

Yeah you'd need some 2 row for conversion...then you would need to do some hop adjustment...if they list the grain bill you can always type it into beersmith and run the numbers for it as an extract w/ grain, and the same recipe with a pound of 2-row...and the hops..

+1 on DB's tutorial!!!

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fezzman

Recipes 

Thanks guys. I guess I really should have waited until I got home so I could run the numbers. I don't really even know what grains are in that kit. Silly mind wandering to beer as usual while at work.

Mirage

Recipes 

LOL, it will happen from time to time. I am glad that there is not an hour counter on this forum for how long you have been on... We have brewed 2 BB kits and both had the specialty grains, not any grains that would give you conversion. Just a simple steep was all that was required. DB's thread intrigued me, and this time (Friday actually) we will be doing our first PM. Should be an experience to say the least. Good luck on your kit!

__________________
On Tap: Heavenly Scourge Black IPA and Beecave Heffe
Primary: Empty
Secondary: Empty
Next: Thunderstruck Pumpkin Ale and Pliny the Elder Clone

fezzman

Recipes 

Likewise, good luck on your PM.

Mirage

Recipes 

Thank you, thank you!

__________________
On Tap: Heavenly Scourge Black IPA and Beecave Heffe
Primary: Empty
Secondary: Empty
Next: Thunderstruck Pumpkin Ale and Pliny the Elder Clone

malkore

Recipes 

Its not out of the question that the BB kit might have a grain in it capable of some conversion, like if its more for aromatics/flavor than color/flavor.

But generally, they usually are crystal malts or dark (higher heat) roasted grains that lack any enzymes, so a mini mash is just a waste of time, unless you want to practice the mashing process before your first 'real attempt' at a mini-mash

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Malkore
Primary: English Mild
On tap: Pale Ale, Lancelot's Wheat, English Brown Ale, Steam Beer, HoovNuts IPA
Bottled: MOAM, Braggot, Raspberry Melomel, Merlot, Apfelwein, Pyment, Sweet mead, Cabernet
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