Do crystal malts contain carbs that can be converted by base malt enzymes?

Maybe this should be obvious, but I got to wondering about this because the first time I used them was for steeping in an otherwise all extract brew (no enzymes). Second time I used them was in a mash with a lot of base malt (LOTS of enzymes).

So, in the two cases, would the same crystal malt be contributing very differently to the final product? What differences should I expect?

Found part of my answer here, thanks to Nilo:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/testing-fermentability-crystal-malt-208361/index4.html

Is it safe to interpret the positive starch test as meaning that including a base malt and mashing the crystals would indeed convert that starch into fermentables?

Does including crystal malts in the mash detract from their contribution to residual sweetness, mouthfeel, body, head retention, etc?

The short answer is that you can expect a very similar result from mashing crystal malts as steeping them. Crystal malts have undergone a different malting process in that 1 - they have no or very little diastatic power and 2 - they have no to little starch to actually convert. Crystal malts whether steeped or mashed will usually be described as adding color, flavor (depending on the darkness of the malt) and dextrins.

Actually edcculus, the link provided in the second post details experiments by Nilo that suggest there is a substantial amount of unconverted starch in crystal malt and including it in the mash will not only result in higher fermentability but higher extraction.

AnthonyCB said:

Actually edcculus, the link provided in the second post details experiments by Nilo that suggest there is a substantial amount of unconverted starch in crystal malt and including it in the mash will not only result in higher fermentability but higher extraction.

Click to expand...

Ah, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't read the link before I posted and was going off of memory. Learn something new every day