Substitution for Carafa I

I am going to brew here in a few days and the recipe I have calls for .25lbs of Carafa I. The LHBS doesn't have any in stock and I don't have time to order online/wait for delivery. Would cold steeping chocolate malt achieve something that could approximate the character of Carafa I? I don't expect an identical match, but something in the ballpark would be nice.

What are you brewing? Post the grain bill...

Woops, forgot about that! It's the Father's Reward Enkel (slightly modified) from Zymurgy 32.3:

5 Gallons
5.25 lb Pale 2 Row 75%
0.50 lb Special B 7.14%
0.25 lb Carafa I 3.57%
1.00 lb Turbinado 14.29%
0.75 oz. Hallertauer 3% (60 min)
0.50 oz. St. Goldings 5.4% (15 min)
0.13 tsp Mace, Crushed (5 min)
0.50 items Cinnamon Stick (5 min)


Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity

OG est: 1.039
FG est: 1.008
Est color: 18.4
IBU: 12.4

Carafa I is black malt. Its roast is closest to chocolate.
Carafa II is darker
Carafa II is like black patent.

Caraf I, II, III Special is their de-husked / de-bittered. version that does not have the astringent notes.

BargainFittings said:

Carafa I is black malt. Its roast is closest to chocolate.
Carafa II is darker
Carafa II is like black patent.

Caraf I, II, III Special is their de-husked / de-bittered. version that does not have the astringent notes.

Click to expand...

So, you'd recommend just subbing in chocolate and foregoing the cold steep?

I've read that some people making black lagers & ales will not add the darkest malts until the very end of the mash. That way, they pick up the color without all of the flavor characteristics. Maybe try it with Chocolate malt...

That being said, a little chocolate never hurt anyone

Grizzlybrew said:

I've read that some people making black lagers & ales will not add the darkest malts until the very end of the mash. That way, they pick up the color without all of the flavor characteristics. Maybe try it with Chocolate malt...

That being said, a little chocolate never hurt anyone

Click to expand...

Yea, I'm not scared of the chocolate - I was just under the impression that the Carafa malts were de-husked/de-bittered. I didn't realize that there was a Carafa Special series. Don't know where my original (mis)information came from.