Using Grains Help!!!

I am doing an IPA this weekend and want to do a mini-mash with the recipe. My question is as follows.. If I use 2.5# of 2-row and add roughly 1# of crystal malt (4oz120, 4oz100, 4oz60) to the mini-mash what will happen? Would the this be the same effect as creating a tea (I did not think the effect of a mash & tea are the same)??? Can someone help me understand the difference.

Cheers
HB

It would not be the same effect. By mashing, you'll gain more fermentables. In other words, the enzymes in the 2-row will convert to sugar and help the crystal do the same.

Mashing and steeping are essentially the same process, but mashing requires a base grain (in this case the 2-row) and a bit more time as you are waiting for the enzymes in your base grains to convert the starches in all the grain to sugars. Steeping only really extracts color and flavor from the grain.