Melanoidin Malt vs Decoction Type Thing Procedure-ish

I'm thinking of brewing this recipe:

9lbs- Two Row
1lb - Crystal 80
1lb - Rye Malt
.5lbs - Melanoidin Malt

.5 Chinook 13%- 60min
.5 Chinook 13%- 40min
.5 Cascade 5.5%- 15min
.5 Cascade 5.5%- 1min

US-05 Yeast

OG: 1.058
IBUs: 49.7

I'm not sure if I can get the melanoidin malt, or if I even really want to use it. But I want to have something pretty malty to balance the bit of rye and relatively high IBUs.

And if I understand melanoidin malts, it is a malt used to get the flavor of a decoction mash of German malts without the decoction (kind of). If this is right could I use, say 1lb of Munich malt, and steep it separately, and boil it with water that I'll use for batch sparging? I'm not sure if this is ever done, but it seems to me like it may work... any thoughts?

I wouldn't use more than 4 oz Melanoidin malt. It is powerfull stuff. I've used a little in most of my IPAs and it does the trick. A pound of dark Munich might even be better. That's what I have planed for my next IPA.

jeburgdo said:

And if I understand melanoidin malts, it is a malt used to get the flavor of a decoction mash of German malts without the decoction (kind of).

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I used to use it in my extract Oktoberfests all the time with great results. I don't know what kind of ratio to advise with your recipe though. Though I do remember my Oktoberfest recipe was: 3 lbs Munich, 1 lb Crystal, .5 lb Melanoidin, 6 lbs Light DME and Mt Hood throughout the boil if that gives you any indication for transition to an AG. One of my favorite extract recipes actually for my marzen fix.

Hmm, well I guess I'll use either slightly less melanoidin malt, or go with Munich. I'm looking for just a hint of German maltiness.

Does anyone have any thoughts about using about a pound of Munich, but boiling separately as a kind of decoction-type-thing for say, 10 minutes, then adding in with the rest of the grains when I batch sparge?

I use 3 oz in my Oktoberfest beer, it is pretty tasty. Comparing the two, maybe a little lacking in the malt aroma dept, but a lot less time than a decoction.