Steeping Grain Substitution

[robc311]

So I copied a morebeer kit and got the ingredients for an American Brown Ale at my local shop. When I went to brew it I found that the steeping grains were full of bugs...they looked like ants but I think they were actually some other ant-like critters. I chucked the grains and went to a nearby beer shop that just started carrying beer making supplies to get replacements but they didn't have honey malt. I grabbed some caramel malt instead and used a rolling pin to crush them (they don't have a mill yet). Was this an appropriate substitution? Here's the complete recipe:

Steeping Grains: (30 min)
8oz Crystal 60L
8oz Caramel Malt (subbed for honey malt)
4oz Chocolate Malt

Hops:
1oz Northern Brewer 60min
2oz Centennial 10min (subbed for Cascade)
1oz Ahtanum (subbed for Cascade) at 1 min

6.6lbs Briess Golden Light LME
1lb Briess Pilsen DME

Safale US-04 yeast

Irish Moss and Yeast Nutrient added to boil
I plan to add 2oz Blackberry flavoring at kegging

Does this sound decent?

 

[Kent88]

I don't think Caramel malt is very close to honey malt. From a quick google search I'm seeing melanoidin malt as maybe the best substitute.

Since I started using grains I've been under the impression that caramel and crystal malts that have the same rating are basically the same thing.

 

[kev211]

I wouldn't say that it's an equal substitute for honey malt, but I think caramel malt might actually work better for a brown ale anyways.

Those bugs were probably grain beetles or flour weevles. I've only had them in my grain once and I've been told you can still use the grain due to the sanitation process of boiling the wort. That being said... It still skeeved me out and I subbed the grains as well.

I think at the end of the day you will still have a good brown ale

 

[Kent88]

Those bugs were probably grain beetles or flour weevles. I've only had them in my grain once and I've been told you can still use the grain due to the sanitation process of boiling the wort. That being said... It still skeeved me out and I subbed the grains as well.

bugs in grain just isn't something I want to see. I would also have to toss it, complain to the shop I bought it from, and get new. Ick. It would make me question how well it was handled from the time it left the malting facility all the way to the retailer. Is the wholesaler or retailer not handling it properly? What else is getting in there that shouldn't be?

Back on topic, I'm not sure what malt would make something closer to the desired style, in this particular case maybe caramel would be better. I don't usually drink brown ales and I hardly use honey or melonoidin malt.

 

[kev211]

bugs in grain just isn't something I want to see. I would also have to toss it, complain to the shop I bought it from, and get new. Ick. It would make me question how well it was handled from the time it left the malting facility all the way to the retailer. Is the wholesaler or retailer not handling it properly? What else is getting in there that shouldn't be?

Back on topic, I'm not sure what malt would make something closer to the desired style, in this particular case maybe caramel would be better. I don't usually drink brown ales and I hardly use honey or melonoidin malt.

Ya the only time I had them was before I bought bulk base malts. I opened a paper bag that I had purchased the night before from my lhbs and it was crawling. Basically looked like cockroaches that were the size of ants (grain beetles). Drove out to the store, showed them the bugs and they dumped that entire stock of grain, refunded me and hooked it up with the same grains for free. Next bag was totally fine.

 

[Kent88]

Ya the only time I had them was before I bought bulk base malts. I opened a paper bag that I had purchased the night before from my lhbs and it was crawling. Basically looked like cockroaches that were the size of ants (grain beetles).

And that is why I don't chew grains before I buy them. It is also why I store most grain in my freezer.

 

[TonyKZ1]

Also here's a link to a Brewing Grain Substitution chart that I've used quite a bit when a supplier doesn't have the grains called for in a recipe.

 

[robc311]

I did look up grain substitutions but the place I got the buggy grains is over an hour away so I went to a beer shop down the street that is just starting to carry beer making supplies so their grains are very limited. I thought caramel sounded good for a brown ale so I figured I'd give it a shot. I initially planned to keg this but now I think I might bottle. I plan to keep in primary until bottling...would 3 weeks be enough or should I go longer?

 

[Kent88]

three weeks at the yeasts' preferred temperature will be fine.

 

[RM-MN]

I did look up grain substitutions but the place I got the buggy grains is over an hour away so I went to a beer shop down the street that is just starting to carry beer making supplies so their grains are very limited. I thought caramel sounded good for a brown ale so I figured I'd give it a shot. I initially planned to keg this but now I think I might bottle. I plan to keep in primary until bottling...would 3 weeks be enough or should I go longer?

Yes.

Yes 3 weeks would be enough and yes you could go longer....or shorter. The fermentation will most likely be done in 7 days but the yeast won't have even started to settle out then. By 10 days quite a bit of yeast will have settled out, by 3 weeks even more will settle. By 6 months most of the yeast will have settled but from the one report I got there will still be enough yeast suspended to carbonate the beer.