Amber/Copper Color from Vienna SMaSH

[Cheektronic]

Hey guys,

Was trying to think through making an ordinary bitter with just Vienna malt, and wanted to get some ideas on how to get a copper color from it as well as some caramel notes. Here's my two ideas so far:

1. Toast 2 of the 8 lbs of Vienna in the oven at 350 for 10-20 minutes
2. Boil down my first runnings from the mash for 20 minutes or so to get some caramelization


Any other thoughts? My recipe is below.




Style: Standard/Ordinary Bitter OG: 1.039
Type: FG: 1.010
Rating: 0.0 ABV: 3.80 %
Calories: 127 IBU's: 32.03
Efficiency: 75 % Boil Size: 5.83 Gal
Color:*** 8.3 SRM** Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Preboil OG: 1.037 Boil Time: 60 minutes
*
Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
6.00 lbs 75.00 % Vienna Malt 60 mins 1.036
2.00 lbs 25.00 % Vienna Malt 60 mins 1.036
*
Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.50 ozs 29.12 Goldings, East Kent First Wort 5.00
0.50 ozs 0.00 Goldings, East Kent 0 mins 5.00
*
Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Nottingham Danstar
*

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Well the Vienna will already have some amber color to it when used alone. Apart from your ideas, I think a decoction might give you some more carmel, malty flavors that would go well. Toasting the malt in the oven will definitely add some darker color, but it will also give a toasty flavor, not a carmel one.

 

[tre9er]

There is a Caramel Munich 60 malt I'm about to get and play around with. Perhaps adding some of this would help the color, but if you want to just use the Vienna (SMaSH) I get that too.

I just toasted some malt (Aromatic I believe) the other weekend to give some color to a bitter. 10-15 minutes at 350 was almost too long! Keep a watchful eye on it and do it a few days beforehand, let it cool, etc. You might consider conditioning it prior to crushing, too.

I got a very dark color from just 9oz. of toasted Aromatic.

 

[Cheektronic]

Toasty/bready is ok for me. Thanks for the advice on toasting. As I've never done it before, it's good to know what I might expect.

 

[Cheektronic]

Found this article online. The "gold malt" seems to be what im looking for. Does it seem accurate?

http://barleypopmaker.info/2009/12/08/home-roasting-your-malts/

For Pale Gold Malt (est. 10 L), which has a nutty but not toasty flavor, roast your base malt for 20 minutes at 250 Degrees F.

For Gold Malt (est. 20 L) that is malty, caramelly and rich but not toasty roast your base malt for 25 minutes at 300 degrees F.

For Amber Malt (est. 35 L) that is Nutty, Malty, and lightly toasty roast your base malt for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

For Deep Amber Malt (est. 65 L) that is nutty, toffee-like; with some crisp toastiness roast your base malt for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F. (This one has quickly become my favorite roast of all. I do this one often. It seems to be a well balanced specialty grain.)

For Copper Malt (est. 100 L)that has a strong toasted flavor with some nutlike notes roast your base malt for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F.

For Deep Copper Malt (est 125 L) that has a roasted, but not toasted flavor; roast your base malt for 40 minutes at 400 degrees F.

For Brown Malt (est. 175 L) that has a strong roasted flavor, roast your base malt for 50 minutes at 400 degrees F.