Anyone added Specialty Grains to secondary?

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KiltLifter

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Well, I kinda forgot to add some roasted barley to my Smitty's New Castle while I was brewing this weekend. So I was thinking, can you just add a little roasted barley tea to the secondary (keg actually) without a problem? (after tasting it, just in case it's great without it, of course). I've done hop teas and added espresso to secondary before, but never a grain tea.

Whaddya think?:confused:
 
I think if you steep it, strain the grains out and then bring it to a boil to kill the nasties it won't hurt. May not help, but shouldn't hurt. Certainly cool it before you pour it.
 
I wouldn't just add them. They need heat to convert. You could do a tiny mash with them, and then add that, maybe with some extra proteins in there to help kick up the yeast. That would make it not really secondary anymore, though. It would be like extending primary fermentation.
 
I would do a +1 on leave them out, save it for another batch. Think of this batch as a learning experience and enjoy a beer that "isn't quite what I was going for, but still good"
 
Do it. Use 2 ounces of water per ounce of grain, steep, boil & add. I wouldn't do this with a couple pounds of grain, but roasted barley, we're talking ounces.
 
I was under the impression that unboiled grains can store bacteria that can infect the brew?? If you end up doing it... do the ol tea bag in boiling water trick.
 
If this is just steeping grains and not mashing grains then I'd say go for it. Just don't boil the grains....make the "tea" then boil it without the grainbag (like you would normally do). Do like you normally would and steep them in water under 170 to avoid tannins.

Since you've left the grains out to begin with, then without them, the beer won't have the flavor you originally wanted. If it doesn't help...it won't ruin your beer. But if it does work, then you'll at least get close to the flavor you were hoping for..AND you'll be teaching us a new trick to try...Just keep us posted.

Oh, you'll probably need to gently swirl the carboy to get some of the yeast off the bottom to make sure to ferment any of the sugars in the "tea." ANd you'll prolly want to take a new OG reading after you've stirred it up, and extend your fermentation time.

Just make sure there's room in the carboy for the increased volume of the "tea."
 
barely said:
I say go for it. The roasted barley does not need a mash, at least according to http://www.beersmith.com/Grains/Grains/GrainList.htm
You will be adding some sugars, so it may be best to add the tea to primary where the yeast are still quite active instead of secondary.

if something does not need mashing, that means that i can just steep it, right?

if i steep vs. mashing, do i still get the gravity contribution from the grain?

sorry this is ever-so-slightly :off:
 
cd2448 said:
if something does not need mashing, that means that i can just steep it, right?

if i steep vs. mashing, do i still get the gravity contribution from the grain?

sorry this is ever-so-slightly :off:

1) Yes. Like I said...steep, remove the bag then boil to sanitize, then cool....or if you're not comfortable boiling, hold the "wort" at 160 degrees for 15 minutes to pasturize...

2) I'm not sure how much sugars specialty grains contribute, vs mashing grains... but either way anything you add liquid wise affects the gravity of something....Though if it were something unfermentable like lactose it wouldn't necessarily affect the abv...

I think I read that one of the programs...I think Beersmith, has a calculator that you can use...I think it's a side menue pull down that has the word "dillution" in it...
 
thanks.

according to the table on the beersmith site, they have a PPG comparable with base grains, but i guess the fact that you have < 1 lb of crystal compared to maybe 10 lb of base grain makes it negligible in comparison.
 
Do it! this sounds pretty interesting and I am curious to see how it turns out. Just steep, sanitize and cool before adding. My guess is any sugar that they add will be negligible but just take a gravity before and after and you can tell any difference that they add.

What could also be cool would be to rack your beer into two secondaries and add half the amount (or any amount) of grain to one and not the other. Have a little side by side comparison on your hands after a few weeks.
 
I think this is your call....I would try and add them just for the experimentation to see hwow it turns out, but go through the whole process to make sure it is sanitized.

But if you spent alot of cash on this batch or do have any other beer ready maybe just let it go...but I say experiemnt away and let us know how it turns out
 
Great Idea! I'll split it between two - 3 gal kegs and add half to one of them. I'll post resulta (and a recipe) here when I'm done (couple of weeks).
 
Hi KiltLifter,

I know this thread is a bazillion years old, but I am really curious as to the outcome of adding specialty grain "tea" to the secondary. Did you finally try it? What was the result?

Thanks a lot.

Brian
 
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