Cold-Steeping Specialty Grains?

[GHBWNY]

Doing a Black IPA and the recipe suggests leaving the dark grains out of the mash until the last 10 minutes, or cold-steeping them to avoid possible astringency issues.

I wouldn't think cold-steeping would be as effective as mashing (at least the last 10 min.) in extracting color from the dark malt (plus whatever quality needs to be in there for the style). All for the sake of decreasing astringency? What thinkest thou?

 

[kev211]

A local brewery here did two batches of their stout, one with the specialty grains added to the mash, one with the specialty grains cold steeped (I want to say for 24 hours).

The difference was pretty noticeable actually. I cant say that the one with them mashed had astringency issues, but definitely had more of a roasty, coffee flavor, whereas the one with them cold steeped was more smooth and chocolatey (which is actually what the brewmaster told me they were going for after I finished them).

 

[ArcLight]

Gordon Strong suggests cold steeping roast barley so it's less bitter.
But he advocates using 2-3 times as much.

But I see no reason to cold steep the other specialty grains, unless you have a specific reason.

 

[GHBWNY]

A local brewery here did two batches of their stout, one with the specialty grains added to the mash, one with the specialty grains cold steeped (I want to say for 24 hours).

The difference was pretty noticeable actually. I cant say that the one with them mashed had astringency issues, but definitely had more of a roasty, coffee flavor, whereas the one with them cold steeped was more smooth and chocolatey (which is actually what the brewmaster told me they were going for after I finished them).

Thanks, that's helpful. I'm shooting for the roastier, maltier side of the style, so I'll probably go with the late mash addition. Or I might split off and cold-steep a gal of the batch and see if there's difference.

 

[mjord23]

A local brewery here did two batches of their stout, one with the specialty grains added to the mash, one with the specialty grains cold steeped (I want to say for 24 hours).

The difference was pretty noticeable actually. I cant say that the one with them mashed had astringency issues, but definitely had more of a roasty, coffee flavor, whereas the one with them cold steeped was more smooth and chocolatey (which is actually what the brewmaster told me they were going for after I finished them).

That's really interesting. Might try that with my next stout, just to see what it comes out like.