ESB and Porter From Same(ish) Wort? Cold Steeping Dark Grains.

[FlaglerBC]

For awhile now I have been brewing 11g batches and splitting them with different yeasts and other additives (saison/lager, wheat/saison, IPA/Belgian IPA, etc.) to create two distinct beers from the same wort. Last week I realized that I needed to use a package of Wyeast 1968 before it got too old. I have built it up twice now and think I want to attempt to use it on an ESB and a Porter made from essentially the same wort but cold steeping the dark grains for the porter.

Does anyone have experience with this (or something like it). My plan is to make the the bitter with 80% Marris Otter, 9% Victory, 8% C60 and 3% C120. Mast at 152. Then I will cold steep all of my dark grains (not sure the best way to do this yet without a total mess on my hands or the proper amount of water) and add it directly to my fermenter.

Will I have two distinct beers on my hands or just a dark ESB with some roasty aroma? Is this the best way to do it? Anyone have a better two styles that I would use my 1968 for. (FYI I have more then enough to IPA on my hands)

Finally is this just a stupid idea?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Auger]

Is there a reason you want to cold-steep? You could always lauter into one vessel, split into two halves, start one to boil for the ESB, heat the other to 150-160 and do a hot steep with the dark grains in a grain bag.

 

[FlaglerBC]

Is there a reason you want to cold-steep? You could always lauter into one vessel, split into two halves, start one to boil for the ESB, heat the other to 150-160 and do a hot steep with the dark grains in a grain bag.

That is a possibility. I have never tried cold steeping so there is an experimental factor. Additionally, I try to make my brew days as quick as possible, doing one boil would cut down on time.

 

[mattdee1]

I posted almost the exact same question 5 days ago in the "general techniques" forum. Thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=582610

I even named the same two styles as targets (ESB / Porter).

Like you, part of the impetus behind this was to get the most out of a single "normal length" brew day, and that meant looking for ways to do a single boil.

I steeped chocolate malt on the side, at 150-160F for about half an hour. I'd never tried steeping before, but it seemed to go OK, and produced a very nice/dark "tea" to be added to one of the fermentors.

So, both beers are bubbling away in my temperature controlled fridge as we speak; won't know the degree of success or failure for a few weeks yet. I must say, I'm very curious to see how this plays out.

 

[FlaglerBC]

I posted almost the exact same question 5 days ago in the "general techniques" forum. Thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=582610

I even named the same two styles as targets (ESB / Porter).

Like you, part of the impetus behind this was to get the most out of a single "normal length" brew day, and that meant looking for ways to do a single boil.

I steeped chocolate malt on the side, at 150-160F for about half an hour. I'd never tried steeping before, but it seemed to go OK, and produced a very nice/dark "tea" to be added to one of the fermentors.

So, both beers are bubbling away in my temperature controlled fridge as we speak; won't know the degree of success or failure for a few weeks yet. I must say, I'm very curious to see how this plays out.

Strange coincidence. Great minds think alike?

 

[mattdee1]

Strange coincidence. Great minds think alike?

Ha, right. When I first read your post I was like "Am I losing it? I remember asking this, but I thought I worded it differently." Then I realized it was a completely different post by somebody else.