Looking for a grain to give "depth" to my session bitter

[starrfish]

Several years back I had a beer from a buddy who used the toast and vacuum seal method, to me toasty flavor was very nice and pronounced, he claimed he got more toasty flavor this way...(at the time I chalked it up to each oven is different and he just got a stronger toast) I'd like to hear from azscoob on this too.

My thoughts would be fresher the better, but with a vacuum seal what isn't drawn off could conceivably saturate into the grain over a longer time making it stronger and not just on the surface of the grain. (kind of like a marinade)

 

[azscoob]

I got a really grainy flavor in the beers I have made with freshly toasted grain, almost like there was hay in the beer but very subtle. I think it is from toasting the dry husks, I taste the grains and give them a sniff when freshly toasted and could pick up that same flavor I got from the beer. I then gave them a week to rest before using in a brew, the week old grain had a nice aroma almost like baked cookies, the week old grain also tasted a bit sweeter when I tried a few. the flavor depth in those beers was far better, it had a nice malty sweetness, with some oatmeal or peanut butter cookie like flavor, and a mellow aroma and flavor like a fresh dinner roll. toast some up and taste the cooled grain, smell the grain, then vacuum pack it and put it away for a week or so, reopen and try again, there should be a more noticable aroma and sweetness to it.

 

[BA_from_GA]

+1 for Munich or Vienna.

I actually have come to prefer Vienne as a base for my Pale Ales and IPAs

 

[winvarin]

I got a really grainy flavor in the beers I have made with freshly toasted grain, almost like there was hay in the beer but very subtle. I think it is from toasting the dry husks, I taste the grains and give them a sniff when freshly toasted and could pick up that same flavor I got from the beer. I then gave them a week to rest before using in a brew, the week old grain had a nice aroma almost like baked cookies, the week old grain also tasted a bit sweeter when I tried a few. the flavor depth in those beers was far better, it had a nice malty sweetness, with some oatmeal or peanut butter cookie like flavor, and a mellow aroma and flavor like a fresh dinner roll. toast some up and taste the cooled grain, smell the grain, then vacuum pack it and put it away for a week or so, reopen and try again, there should be a more noticable aroma and sweetness to it.

I have a beer on deck that this would be perfect to test with. I will definitely try it. The beer calls for 7# MO, and .75# each of munich, victory and crystal.

I'm thinking about pulling a pound of the MO out for home toasting. I will try the week before + vacuum seal method. Does a pound sound about right? Any chance the crystal or other specialty malts would interfere with the results?

Now if the snow would just melt long enough to allow a trip to the LHBS.