mashing with specialty grains

[jamest22]

when mashing with specialty grains like crystal malt, it is appropriate to mix all crushed grains together and mash everything in one pot for the full 90 mins? I have read other methods that describe mashing specialty grains seperatly and then combining the results in with the rest of the wort before boiling.

Does this just depend on the style of beer being brewed?

I am curious because the pale ale i am brewing has been in secondary now for a week and is much darker than i would expect for a pale ale. its brown. I was thinking maybe i extracted too much color from the caramel malts. My recipe called for :

9 lbs pale malt
1 lb crystal malt (caramel 40)
8 oz crystal malt (caramel 20)

I mashed all grains in one pot for 90 mins.

 

[BargainFittings]

It always looks darker in the fermenter.

Then only recipes I've seen that suggest not mashing in specialties were with the dark roasted malts. It supposed to keep the harsh or astringent notes down.

 

[BigEd]

when mashing with specialty grains like crystal malt, it is appropriate to mix all crushed grains together and mash everything in one pot for the full 90 mins? I have read other methods that describe mashing specialty grains seperatly and then combining the results in with the rest of the wort before boiling.

Does this just depend on the style of beer being brewed?

I am curious because the pale ale i am brewing has been in secondary now for a week and is much darker than i would expect for a pale ale. its brown. I was thinking maybe i extracted too much color from the caramel malts. My recipe called for :

9 lbs pale malt
1 lb crystal malt (caramel 40)
8 oz crystal malt (caramel 20)

I mashed all grains in one pot for 90 mins.

Everything goes in together. Separating grains and mashing them individually is borderline OCD. A 90 minute mash won't do any harm but it is probably overkill, 60 minutes is fine. If you are new to all grain brewing I think there is probably more extraction from the grains normally steeped in extract brewing. Also, IMO, 3/4 lb of crystal in that beer would have been plenty.

 

[GunnerMan]

I did my first Ag the other day, I did the Ode to arthur stout because I know what it is supposed to taste like and look like. I have also brewed it a few times with my extract version so it will be cool to see how it does for Ag.

I mashed all grains together(roasted barley and acid malt), the color looked just like my steeped version and it tasted great.

 

[giligson]

Can't quote the source but generally mashed specialty grains will give higher yield than same grains steeped.

 

[jamest22]

thanks for the responses. my question is answered