Roasted Barley in California Common?

[pawlow05]

I was at my local store, picking out some malt for a California Common extract/steeping recipe. When I was finished selecting my malts, the guy told me that usually there is roasted barley included, but just a few tablespoons. This sounded odd to me, as in my research for the recipe I never came across roasted barley, but I picked some up anyway. Has anyone heard of including small amounts of roasted barley in a California common? Is this a common practice? (pun intended)

-Cheers

p.s. we could also open this thread up to grains that are common to various styles, but go unnoticed.

 

[david_42]

Toasted barleys (not roasted) can be used in CC. A little light caramel or biscuit/victory. I suppose you could use an ounce of roasted barley without a problem. That would officially make it your recipe.

 

[Blender]

I'm thinking it is only for color. What else did the recipe include?

 

[pawlow05]

Here is the recipe that I'm working on

California Steam Beer

Recipe
Sugars
5 lb Breiss Golden LDME
Grains
.5 lb CaraPils
1 lb Amer Crystal 45-60L
1 lb Vienna
? .25 lb Amer Crystal 80L
? 2 Tbs. English Roasted Barley
Hops (all pellets)
1 oz Northern Brewer - 60 min
.5 oz Northern Brewer - 15 min
.5 oz Northern Brewer - 5 min
.25 oz Cascade - 5 min
.25 oz Cascade - DH

Yeast
Wyeast 2112 Liquid Lager Yeast

-Cheers

 

[david_42]

Looks like a good mini-mash, nice hop combination.

 

[TexLaw]

It's a good way to get a bit of toastiness and color in the beer without getting any sort of the acrid melanoidins that a handful of chocolate malt might put in there. A few tablespoons sound like a good secret ingredient for a recipe that is missing just that bit of oomph.


TL