Roasted barley

[Cromwell]

Since this isn't malted, I assume I don't really need to mash it to convert any starches. It's just used for flavor, is this right?

Do I put it in with the grain at the beginning of the mash, or just at the end like crystal malt?
Also, do I need to crush it?

 

[1234]

If you are mashing then you add all of your grain at the same time, crystal grains or roasted barley. Good luck with your brew.

 

[bob1852]

If you are mashing then you add all of your grain at the same time, crystal grains or roasted barley. Good luck with your brew.

Not true. Mashing roasted barley doesn't do anything. It's used mostly for color, and many folks add it at the end of the mash.

 

[lowtones84]

I put it in at the same time as my other grains, but some people wait until toward the end of the mash apparently. But it should probably also be crushed, yeah.

 

[1234]

As this question is being asked in the beginner's forum I assumed he isn't crushing the grains at home, most HBS will crush all of the grains and put them together in a bag. If you have a barley crusher then just add them when you would like, it isn't going to hurt your mash by adding them at the beginning.

 

[Hermit]

Not true. Mashing roasted barley doesn't do anything. It's used mostly for color, and many folks add it at the end of the mash.

This implies it has near zero impact on the flavor profile which is not the case in my experience. Isn't it considered the 'signature' grain for a stout by many?

 

[bob1852]

As this question is being asked in the beginner's forum I assumed he isn't crushing the grains at home, most HBS will crush all of the grains and put them together in a bag. If you have a barley crusher then just add them when you would like, it isn't going to hurt your mash by adding them at the beginning.

True.

 

[Cromwell]

Yeah, I bought the grain online, and they crushed the Golden Promise, but not the roasted barley. I don't have a mill, so I guess I have to use the blender. Hopefully the small amount will be filtered by the big Golden Promise bill.

Thanks for the help!

 

[gypsyhead]

Just a shot in the (not entirely) dark, but can someone with a bit more technical background comment on the mash pH change related to adding Roast Barley early or late... or (depending on grain mass) is this fairly negligible?