Stouts and accounting for dark grains

[Rob2010SS]

I always fall short on gravity with my imperial stouts. I have typically always associated that with the lower lauter efficiency and while I still think that's part of the problem, I think there's a second part to this. When I build my recipes, I always...

- Determine goal OG and final volume
- Determine total gravity units for the batch
- Determine percentage for each malt used
- Determine total contribution from each grain based on XX% of the extract potential for that particular grain (based on my typical efficiency for that style).
- Calculate pounds needed for each grain.

Here's a screen shot from my stout that I just brewed this weekend....

My question here: Should I be counting on any extract/gravity points from such dark grains?

I was doing some leisurely reading this morning and it sounds like there's no extract to be gained from these grains, other than dextrins and unfermentable sugars?

I always thought that there were starches in there still available for conversion as long as you mashed the grain but sounds like that's incorrect?

 

[Vale71]

If there are any unconverted starches they will be toasted to thet point the they've been turned into unfermentable ash. Basically they will contribute to FG but not to fermentability.

 

[Rob2010SS]

If there are any unconverted starches they will be toasted to thet point the they've been turned into unfermentable ash. Basically they will contribute to FG but not to fermentability.

Understood. That being said, should I be adjusting my grain bills to account for that? Or does that just contribute to a higher FG?

 

[VikeMan]

My question here: Should I be counting on any extract/gravity points from such dark grains?

Yes.

I always thought that there were starches in there still available for conversion as long as you mashed the grain but sounds like that's incorrect?

Chocolate Malt and Roasted Barley do yield some fermentables, but not a lot. Check out Greg Doss' (Wyeast) experiments on Attenuation, particularly the Grist experiments.

http://www.homebrewersassociation.o...pdf/2012/1616-04 Attenuation - Gregg Doss.pdf