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I have some Brewferm Aroma malt 150 EBC. I think normally I couldn't because it is full of unconverted starch, but I would like to do some extract beer and use a little (5-10%) of it. Will it be bad if I steep it, or could I get good results?

EDIT: this is the link . Both Weyermann and Brewferm are cited. I guess the problem is the malt name is wrong on the online reseller, since the package I really got buying that one is "Brewferm aroma 150 EBC", which is described as "base malt" here.

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can you provide a link to the malt? Do you mean Aromatic malt? I couldn't find Aroma malt specifically listed. –  mdma May 24 '13 at 18:14
Paulo, a number of your recent questions have contained omissions, mistakes or other details that cause confusion. After posting a question, please take time to read through carefully and check all the relevant details are there. –  mdma May 24 '13 at 18:21

2 Answers 2

up vote 1 down vote accepted

It's not clear which malt you mean - there no "Aroma" malt from Weyermann. It could be either CaraAroma or Aromatic malt.

CaraAroma This you can steep with no concerns about the starches. CaraAroma is a crystal malt, which has had all the starches pre-converted to simpler sugars by the maltster. Steeping at 160°F is fine for this malt.

Aromatic Malt Aromatic Malt is like a stronger version of munich. It's a lower EBC that you state, I list it here in case this was the one you intended.

Sometimes the difference between steeping and doing a mini mash is more about what you call it rather than any significant the practical differences or extra equipment.

If you steep the aromatic grains on their own at 150F-155F you will in fact have a mini mash. The grains will self-convert, so you'll break down the starch into sugars, avoiding starch haze, which is the only reason you might want to mash rather than a regular steep. In this case, a mini mash is just a steep at slightly lower temperature than the usual 160F for a steep.

If you steeped the aromatic malt with other grains as normal, the diastatic power may be diluted too much to convert the starches in any useful timeframe, and you risk getting starch haze in the beer.

EDIT: With the new malt information given, you can simply go ahead and steep with the rest of the grains. If you want to avoid starch haze, you could do a mini mash with just the aroma malt an equal amount of 2-row, but this is just cosmetic.

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This aroma malt has a lot of diastatic power? Feels like it would be the opposite, and that you would need something with power to convert it, like two row. –  kenyabob May 24 '13 at 17:57
Please see the link. Most sources cite about 30 Lintner for Aromatic malt, which is enough to self convert. –  mdma May 24 '13 at 18:15
The Aromatic malt you cite is nowhere near the EBC @Paolo stated in the question. It is 7-21L so if you convert to EBC that would be at max 42EBC which is not the same as 150 EBC. At 150 EBC the grain will not self convert. –  Chris Plaisier May 24 '13 at 18:39
That's true, but a bit harsh with the downvote when you cannot be 100% sure which malt we are talking about. If I have written about malt that the OP means, then this information is correct. You thought it's CaraAroma, but that is 350 EBC, so it may not be that either. –  mdma May 24 '13 at 19:20

At that color, there isn't much if any, diastatic power to the malt. Steeping will be fine.

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It self-converts @ ~30 Lintner. Aromatic is like "double munich" malt - and you wouldn't really steep munich? –  mdma May 24 '13 at 17:32
According to this chart: norbrygg.no/forum/… CaraAroma malt which is I assume what @Paolo was talking about has 0 degree Lintner or zero diastatic power. –  Chris Plaisier May 24 '13 at 18:27
Well that's really the problem - the question doesn't clearly state which malt it is. If it's CaraAroma then it's ok to steep because that's a crystal malt which has no starches and doesn't need any diastatic power, but the question states there are unconverted starches in the grain, so this is again at best a guess. –  mdma May 24 '13 at 19:17
Taking figures directly from the maltster, CaraAroma has a color of 350-450 EBC. weyermann.de/eng/… –  mdma May 24 '13 at 19:28
+1 denny - now that we know what the malt is! :) –  mdma May 25 '13 at 16:14

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