spec grains - how much is too much?

[croc4]

In an attempt to better understand why my FG are so high on my last few batches , I was wondering what is the "normal" amount of specialty grains that people add to extract recipes. Doing some reading of many recipes I found a wide range so what is the norm for people on this board (that extract brew)
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[Beerconnoisseur]

For me, the low end of my recipes has been 8 oz. (1/2 lb.). I rarely have brewed a recipe with more than 2 lbs. 4 oz. of specialty grain, for extract brewing.

But it also depends on the recipe. Darker beers (reds, bocks, etc.) tend to have more specialty grain, while the lighter beers generally do not.

[davidf]

when brewing with extract all of your fermentables are comming from the malt extract, very little from the specialty grains. I always reccomend adding at least a 1/2 to 1.5 pounds of crushed two malt in bag with your specialty grains to give your beer some fermentables from "psudo" mashed grain. The flavor of the finished product will be lees like extract and more like all grain.

Typically all grain beers do not contain more than 25% specialty grains, and that is on the high end. Shoot for 5-15%, depends on the beer. A light beer may need only a pound of crushed wheat or pilsner malt to give it that all grain flavor.

davidf

[YamahaXS]

I stay around 1 lb of grain; plus/minus .5 pound.

[croc4]

thanks for the input, I have used upwards of ~4lbs in a few 5gal recipes, but I have started to cut down on this amount.

I thought that since the grain added more flavor / character to extract, then more is better, but I guess this does not really hold true ;-), live and learn
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[fuji6100]

Yeah, I also stick around 1/2 to 1 1/4 pound mark for 5 gallon batches. You can really "muddy up" your beer's flavor by adding too much in.

I ruined a good porter that way... grain overload. It wasn't pretty.

[brewmonkey]

No more then 15-20% of the bill should be specialty (non-fermentable)/specialty grains.

[BREWERDLUX]

Unless your a brewer at Rogue... I read an article once by John Maier and he said he used up to 40%. I have tried up around 30% and it turned out O.K.

[brewmonkey]

You can use any amount you like, but as a general rule 20% is about the max.

I too have been known to brew outside the rules and when I do my OLD99 Barleywine and Buffalo Bills Braggot go for close to 35% specialty malts.