We experimented with a cold mash extraction for the roasted barley, pale chocolate, crystal 60, and the blackprinz. We ground the grains and added roughly 4 gallons of 32 degree cold liquor in lauter. Vorlaufed for an hour. Then ran it off into the BK where we heated at 150f for conversion for an hour. Boiled briefly to sterilize and poured the wort into a sterile bucket, covered and put into the walk in cooler overnight.
We intended to make an American Stout but we knew early on in the brew we did not have nearly enough cold extracted wort for color so we morphed it on the fly to a Texas Brown Ale. The cold wort was poured into the BK once we had around 3 gallons of base malt run off. At this point we concentrated on color and gravity. The BF calculations don't reflect it but we ended up with a contribution of circa 1.025 from the cold wort (surprisingly). We achieved the color we wanted at a gravity of 1.057 at 23 gallons (about 5 gallons short of capacity). We intended only bittering hops but since we morphed it, I threw in 8oz each of Citra/Centennial in the WP.
Lastly, as shown by the base malts, we were "clearing the grain cabinet". Will this beer be drinkable? We shall see. I think so.