rcooper44537

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I have plans to brew my first batch from extract but would like to start the brew with some steeping grains... Im just wondering if the sugars from the steeping grains will have enough of an effect on alcohol content for me to have to change my recipe?

Slider46

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Depending on the steeping grain used you may see a slight increase in the gravity reading. I doubt it'd be enough to really "change" the recipe. I would estimate maybe less than 1% abv change. Maybe 0.5% ?

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carrotmalt

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Here's a malt chart that you might take a look at to get an idea of the potential for popular grains. I wouldn't think steeping would give you very high efficiency, but:

If you add say a pound of crystal 20 (1.035) at say 60% efficiency, that would give you

35 * .6 = 21

add that to 5 gal batch and get

21/5 = 4.2

So maybe you'd be adding around 1.0042 to your OG. That may be a bogus method if the steeping grains can't convert by themselves.

It's probably a minimal increase, but you could also check your gravity after steeping and calculate how much less extract you need accordingly. I probably wouldn't bother and would just take note of the difference after doing a batch.

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rcooper44537

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"but you could also check your gravity after steeping and calculate how much less extract you need accordingly"

Good point... just trying to iron out all of the details before i dive into home brewing for the first time.

Thanks! and Cheers

Calder

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You are absolutely correct in your calculations. I use 50%, but it's a crap shoot as to what you really get from steeping.

Steeping grains do not need to be converted; it's already sugar. You just have to 'rinse' the sugars out.

Steeping grains have more unfermentable sugars than ordinary grain. Not sure what the content is, but would guess the sugars are about 50% unfermentable.

Result: The use of 1 lb of steeping grain in 5 gallons (Crystal, Black, Chocolate, etc) will add about 0.25% to the final alcohol level. You will get more from the sugar you use to prime with.