MX1

Recipes 

So the beer kit I ordered has steeping grains in it. I was courious if you could steep the grains in a gallon or so of water at the 155F then sparge them with the rest of the water I need for my boil? After that I cold bring to a boil and add the extract. Do you think that would get a better use out of the grains?

Tim

eta: My search-fu is weak, but I did try to find some info on this....

malkore

Recipes 

You'll have to tell us exactly what grains are in there. if the grain lacks enzymes for conversion, then you're just steeping, not mashing.

steeping = color and flavor
mashing = color, flavor, sugar, body

if you sparge steeping grains you'll get a little more flavor and color out of them. whether that helps the recipe or not... /shrugs Depends on the recipe.

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Malkore
Primary: English Mild
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MX1

Recipes 

Ahh...well it is the Irish Red from MW. Until it gets here I will not what grains are in it.

Unless there is someone out there that has brewed this before and knows the grains.

Tim

MX1

Recipes 

Well I got the kit in today and I want to brew in the am, but I have a few questions to post, but those will go in a different thread.

The grain bill for the steeping grains is this

12oz - Caramel 40
2oz - Special B
2oz - Roasted Barley

Will my beer be better if I steep them at 155F then "sparge" them with water at 170F.

Tim

HOOTER

Recipes 

Those grains don't need to be mashed. Just do a standard steep (about a half an hour at around 155) in however much water your using in your boil then sparge with a small amount of warm water. Add extract and bring to a boil.

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Brewmando

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I routinely steep my grains at 155ish for 30-45 min and when done place them in my strainer over my brew pot and then sparge (very slowly) with a pot of coffee maker water which is about 170*. I definately pick up more color and my gravity has gone up a little depending on the grains steeped. One thing I know, it has not hurt my brews to do this

malkore

Recipes 

agreed. the word 'sparge' really just means 'rinse', typically in the context of 'rinse the sugars from the grain'.

your plan is fine and will make sure you 'rinse the color and flavors from the steeping grains' which may give you a better end product...maybe not.

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Malkore
Primary: English Mild
On tap: Pale Ale, Lancelot's Wheat, English Brown Ale, Steam Beer, HoovNuts IPA
Bottled: MOAM, Braggot, Raspberry Melomel, Merlot, Apfelwein, Pyment, Sweet mead, Cabernet
Gal in 2009: 27, Gal in 2010: 34, Gal in 2011: 13, Gal in 2012: 10

duckmanco

Recipes 

Hate to bring up an old thread but thought it better to ask here the start a new one, but will mashing the steeping grains ever HURT/HARM the beer? I understand that it might not add anything depending on the grains, but still will it ever hurt?

Yooper

Recipes 

Nope, it'll never hurt. I always did my steeping grains as if it were a mash- that way I did the same technique all the time whether there were base grains that needed to be mashed or not.

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