ctbrewer227

Recipes 

I already brewed my first batch and all I can say is im addicted. What I was wondering about for my next batch is with steeping grains on my first batch I brought water to 155 degress then tossed the bag in and steeped for half hour keeping the temp between 145-150 is this the right way to do it or do you put the water and bag of grains in bring it up to 155 degress then turn off the heat and let it sit for 30 minutes or however long the recipe calls for??

Thanks

BarleyWater

Recipes 

Either way will work, but the way you did it is the preferred way. A few degrees warmer wouldn't hurt, but your doing just fine.

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Grinder12000

Recipes 

A good way to keep the grains at a constant temp is to heat the oven on LOW. Then put the pot into the oven and turn the oven off. The residule heat will keep things nice and warm.

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hcarter

Recipes 

I steeped my grains at 170* for 30mins.

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A Highlander likes two things naked. The other's Scotch.
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Panzermann

Recipes 

Should be ok but watch the temp, you can get some interesting flavors from steeping at higher temps and i think this can also cause the release of unwanted "tanons" (sp?).

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hcarter

Recipes 

I did turn off the heat after the water came to 170*. I think I lost a degree or 2. Seemed to work ok for the Irish Red I was brewing.

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Creag `An Tuirc
A Highlander likes two things naked. The other's Scotch.
- Howard
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/how-make-yeast-starter-pictorial-76101/

bull8042

Recipes 

The first grain steep I did, the directions said to bring the water up to 150°F, add the grains. Then bring the water to a boil and remove the grains around the 30 minute mark. I almost named that brew "Green Acorn Ale".
Keep your water around 155°F for the duration of the steep, and try to stay below the 170°F threshold.

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Grinder12000

Recipes 

+1 to that!! On my electric glass top stove I found when I hit 170 (or 160 or whatever) and turn off the range I can get 15 more degrees if I do not take it off the burner.

I can tell ya about tannins! LOL

__________________
Grinders Island Brewery - Pipeline (Batch #)

Primary #1 Hair of the Arm West Coast Blaster - don't ask(89)
Next up - Award winning Dbl Chocolate Stout Batch #4 (90) On deck - Zythos Pale Ale(91) and then Weizenbock(92)

GAbrewer

Recipes 

I usually steep mine at about 155 for 30 minutes. I can usually put mine on high and bring it up to about 160, and then just turn it off and it stays at about the right temp. Usually I'll take a separate pot and bring some additional water to about 170, and use that to rinse the grain bag when I'm done.

kryolla

Recipes 

When steeping tea leaves or coffee you usually let the water come to temp then throw in you tea or coffee. I do the same thing when steeping grains.