Method for Steeping Specialty Grain

I am following these steps for steeping specialty grains followed by adding my malt extract:

1. Heat 1.5 gal of water to about 160F
2. Add specialty grains (1.5lbs) for 30 min at 160F.
3. Add 4.5 gal of water to the same kettle, to top off to 6 gal pre boil volume.
4. Bring water to a boil.
5. Take kettle off of heat and add malt extract, stirring constanlty until all dissolved.
6. Put back on burner and wait for the hot break.

Are these steps correct? Or should I be steeping my specilaty grains in a separate pot and adding them to the 4.5 gal of hot water (at the same time as my malt extract)?

Please offer any comments or solutions if required.

Cheers!

That sounds good to me. I normally throw all six gallons on and bring it to around 160 but I am doing it on a large blichman burner. Just keep the temp in between 150-170 for the steeping and then bring to a boil, then pull it off and then add the malt extract. Then back to a boil and start adding your hops.

That depends on if you plan on doing partial mash or BIAB all grain in the future. If so you could make some adjustments in your process to build a good habit for the future. If not what you are doing is fine.

Can you successfully boil 6 gallons + extracts on your burner? I can't.

I have a 45,000 BTU turkey fryer hooked up to a propane tank.

On a stove top - 6 gal will not work (or not very well at least)

You could run in parallel.

Heat about 1.5 qts per pound of grain of water to 155F.
Add the grain (bag I presume) and stir well.
Place a lid on the pot and put it in a preheated 150F oven for 30 min.

While that is steeping, start heating the rest of your water in the boil kettle, combine them when steeping is complete.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/home...-equipment/burners/floor-standing-burner.html

If you have the money, this is what I run. It will definitely get you to a boil in a hurry. I used to run a propane turkey deep fryer which you can pick up off craigslist for 25 bucks. Save you a lot of clean up hassle in case of a boil over.

sounds good to me! that's what I do as well and seems to work just fine

Turkey Frier and a 9 gal pot worked great! I had no problems with the steeping method mentioned above.

Thanks guys for all the help!

Just to save time I usually add the steeping grains to 2.5 gallons of water when it is hot. I then continue heating until either 20 minutes or I reach 20 minutes per the recipes that I used. The time and temperature have met within a couple of minutes each time I have done this.

I do this on a glass top stove and top up to 5 gallons in the fermenter.

These beers have turned out great.

I use the turkey fryer method of brewing extract and usually facilitate the stove top to get my grains steeping while my water is boiling in the BK. However, I am going to be doing an off-site brew day where I have no access to a stove.

How do you other turkey fryer brewers control the temp of the water in your BK when steeping grains? Do you put the water and bag in there, turn on the LP and hope that the temp doesn't get above 160ish before steeping time is done or do yall just kill the flame when you start getting to hot?

tjashing said:

I am following these steps for steeping specialty grains followed by adding my malt extract:

1. Heat 1.5 gal of water to about 160F
2. Add specialty grains (1.5lbs) for 30 min at 160F.
3. Add 4.5 gal of water to the same kettle, to top off to 6 gal pre boil volume.
4. Bring water to a boil.
5. Take kettle off of heat and add malt extract, stirring constanlty until all dissolved.
6. Put back on burner and wait for the hot break.

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1.5 gal of water for 1.5 lbs of grain sounds like too much to me. Too much water and you risk extracting tannins. I've always read and been told 2 qt water per pound of grain.

Same goes for your temperature re: extracting tannins. You should mash in at 160F because the grains will cool down the water, but while the grain is steeping I've always heard 148-153F is ideal.

It would also be good to sparge your grains with about 1qt/lb of 170F water after the steeping is done.

Mase said:

I use the turkey fryer method of brewing extract and usually facilitate the stove top to get my grains steeping while my water is boiling in the BK. However, I am going to be doing an off-site brew day where I have no access to a stove.

How do you other turkey fryer brewers control the temp of the water in your BK when steeping grains? Do you put the water and bag in there, turn on the LP and hope that the temp doesn't get above 160ish before steeping time is done or do yall just kill the flame when you start getting to hot?

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I bring the water to 10 degrees above steeping temp, kill the flame, add grain, put on lid and insulate pot. In warm weather No need to apply more heat. in the winter I may need to apply some heat half way through the steep. To insulate the pot I cut up one of those things that pizza delivery guys use to keep pizza warm. Thank you Pizza Hut.

I heat up 1.5 - 2 quarts of water per pound of grains to about 160° in a small pot. At 160° I dump in the grains, turn off the heat and put on the lid. While the grains are steeping I bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in one pot and the rest of my boil water to a boil in another pot. After about 45 min I dump the steeping grains and their water through a SS strainer into the boil pot then pour the gallon of water through them into the boil pot.

hwilshusen said:

I bring the water to 10 degrees above steeping temp, kill the flame, add grain, put on lid and insulate pot. In warm weather No need to apply more heat. in the winter I may need to apply some heat half way through the steep. To insulate the pot I cut up one of those things that pizza delivery guys use to keep pizza warm. Thank you Pizza Hut.

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Very interesting method. I think it would work well for me even if I do not have the pizza bag. Perhaps I'll keep my eye out for one anyway. Thanks for the idea!

Mase said:

Very interesting method. I think it would work well for me even if I do not have the pizza bag. Perhaps I'll keep my eye out for one anyway. Thanks for the idea!

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Just heat your oven up to 150 (if it will go that low, otherwise kill heat manually using a temp probe) and use a pot that will fit with only one rack in on the lowest rung.

You should now have very little temperature droop without needing to constantly meter out heat on the stove.

I think you'll be fine. I've never heard of extracting tannins because the volume of water varying so little. Tannin extraction won't happen until the chemical bonds are broken that release the tannins. For this reason I generally make sure I stay away from 170 at all costs. Also, experiments have shown that the tannin extraction won't hurt for 1 lb/gal

It's easier to control the exact temperature with a higher volume of water for me. My brews are all done with partial boils, and I generally both steep and brew at 2.5 to 3 gallons. Never had any issues.

Edit: Clarified the first part of my post

I try to never go above 155. I was told by an all-grain expert that higher temps create a different type of sugar molecule and that you wanted the molecule that came about with a lower temp.

Lately, i've been adding my steeping grains to the cold full boil water (6.5gallons) while it heats up, then removing the bag once the water reaches 170.
I used to use 1 gallon on the stovetop holding at 155 for 30 minutes, then rising with another gallon of 165deg water.

I have made the same beer using the 2 different methods above, and both beers tasted the same.

So there is such thing as too much water? I've always used the above method (steeped in 6gallons while it heats up and then turn heat off at 165F for 30 minutes ).

pjcampbell said:

So there is such thing as too much water? I've always used the above method (steeped in 6gallons while it heats up and then turn heat off at 165F for 30 minutes ).

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Your method is fine as long as you pull the grains out before they get too hot. Many people, like myself, steep in less water. Usually in the amount of water you would use to mash.(1.5-2qt of water per lb I believe) I do it so I can reduce the brewing time. I heat up my boil water in a separate pot while my grains steep.

logan3825 said:

I heat up 1.5 - 2 quarts of water per pound of grains to about 160° in a small pot. At 160° I dump in the grains, turn off the heat and put on the lid. While the grains are steeping I bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in one pot and the rest of my boil water to a boil in another pot. After about 45 min I dump the steeping grains and their water through a SS strainer into the boil pot then pour the gallon of water through them into the boil pot.

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I use a similar method. Works great.

Just like mashing, there are numerous steeping methods that work fine. It's really up to the brewer what he/she prefers.

pjcampbell said:

So there is such thing as too much water? I've always used the above method (steeped in 6gallons while it heats up and then turn heat off at 165F for 30 minutes ).

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Well, it can. But probably not.

Here's what I mean- when you steep/mash in a larger volume (over 2 quarts/pound), you could be at a higher pH than optimum. It really doesn't matter that much if you're using simply "steeping grains" but if you're using grains that should be mashed (Munich malt, vienna malt, wheat malt, biscuit malt, etc), then the pH would probably be higher than desired with a larger volume of water.

Temperature doesn't really affect tannin extraction that much in a proper pH environment, but in a mash/steep with a too-high pH, it is a real possibility.

If your beer is turning out great, then obviously it's working well for you. But if there is any astringency or harshness, I'd consider steeping in the lower volume (up to 2 quarts/pound) and then topping up with water after the steep (you can pour a gallon of 170 degree water over the grains to rinse after the steep) and bring to a boil.

CrookedTail said:

I use a similar method. Works great.

Just like mashing, there are numerous steeping methods that work fine. It's really up to the brewer what he/she prefers.

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I didn't even realize I had already posted in this thread. I only wanted to reassure the poster they were not doing anything wrong.

CrookedTail said:

Just like mashing, there are numerous steeping methods that work fine. It's really up to the brewer what he/she prefers.

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Like most brewing things preference and what you feel is working for you is what you should go with. For me I steep my grains in a separate pot at a 1.5qt/lb ratio...give or take a little. For the DME I add it all to a fermenting bucket, add hot water to my pre-boil volume (minus what I'm getting from my steeping grain mixutre), stir well, then dump that in my brew pot. I'll bring my brew pot to a boil while the steeping grains are going and I usually time it to where the boil is starting as I'm pouring my specialty grains through my strainer. Works like a charm for me and it saves a little time by having your wort pretty much boiling right before your steeping is done. Cheers!