Steeping grains

Hi,
I'm a new brewer, just have 3 extract kits under my belt, hoping to do my fourth batch tomorrow. My first three were kits, two from Midwest and the other from a local shop. For the next one , I individually bought the ingredients for the Three Weisse Guys wheat beer that's in John Palmers How To Brew book. But I noticed a difference - all the kits I have brewed started out with an initial step of steeping a provided grain mixture in a muslin bag before adding the extracts and doing the boil. The recipes in the Palmer book don't include the steeping process. Why the difference or am I missing something? I'd hate to make the wheat beer without the step if its really needed. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Can you post the recipe you're going to brew?

Steeping doesn't do anything diastaticly; it's only for flavor, body, etc.

I see no harm in steeping, but I think seeing the recipe may prove helpful in answering your concerns (I have the book, but that would require me walking away from my currently boiling wort )

I believe the recipe is on this site: http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter19-3.html

The recipe as written in John's book is for extract only - no grains. Which naturally means no steeping

I don't have the recipe right in front of me, but you can make a really good weizen with extract only, no need to steep any grains.

Sent from my Droid Incredible using Home Brew Talk-Brad

Kaz said:

I don't have the recipe right in front of me, but you can make a really good weizen with extract only, no need to steep any grains.

Sent from my Droid Incredible using Home Brew Talk-Brad

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Agreed. The wheat I make for my wife is 6 lbs wheat LME, 30 minute boil, 1 oz perle for 30 and the zest of two oranges at flameout. A tablespoon of flour is nice to cloud it up even more. Additional hopping wouldn't hurt, but wifey likes it how it is.

It is the cheapest and easiest beer I make.

Yes, that's the recipe. Thanks for the replies, folks!!