jcarson83
Well-Known Member
I see a lot of recipes that calls for malts to steeped in a gallon or so of water and then sparged with 2 gallons. Why not just steep in 3 gallons of water?
What does sparging accomplish
- Thread starter jcarson83
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Desert_Sky
Since 1998
Well personally I never sparged when I steeped. But if you mash your grains (convert the starch to sugars) you sparge to rinse the grains of as much of the remaining sugars as possible
rod
beer -just brew it
you steep at around 150-158 degrees to let the enzymes convert the starch to sugar.
then you sparge with 2 gallons to rinse the sugars free
edit - you type faster than i do
then you sparge with 2 gallons to rinse the sugars free
edit - you type faster than i do
Desert_Sky
Since 1998
Well I guess it all comes down to which grains you are using. When I steep is purely for color and flavor.
Im assuming the OP is doing an extract brew with steeping grains.
Im assuming the OP is doing an extract brew with steeping grains.
bikebryan
Well-Known Member
If you are 'steeping' using steeping grains (assumed here) then what you describe isn't happening. Most steeping grains aren't adding any appreciable sugar levels to your brew. To do that you need to MASH grains that are different than grains used for steeping. In mashing, you do what you describe; in steeping, you add body, color and some flavor but no enzyme conversion really occurs.rod said:
rod
beer -just brew it
sorry - should read twice and then answer
david_42 said:
FWIW, I read an article in BYO about steeping specialty grains. It was written by Chris Colby. In the article he states that steeping specialty grains in too much water (dilute steep) will cause excess tannins to be extracted. The small amount of grains in a large amount of water is unable to lower the ph of the wort sufficiently enough to keep the tannins from being extracted. He recommends 2-3 quarts per lb of specialty grains in a separate pot on the stove. After the steep, just add the grain tea to the main boil kettle. If you choose to rinse the grain bag, do it with about .5 qts of water per lb of grain at or below the steeping temp. I've done this for several batches with great results.
John
You guys all missed the biggest point of sparging! It's to allow more time to drink HB! (Especially fly sparging!)
Beer Snob
Well-Known Member
johnsma22 said:
I don't know John... really that seems like a lot of thinking for something that really is supposed to be a brainless operation. That would also mean I would need to clean another pot and as the wife can voice enough for me, I don't even like to do the amount of dishes I already need to do
The amount of water in the pot is the same if you were just doing an extract. Just instead of plain water you make a 3ish gal batch of grain tea. By no means am I saying that the method you described is wrong. It will come to the same end, just sounds a tad more complicated then it needs to be you know....Shambolic
Well-Known Member
My procedure is as follows:
Bring a small amount of water (about 4-5 litres per kilogram of specialty grain I am using) to steeping temperature in my brew pot. Steep specialty grains in grain bag for 20-30 min. Rinse the grains a bit (still in the grain bag). Top the pot up to full boiling volume, then bring to the boil before starting to add extracts etc.
Best of both worlds - no tannin extraction from too-dilute steeping, and no fussing around with extra pots etc.
Bring a small amount of water (about 4-5 litres per kilogram of specialty grain I am using) to steeping temperature in my brew pot. Steep specialty grains in grain bag for 20-30 min. Rinse the grains a bit (still in the grain bag). Top the pot up to full boiling volume, then bring to the boil before starting to add extracts etc.
Best of both worlds - no tannin extraction from too-dilute steeping, and no fussing around with extra pots etc.
