Okay to use malt like specialty grains?

Hey, sorry for the un-descriptive title. I am brewing using LME because I lack the equipment to start all grain brewing(Even though i really REALLY want to..) and I want to use crystal grains to add more flavors and sugars. With this being said, I want to know if it would be okay to add a lb of crystal malt or carapil grains in a muslin bag and let it soak in the water pre boil for about 20 mins before starting the boil with lme, hops, etc. Is this a complete no no?

Steeping specialty grains is totally normal. Steep any specialty grains (crystal malt) at 155 degrees for 30 min before you boil. You will get more flavor and color from crystal, but no fermentable sugars.

If you want fermentable sugars you have to steep a base malt (2 row), and any other specialty grains for about 60min. Once you do that, you now have a partial-mash.

Tree55Topz said:

Hey, sorry for the un-descriptive title. I am brewing using LME because I lack the equipment to start all grain brewing(Even though i really REALLY want to..) and I want to use crystal grains to add more flavors and sugars. With this being said, I want to know if it would be okay to add a lb of crystal malt or carapil grains in a muslin bag and let it soak in the water pre boil for about 20 mins before starting the boil with lme, hops, etc. Is this a complete no no?

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You might be surprised at how little equipment it takes to start all grain brewing. If you have a way to get grains crushed (local store, internet store) and a pot to boil in, you can start all grain brewing with only the purchase of a pair of paint strainer bags and a good thermomenter for a total investment of under $10. You will be limited by the size of your boil pot. I started with a 20 qt (5 gallon) stock pot and was able to do a 2 1/2 gallon batch. When I got a 7 1/2 gallon turkey fryer I was able to move up to 5 gallon batches. If you want to try all grain, search for BIAB and there will be a ton of info on it.

Okay cool thank you for giving me the green light on the idea. And interesting, Ive been thinking about just making my own mash tun. Thanks for the advice RM-MN

itzkramer said:

Steeping specialty grains is totally normal. Steep any specialty grains (crystal malt) at 155 degrees for 30 min before you boil. You will get more flavor and color from crystal, but no fermentable sugars.

If you want fermentable sugars you have to steep a base malt (2 row), and any other specialty grains for about 60min. Once you do that, you now have a partial-mash.

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Will this work the same way with adjunct grains, such as rye flakes? I've been wanting to try to incorporate some rye into one of my brews, but don't want to necessarily have to buy the rye based extract.

Well,there are new extract versions of some grains out there. You could experiment with mixing & matching. I've done that since my 2nd brew.
But mashing can also be applied to BIAB with partial boil,partial mash,as that's what I'm doing now. I mash 5lbs of grains in 2 gallons of water in a 5G pain strainer bag for one hour wrapped in my thinsulate lined winter hunting coat. 3-3.3lbs of extract is added at flame out to complete the brew.
OG's are good as well,since the paint strainer bag allows me to stir the mash for greater efficiency. OG's are now like 1.046-1.055. This will alow you to use the same stuff you've been using by just adding a floating thermometer for the mash,along with a 5G paint strainer bag. A long plastic paddle would help too.

itzkramer said:

Steeping specialty grains is totally normal. Steep any specialty grains (crystal malt) at 155 degrees for 30 min before you boil. You will get more flavor and color from crystal, but no fermentable sugars.

If you want fermentable sugars you have to steep a base malt (2 row), and any other specialty grains for about 60min. Once you do that, you now have a partial-mash.

Click to expand...

Actually, you do get some fermentable sugars from crystal malt without mashing- it's "premashed" so to speak by the way it's made.

Steeping specialty grains is very common, and I would guess that the majority of extract brewers always do that.

Take a look a this beginner's recipe for an English brown ale:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f126/extract-english-brown-ale-27601/

It uses specialty grains to make a nice easy beer.