difference between PM and steeping

What is the difference between partial mashing and just steeping?

i've been "steeping" for 30 minutes at 160, then I put the grain bag in a colander and "sparge" (pour over) with 170F water.

is the only difference that "partial mash" uses base grains?

Steeping specialty grains adds protein, flavor and color, but no fermentables. The partial mash uses base malts to convert starches to sugars. You also need to control the temperature more carefully during a partial mash.

You can sparge a steeped grain bag to extract more protein, flavor and color, but the water temperature isn't that important because you're not mashing out.

basically, yes - without the base malts, all you extract are color and some flavor. With the base malts, you get enzymes that convert various long-chain carbohydrates into smaller chain carbohydrates that are fermentable. A mash (or partial mash) holds the grains between 140-160 F (usually 148-158 F) depending on what you want to get out of it (lower for more fermentables and a lighter body, higher for more non-fermentables and a fuller body)

so, if i were to do exactly what I described above, except, say, use 3lb of 2-row, would I then be "partial mashing"?

motobrewer said:

so, if i were to do exactly what I described above, except, say, use 3lb of 2-row, would I then be "partial mashing"?

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Yup, if you add crushed base grain (2-row, pale ale, pilsner malt, et at) to your specialty grains, and steep at a more precise temperature (as noted above, 149°-152° for thinner bodied, more fermentable wort; 154°-158° for more mouthfeel and less fermentable wort), you'd be partial mashing.

BYO has a good article on Countertop Partial Mashing that uses a 2gal cooler, but a grain bag in a pot does the same thing.

Knowing that partial mashing is so close to steeping makes it a lot more accessible and less intimidating, doesn't it?

You might also want to extend the time to 60 minutes to get a more complete conversion.

ah, that's what i was looking for. thanks ChrisS68 and Chad!

and yes, yes it does. i see all these cooler / double pot setups for partial mashing and I'm wondering, "what am I missing here?"

We were talking about this about two weeks ago, in this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/partial-mash-vs-extract-brewing-143504/

There are some links in there that can help, as well as the "definition" of a partial mash vs steep. It should also help clear up a few things!

Is their a big difference in the finished product, between partial mash & steeping?

BeerCigars said:

Is their a big difference in the finished product, between partial mash & steeping?

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I wouldn't say one method is 'better' than the other. People have made phenomenal homebrews from extract/steeping grains. What partial mashing allows is more flexibility in your grain bill. When you brew with extract, you're limited to the grain bill the extract manufacturer put in the extract. If you're going for a more complex grain bill, say, Maris Otter with Black Patent, Chocolate, Various Crystals, etc. that's something you're not going to be able to buy in a bag. At that point, your options are to simplify the grain bill and go all-extract + specialty grains, or do a partial mash with some of your base malts being replaced by extract.