Relax, it's really very simple;
Using Steeping Grains
Using steeping grains will add flavor and color to your extract brews. All you need to do is soak the grains in your water as you heat it up. Most speciality grains have already been mashed. Mashing is the process of converting the natural starch in the barley kernal into sugar. These grains are then kiln dried. As the grains are dried, the sugars inside carmelize, or crystalize. This is where the name crystal malt comes from.
The Lovibond scale is used to rate how much color these grains will add to your beer. Certain grains like roasted barley or chocolate malt are not mashed or malted, they are simply burnt. The very dark grains are rated at 300+ Lovibond and give off a rich roast character. Other grains are lightly toasted, like the vistory or biscuit malt. These grains often give off a nutty taste. Steeping grains will add body and unfermentable sugars to your beer. Flaked grains must be mashed and should not be steeped. They can be easily used in a partial mash when combined with 2-row malt. If you are interested, please ask for a copy of our mini-mashing directions.
To begin:
1. Add 1.5 gallons cold water to your brew pot.
2. Put grain in steeping bag and tie up bag.
3. Put bag in water and stir till all grain is wetted.
(you will notice particulate matter floating around, this is normal and will not effect clarity or taste of the finished product. If you are not using a steeping bag you will just put grain into water but it will need to be strained out before the malt is added. The steeping bag method allows you to simply remove the grain without straining.)
4. Turn on heat and continually stir grain to avoid melting or burning the grain bag. You will continue heating until the temp. reaches 170°F. or if you do not have a thermometer heat until the mix just begins to boil.
5. You should then remove the grain either by lifting the bag up or by straining out the grain. If you want you may rinse the grain (sparge) by pouring about two pints of hot water over the grain and allow rinse water to drip back into the brew pot. Sparging rinses the flavor and some sugars that would otherwise be left behind. DO NOT WRING OUT GRAIN! This extracts harsh tannins giving the beer an astringent taste.
6. You are now ready to bring this mix back to a boil, and when the boil is reached remove pot from heat.
7. Add malt extract (LME/DME) as usual and stir until completely dissolved.
8. Bring mix back to boil and add hops.
9. Cool as usual and ferment as usual.
Good luck,
Wild