I am a relatively new to brewing only about 7 batches in all different from ipa to stouts to witbeir. One thing I have noticed I'd that different company's recipes tell u different things when it comes to steeping like get the water to 170 steep for 15 min with burner off another is get water to 155 and steep for 25 min. So what is the general rule of thumb for this all being extract kits
Steaping grains temp and time
- Thread starter 46andbrew
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150-165F for 20-30 minutes. I think 30 minutes is better. Water volume isn't as criticle with steeping,but using mash water volumes is a good practice I think.
NivekD
Well-Known Member
I like 155º for 30 min. It may not really need that much time, but it works for me.
Steeping is a great step up to All Grain. You will notice a better taste (malty of fresh grain) in your beers. Simply follow any receipe but 30 minutes is about right.
It's 1 to 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain. I mash 5lbs of grains in 2 gallons of water & it works fine for PB/PM BIAB.
When you brew all grain, you want to stay within a certain ratio of water to grain during the mash process. This ratio is between 1 and 1.5 QUARTS of water per pound of grain, as unionrdr stated. Staying in this ratio generally gives you the most balanced condition between proteolytic (protein) and diastatic (starch) enzyme activity.
EDIT: I should say that you USUALLY want to stay in this range. There are certain types of beers where you may want to use a very thick or a very thin mash. Thick mashes favor breaking down proteins and thin mashes favor breaking down starches.
EDIT: quarts per pound, not gallons. Thanks unionrdr.
I usually do a 45 minute steep in 2 gallons of 155 degree water, with a 1/2 gallon rinse of 170 degree water. then start my boil. I then add 1 gallon of near or sometimes boiling water after the rinse is complete. bring to a boil and then add extracts. makes some great beer.
Ventucky805
Active Member
Please don't flame me as I am only being honest:
The aforementioned about steeping in a precise temp range (155-170 usually) as a good practice for future partial mash and all grain are definitely true. As well as the importance of grain to water ratios for mashing. When I first started I followed temp time volume instructions religiously. In fact if you steep for a long enough time between 155-165~ you may actually be "mashing" somewhat and converting some starch to fermentable sugar. Congrats.
That being said as long as the grains being steeped say crystal or cara ("specialty grains") in the name the large part of the sugars are in a readily washed form, you can convert some starch in them, but for the most part the sugar is converted and "caramelized" (this doesn't apply to things with malt in the name or things that need to be mashed with other grains of diastatic power ie corn rice they all must be mashed)
Sooo since when I am brewing extract instead of grain it usually means I'm being lazy I usually just put my cara or crystal grain bag in the full volume I'm gonna boil at in cold tap temp water (alot of the color/sugar goes into the water even cold) then I turn the heat on and try to pull it out when it feels right. Hot to the touch before it boils (usually a little steam coming off). Used this method for plenty of batches with pretty much the same results as being a temp and time nazi.
That being said my main point is yes they are right it is good to practice temp control but when it comes to steeping crystal grains as long as you don't go over 170(leaching tannin's) and the color changes enough you should be ok.
Please don't flame me for encouraging lazy brew methods I know it's less than perfect. I just wanted to illustrate that steeping is way more forgiving than a mash.
The aforementioned about steeping in a precise temp range (155-170 usually) as a good practice for future partial mash and all grain are definitely true. As well as the importance of grain to water ratios for mashing. When I first started I followed temp time volume instructions religiously. In fact if you steep for a long enough time between 155-165~ you may actually be "mashing" somewhat and converting some starch to fermentable sugar. Congrats.
That being said as long as the grains being steeped say crystal or cara ("specialty grains") in the name the large part of the sugars are in a readily washed form, you can convert some starch in them, but for the most part the sugar is converted and "caramelized" (this doesn't apply to things with malt in the name or things that need to be mashed with other grains of diastatic power ie corn rice they all must be mashed)
Sooo since when I am brewing extract instead of grain it usually means I'm being lazy I usually just put my cara or crystal grain bag in the full volume I'm gonna boil at in cold tap temp water (alot of the color/sugar goes into the water even cold) then I turn the heat on and try to pull it out when it feels right. Hot to the touch before it boils (usually a little steam coming off). Used this method for plenty of batches with pretty much the same results as being a temp and time nazi.
That being said my main point is yes they are right it is good to practice temp control but when it comes to steeping crystal grains as long as you don't go over 170(leaching tannin's) and the color changes enough you should be ok.
Please don't flame me for encouraging lazy brew methods I know it's less than perfect. I just wanted to illustrate that steeping is way more forgiving than a mash.
That's quarts of water,not gallons. Otherwise correct.
Corrected above. Thanks. That would have been a thin mash indeed.
Maybe...just a little. 
