Steeping specialty grains

[arnobg]

As I prep for my second brew tomorrow (NB Kama Citra Session IPA) I am reading the instructions and had questions regarding steeping grains.

For one, I plan on doing a full volume boil since I have a large enough kettle and wort chiller. The recipe calls for 2.5 gallons of water heated up while steeping grains for 20 minutes or until water reaches 170F. I also planned on doing late extract addition, maybe half beginning of boil, half 15 minutes before the end. Is the larger 6 gallon volume going to affect the steeping grains? Also, from everything else I have seen steeping should be done once reaching a temperature and then hold that, or am I completely off on that? Should I just follow the instructions and steep right when I turn the flame on until 170F or 20 minutes?

 

[Sailingeric]

You will be fine. If you did the 2.5 gallon steep and added water it would be watered down to about the same as doing the steep in the full boil. :rockin:

 

[BigEd]

My suggestion is to use only as much water as necessary to steep. While not as critical as doing a mash for all grain, large volumes of water for steeping may leech out tannin and other unwanted substances due to potentially high pH. With small amounts of water in relation to the grains it's much less of an issue. Try 2 quarts water per pound of grain then after steeping add additional water as required.

 

[arnobg]

My suggestion is to use only as much water as necessary to steep. While not as critical as doing a mash for all grain, large volumes of water for steeping may leech out tannin and other unwanted substances due to potentially high pH. With small amounts of water in relation to the grains it's much less of an issue. Try 2 quarts water per pound of grain then after steeping add additional water as required.

So for the 0.75lb of caramel 40 specialty grains I should heat up 2 quarts of water...then add the rest when done steeping? Is this going to be an issue as I am using a propane burner and can get 4 gallons boiling in 20 minutes?

This is confusing because it says to steep until water gets to 170F or for 20 minutes. 2 quarts would be boiling or to 170F in no time.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Just bring the 2 quarts of water up slowly. Since it's only 2 quarts, I would just do it on the stove top and transfer it to your brew kettle with the remaining water as it gets close to boiling.

 

[unionrdr]

Or get the temp up to 165F, then wrap it up in a winter coat or blanket for 20-30 minutes to hold temp. Then sparge with 168-170F water to get to boil volume.

 

[arnobg]

Well now I have 3 ways to do and feel more "lost". Do I want to steep once 150-160F is reached or steep while heating up to 170 or 20min like directions indicate?

 

[unionrdr]

I prefer to stay below 170F when steeping. That's a lil too close to the temp where bad things can happen if too much water is also used. Too much water & the PH starts going south, & the temp could exacerbate things. Steeping is usually from 150-165F. Some directions, in my opinion, think it might be easier to just toss the grain bag into the water, heat to 170, remove & move on. I prefer to treat it like I'm mashing, since that's what I'm into currently. Besides the temp range mentioned is more typical of steeping. And I always had a lot of trouble trying to maintain steep/mash temps on the stove. So I get it to temp, add the grains in the bag & steep/mash with the BK/MT wrapped in my quilted winter hunting coat. Easier to maintain temps that way.

 

[Clarke]

I would bring the water to temperature then steep, as if I was mashing.

 

[kh54s10]

Well now I have 3 ways to do and feel more "lost". Do I want to steep once 150-160F is reached or steep while heating up to 170 or 20min like directions indicate?

I have always used the "NB" method. As soon as the water is hot (a few minutes on the heat) I add the grain bag. I continue with the stove on high. At roughly 20 minutes the temp is 170. If I reach 170 too soon I just turn off the heat.

It has always worked very well and shaves a little time off the brewday. (Not waiting until the water is X degrees THEN steeping.)

 

[arnobg]

Thanks for the replies I will heat it up and then steep for 20 minutes between 150-160F. For those that recently answered, do you do it with a small volume then add to the full boil as another member mentioned, or do it in the full boil?

 

[CA_Mouse]

Steep with a small volume and rinse them until you get to your full boil volume. Since you are steeping these grains, there is no reason to "mash" them at a specified temp. Steeping grains is for flavor and color only. I know several veteran brewers and myself just tossed the grain sack into the cool water and turned the heat on. by the time it reaches 160-170 it should have been about 20 minutes. Then we just sparged with the remaining water for our boil (it didn't seem to matter if we were doing concentrated boils or full boils).

 

[arnobg]

Steep with a small volume and rinse them until you get to your full boil volume. Since you are steeping these grains, there is no reason to "mash" them at a specified temp. Steeping grains is for flavor and color only. I know several veteran brewers and myself just tossed the grain sack into the cool water and turned the heat on. by the time it reaches 160-170 it should have been about 20 minutes. Then we just sparged with the remaining water for our boil (it didn't seem to matter if we were doing concentrated boils or full boils).

By rinse you mean pour more water over them? So essentially heat a gallon and steep, then pour the rest of my volume over the grains into the boil kettle? Does this water need to be hot, meaning I need two boil kettles to accomplish this?

 

[Gavin C]

Does this water need to be hot, meaning I need two boil kettles to accomplish this?

Nope

 

[m00ps]

its sort of a pseudo-"sparge" similar to BIAb where you are just rinsing the grains a bit to get the residual sugars stuck to the grains off and into your kettle. I just use cold water so it cools it so i can squeeze the bag out a bit

 

[arnobg]

Awesome this has been helpful for sure. I am thinking I'll put a gallon in the kettle and turn the heat on and let it heat up to 150ish. I'll then steep the grains and rinse the remaining 5 gallons over the grains and let it steep for 20 minutes or until reaching 150F.

Does this sound good..

 

[Gavin C]

Your overthinking it a touch but it is good to be thorough. I can totally identify with your thought process. I remember being quite unsure of the steeping process when I started.

• Put some water in the pot ~1-2 gallons would be fine as would be the entire volume if doing a full-volume boil.
  
• Put milled specialty grains in bag and place them in the water.
  
• Apply heat.
  
• Take the grains out after 20-30 mins or when the temperature reaches ~160F, which ever comes first.
  
• Squeeze the bag, rinse with some water if you want.

Personally I wouldn't bother with a rinse. If I was doing a full boil I would just get that water up to temp (~160F) and remove the grain-bag, squeeze it a bit to get more color/flavor components out and get on with the next step.

Getting the water to boiling temp and adding the DME/LME

 

[arnobg]

Your overthinking it a touch but it is good to be thorough. I can totally identify with your thought process. I remember being quite unsure of the steeping process when I started.

• Put some water in the pot ~1-2 gallons as is the entire volume if doing a full-boil.
  
• Put milled specialty grains in bag and place them in the water.
  
• Apply heat.
  
• Take the grains out after 20-30 mins or when the temperature reaches ~160F, which ever comes first.
  
• Squeeze the bag, rinse with some water if you want.

Personally I wouldn't bother with a rinse. If I was doing a full boil I would just get that water up to temp (~160F) and remove the grain-bag, squeeze it a bit to get more color/flavor components out and get on with the next step.

Getting the water to boiling temp and adding the DME/LME

Thanks for this in instructions making it easier to understand, I do tend to be very detailed and thorough with things causing me to overthink. The full volume amount will be 6 gallons so I'll start with that and make it easy.

 

[Gavin C]

Thanks for this in instructions making it easier to understand, I do tend to be very detailed and thorough with things causing me to overthink. The full volume amount will be 6 gallons so I'll start with that and make it easy.

No worries. Best of luck with the brew.

 

[Shooter]

Your overthinking it a touch but it is good to be thorough.

This!

The truth is, I've steeped and continue to steep using several different methods, depending on the recipe I have:

1. Bring roughly 2 quarts to a gallon of water per pound of grain to temperature, steep for thirty minutes then sparge or don't sparge and just drain.

or

2. Put grains in similar amount of water at cold/tap temperature, bring it to 170 degrees and remove grain then sparge or just drain.

Using any of those multiple combinations, it's always been fairly similar in the end result. I never once spat it out and declared, "Well, THAT didn't work!!"