Steeping Grains Question

[Asylum88]

Hi All,

I custom created a recipe on Brewers Friend. For a two gallon extract IPA, is a half a pound of 10 Lovibond Caramel Crystal malt too much to steep with? I figured steeping efficiency would be around 25 percent since this will be my first recipe created from scratch. The overall ABV should be 6.2 percent for the recipe according to Brewers Friend.

The main fermentable is 3.15lbs of Maillard Malts - Gold extract. Final IBU is calculated at 58. I want a balanced beer but not sure if I will be using too much steeping grains to give a massive malty flavor.

Thank you in advance for your expertise!

 

[Yooper]

Hi All,

I custom created a recipe on Brewers Friend. For a two gallon extract IPA, is a half a pound of 10 Lovibond Caramel Crystal malt too much to steep with? I figured steeping efficiency would be around 25 percent since this will be my first recipe created from scratch. The overall ABV should be 6.2 percent for the recipe according to Brewers Friend.

The main fermentable is 3.15lbs of Maillard Malts - Gold extract. Final IBU is calculated at 58. I want a balanced beer but not sure if I will be using too much steeping grains to give a massive malty flavor.

Thank you in advance for your expertise!

Yes, that's really too much crystal malt. For an IPA, try to limit the crystal to 5-7%, keeping in mind that many brands of extract include crystal or carapils malt in their ingredients.
Often for an extract IPA, people will use a bit of sugar to help dry out the beer. You could go up to 10% with table sugar, and that would really help with the extract batch.

 

[hottpeper13]

I like using Munich 10l instead of crystal malts in IPA's. And for a 2 gal batch 4 oz should do.

 

[Asylum88]

Thank you for your replies. I unfortunately already brewed this last night. I will create a separate thread with my recipe I created to see if it will work out ok. I knew I shouldn't of used 0.5lbs of Crystal malt for steeping. I guess you live and you learn

 

[IslandLizard]

I like using Munich 10l instead of crystal malts in IPA's

Munich really needs to be mashed, it's not a steeping grain. Munich 10L has a DP of 40 and can convert itself, but nothing else.

half a pound of 10 Lovibond Caramel Crystal malt

Low Lovibond crystal/caramalts (5-20°L, possibly up to 30°L) also benefit from being mashed rather than steeped. They have no DP, so some base malt is needed to convert them.
Since you steeped this crystal malt, it may not be all too sweet. You did add quite some starch by steeping them, it should settle out with the rest of the trub and yeast. RDWHAHB!

Note:
There's a small but significant difference between steeping and mashing. Look it up if you want to know.

 

[Asylum88]

Munich really needs to be mashed, it's not a steeping grain. Munich 10L has a DP of 40 and can convert itself, but nothing else.

Low Lovibond crystal/caramalts (5-20°L, possibly up to 30°L) also benefit from being mashed rather than steeped. They have no DP, so some base malt is needed to convert them.
Since you steeped this crystal malt, it may not be all too sweet. You did add quite some starch by steeping them, it should settle out with the rest of the trub and yeast. RDWHAHB!

Note:
There's a small but significant difference between steeping and mashing. Look it up if you want to know.

Thank you IslandLizard for your reply. What would be good to steep with and not have to worry about mashing? If you were to create an extract IPA what would you have used to steep with that is along the same lines as the Crystal malt I used?

I am pretty new to brewing and this is only my 4th batch. This is the first where I created my own recipe.

Thanks again!

 

[IslandLizard]

You're on the right track, definitely not far off with your recipe. C05-C30 are great crystal malts in an IPA. Or NEIPA.

If you don't want to do a mini-mash in a small pot, (it only takes 45-60' instead of steeping for 20-30'), use small amounts (3-6% of your extract bill) of C30-C60 steeped. It gives you some sweetness and color.
As @Yooper said, many extracts already include some crystal malts, you may not need any more. Briess' Pilsen Light extract (DME or LME), only contains Pale Ale malt and 1% Carapils (for foam retention). You could add some light crystal to that.

You could replace some of those lighter crystal malts with even smaller amounts of darker crystal, C80-C150, but color and non-IPA flavors (figs, dates, stone fruit) add up quickly, so be careful with those. We're talking a total of 0.5-1% of those, max., in a light color IPA.

Now more importantly, IPAs float on hops. The grain bill aside, what are/were your hop additions?
Are you planning a dry hop? If so, when and how much?

 

[Asylum88]

You're on the right track, definitely not far off with your recipe. C05-C30 are great crystal malts in an IPA. Or NEIPA.

If you don't want to do a mini-mash in a small pot, (it only takes 45-60' instead of steeping for 20-30'), use small amounts (3-6% of your extract bill) of C30-C60 steeped. It gives you some sweetness and color.
As @Yooper said, many extracts already include some crystal malts, you may not need any more. Briess' Pilsen Light extract (DME or LME), only contains Pale Ale malt and 1% Carapils (for foam retention). You could add some light crystal to that.

You could replace some of those lighter crystal malts with even smaller amounts of darker crystal, C80-C150, but color and non-IPA flavors (figs, dates, stone fruit) add up quickly, so be careful with those. We're talking a total of 0.5-1% of those, max., in a light color IPA.

Now more importantly, IPAs float on hops. The grain bill aside, what are/were your hop additions?
Are you planning a dry hop? If so, when and how much?

I will definitely try your advice for a next batch I do! Thanks a lot. Below is the exact recipe I created and followed for the brew. I think it might come out as a India Amber Ale LOL

Batch size:
2 gallons

Starting Water:
2.5 gallons

Fermentables:
3.15lbs of Maillard Malts Gold Extract - 4L 36PPG
0.5lbs of crushed Briess 10L Caramel Crystal Malt (this was steeped until close to boil)

Hops:
0.1oz Amarillo 7.8AA - 60min
1oz Cascade 7.2AA - 15min
2oz Cascade 7.2AA - 1min
3oz Amarillo 7.8AA - 1min

Finings:
Half a Whirlfloc tablet at 10min left in boil

Yeast:
Safale US-05 American Ale Yeast - Dry
I did not rehydrate. I just poured on top of wort evenly. I never rehydrate dry yeast.

Final ABV should be 6.2 percent

IBU around 60

 

[IslandLizard]

Briess 10L Caramel Crystal Malt (this was steeped until close to boil)

Not a huge error or alarming, just keep in mind to remove steeping grains when water reaches 168-170F, or you'll risk extracting tannins above that temp. The extraction parameters are a bit more complicated than that (pH plays a large role), but 168F as the upper temp is a good guideline.

For IPAs look into hopstands (aka whirlpool hops) to replace or supplement traditional late boil additions and flameout hops.
Those hopstands are performed after the boil, when the wort had been chilled to between 190F and 150F. The lower the "steeping" temps the less bitering takes place and more flavor and aroma are retained. At 150F most bittering reactions have stopped.

Since you've brewed an IPA, you may also want to add a 2-3 ounce dry hop 3-5 days before packaging.
Also try to eliminate or minimize air (O2) exposure as much as possible, when handling the beer. Omit the "secondary" if you had planned one!