Another quick question

[spencer3584]

My recipe says steep at 2 1/4 quarts. But I'm making five gallons. Does that make sense?

 

[Nuggethead]

nope?

 

[Yooper]

Sure. I assume you have 1-2 pounds of grains. You steep/mash that in the set amount of water, and then you can pour the "rinse" water over it up to your boil volume. Generally, you want 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain to get the proper pH for mashing.

 

[BansheeRider]

Sure. I assume you have 1-2 pounds of grains. You steep/mash that in the set amount of water, and then you can pour the "rinse" water over it up to your boil volume. Generally, you want 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain to get the proper pH for mashing.

Yeah but mashing and steeping are two different topics. I am assuming the OP is talking about a partial boil extract recipe with specialty grains.

 

[Yooper]

Yeah but mashing and steeping are two different topics. I am assuming the OP is talking about a partial boil extract recipe with specialty grains.

Not really. I mean, if you use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain, always, then you are never wrong. It's a perfectly fine technique, and I always did it with all batches no matter what the grain bill.

Then you don't have to think about it. "Oh, this batch has Munich malt and oats" or "This batch has crystal malt and roasted barley", and then treat them differently. If you always use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain, no matter what, and hold it at 150-155 degrees, then it's always the right way to proceed.

 

[BansheeRider]

Not really. I mean, if you use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain, always, then you are never wrong. It's a perfectly fine technique, and I always did it with all batches no matter what the grain bill.

Then you don't have to think about it. "Oh, this batch has Munich malt and oats" or "This batch has crystal malt and roasted barley", and then treat them differently. If you always use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain, no matter what, and hold it at 150-155 degrees, then it's always the right way to proceed.

Every partial boil extract recipe with specialty grains (no base grains) I've seen say to steep the grains in a muslin sack in 3 gallons of water at about 160 degrees for 30 min or until you reach 170 degrees. So if you steep your grains (1 pound specialty grains) in 1-2 quarts of water that's less than 1/2 a gallon. I think we are confusing AG brews with extract w/ specialty grains. Also the OP didn't specify what brewing method. I just assumed extract brewing because the OP mentioned steeping grains.

 

[Yooper]

Every partial boil extract recipe with specialty grains (no base grains) I've seen say to steep the grains in a muslin sack in 3 gallons of water at about 160 degrees for 30 min or until you reach 170 degrees. So if you steep your grains (1 pound specialty grains) in 1-2 quarts of water that's less than 1/2 a gallon. I think we are confusing AG brews with extract w/ specialty grains. Also the OP didn't specify what brewing method. I just assumed extract brewing because the OP mentioned steeping grains.

Yes, I understand what you are saying. But it still doesn't matter- you can use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain in ANY application- extract with specialty grains, partial mash, all-grain. It's always correct.

There may be other ways that are ok as well, but it's never wrong to steep (or mash) with 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain.

When I was a new brewer, I didn't know which grains must be mashed or which ones could be simply steeped and I found it much easier to just always use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain, no matter what grains they were. Then, lift out the grainbag and pour water over it up to my boil volume. It's the same technique no matter what the ingredients are. Some grains can be steeped (roasted barley, crystal malt) and some must be mashed (oats, Vienna malt, Munich malt), and if you always do it the same way then you don't have to try to figure it out each time. It really does simplify things.

 

[Conman13]

+1 to Yooper.

After you have steeped in the 2 and 1/4 quarts, pour the rest of the water over the grain bag and into the boil kettle to flush off as many of the sugars as possible.

 

[BansheeRider]

Yes, I understand what you are saying. But it still doesn't matter- you can use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain in ANY application- extract with specialty grains, partial mash, all-grain. It's always correct.

There may be other ways that are ok as well, but it's never wrong to steep (or mash) with 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain.

When I was a new brewer, I didn't know which grains must be mashed or which ones could be simply steeped and I found it much easier to just always use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain, no matter what grains they were. Then, lift out the grainbag and pour water over it up to my boil volume. It's the same technique no matter what the ingredients are. Some grains can be steeped (roasted barley, crystal malt) and some must be mashed (oats, Vienna malt, Munich malt), and if you always do it the same way then you don't have to try to figure it out each time. It really does simplify things.

If you steep specialty grains in 1/2 gallons of water then top off to 3 gallons for the boil, then top off again in the fermenter to get your volume of 5 gallons the color/flavor will be off. Most extract kits I've seen have 1-2 pounds of specialty grain. I think this is why the directions recommend steeping in 3 gallons of water for 01 pound of specialty grains. Anyways.....I brew AG now and I use the method you speak of for mashing.

 

[Yooper]

If you steep specialty grains in 1/2 gallons of water then top off to 3 gallons for the boil, then top off again in the fermenter to get your volume of 5 gallons the color/flavor will be off. Most extract kits I've seen have 1-2 pounds of specialty grain. I think this is why the directions recommend steeping in 3 gallons of water for 01 pound of specialty grains. Anyways.....I brew AG now and I use the method you speak of for mashing.

I don't know why "the flavor would be off" if you steep the grain properly. That doesn't make sense to me.

Anyway, this works!