Anyone ever stored wort from steeping

[simoncurry24]

I really want to brew this weekend but will not have much time. I'm thinking of steeping my grains tonight, then storing the resulting wort in the fridge until Saturday morning. I'll then heat it up, add the extract and hops etc and off I go.

Anyone ever done this? See any problems with it?

 

[Choguy03]

I can't give any insight to this, but why not just wait a weekend and then take your time. I know time is hard to come by for everybody, but this way you won't waste 2 months because you wanted to brew this weekend (something could go wrong, you are rushing and forget something, you miss something with sanitizer) as opposed to waiting another week and then having a delicious brew.

 

[Yooper]

Well, this is just theory (since I've never done it), but if you want to save the "tea" from the steeping, you should bring it to a boil first. Grains have nasties in them, like lactobacillus, and boiling the wort kills them. That's why we don't crush grain around finished wort.

So, if you're bringing it to a boil, might as well finish the brew! Or, if you're rushed for time on brew day, why not steep in one pot while bringing the rest of the ingredients to a boil, and then add the steeped "tea" when it's finished to the boiling wort?

 

[simoncurry24]

I like the idea of doing the steeping in one pot while preparing the rest of the stuff. It might even be better because I've read that you should use less than 1 gal per pound of steeping grains to get best flavor, so I could step in say, 1 gal while boiling the other two - which probably takes about 20 mins.

I think I will also not rush as Choguy03 said. I do tend to make mistakes when rushing.

Thanks guys!

 

[Cugel]

I wouldn't leave the extracted "tea" sitting about too long. I did this once, but only had the unpasteurized tea sitting about for 24 hours - in a sealed container. I had no problems.

Go for it on Friday night - make the tea, pasteurize then add to boil on Saturday.

 

[Battery Acid Bo]

What I have done, and take this advice for what is worth, I have “canned” my steeped wort from specialty grains.

I do not have a mill yet, so when I get grain to steep, I get it crushed. Then I will go as far as the steeping process, then I put the wort in canning jars and pressure-cook them.

I have done this with some starter wort for yeast also.

Now the thing I do not know is the freshness of the now “canned” wort. I do not have enough brewing experience to tell if it causes flavor problems or not.

Right now I have two quarts of starter wort and two quarts of 60L crystal wort on the shelf.

 

[Bobby_M]

It's far better to store your milled grains for a couple weeks than it is to make malt tea and try storing that. Which stores better, ground coffee or brewed coffee?

Steeping grains ahead of time is a waste of time and energy, both human and fuel. We're talking about shaving off 30 minutes on your next brew day.

 

[ajwillys]

Or, if you're rushed for time on brew day, why not steep in one pot while bringing the rest of the ingredients to a boil, and then add the steeped "tea" when it's finished to the boiling wort?

Wow, this seems like a genius idea. I do partial mashing and this would save SO much time to do my hour long boil at the same time and as my hour long mashing. I can't believe I never thought of this! You sir, are a genius. :rockin:

 

[Jaeger48]

So, if you're bringing it to a boil, might as well finish the brew! Or, if you're rushed for time on brew day, why not steep in one pot while bringing the rest of the ingredients to a boil, and then add the steeped "tea" when it's finished to the boiling wort?

I do this also because because I can use the correct amount of water (avoids some astringency) and also because it's much faster with my electric stove.