Didn't crush grains before steeping. This batch a wash?

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KevinM822

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Noob here (if you didn't guess by the title).
I bought a kit (irish stout) and brewed up my first batch 2 weeks ago.
I never crushed my grains as I thought they might already have been crushed (i don't remember answering the question online about crushing or not), although now looking back I don't think I looked hard enough to see if they had really been crushed/crushed properly.
Is this batch going to suck because of this?
I've read a little bit on the matter and it seems as though it won't have much of a 'body', but may taste fine?
I took a SG reading just now and also sampled what was in the wine thief and it tasted damn good to me. Actually quite surprised at how it tasted, but it did seem to have a water-like feel. Is this what they mean by not having a body or is that just because it's hasn't gone through its carbonation stage in the bottle yet?
I'm going to give it another 2 weeks in the primary and then try to filter out some of the hops before bottling.
What's your opinion on the grains issue?
 
If you bought an extract ingredient kit with steeping grains, they are most likely crushed. If your irish stout looks more like bud light than they were not.
I bet your fine.
 
Wow quick reply!
Yea it's got it's black color alright. And yes your correct on the kit.
So the water-like feel is normal at this stage then?
Thanks!
 
Carbonation pretty significantly changes the beer. Even a big barleywine can taste a little waifish before it's carbonated.
 
It sounds from the color your grains were probably crushed. If not you will have a lighter beer but still ok. In my experience the taste of samples only give you an idea of what the final beer might be like. I have had a couple that did not taste too good before bottling and great after conditioned. I also had one that I did not like at 2 weeks bottle conditioning - OK at 3 weeks and one of my favorites after 4 weeks. I also made a winter ale that took 6 months to come around and now a year and 3 months it is very good.
 
In my experiences,The first time I did extract with steeping grains,I forgot about the crush. body/flavor were a lil lighter. I could see the grain cernals weren't crushed. Just an oopsie...
 

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