Difference between steeping and mashing

[luke_d]

Hey guys, I searched on here, and I don't think the HBT app for iPhone does a great job with the search function...but anyway I was wondering what is the difference between steeping and mashing grains?

 

[imperialipa]

Steeping = using water to rinse out the grain. You get some complexity out of it but little or no sugar conversion

Mashing = Exposing the grain to a specific temp (148-158 degrees) for an hour or so until you convert the starches and protiens into fermentable and unfermentable sugars

 

[stevedore]

Steeping = using water to rinse out the grain. You get some complexity out of it but little or no sugar conversion

Mashing = Exposing the grain to a specific temp (148-158 degrees) for an hour or so until you convert the starches and protiens into fermentable and unfermentable sugars

So how much of an issue could a lack of sugar conversion (from steeping) be?

 

[MTate37]

If you are doing extract brews then pretty much no issue. You aren't expecting to get much sugar because the extract will provide that.

If you are doing all-grain then it would be a big issue because you need that sugar for fermentation.

 

[luke_d]

So are the terms "steeping" and "sparging" interchangeable?

 

[Maxkling]

To further expand on what was previously stated.

Steeping you are just getting color and flavor. Steeping grains usually have no or low diastatic power, meaning you have to have a grain such as 2 row to help with conversion to obtain gravity points from the grain.

Mashing, you are converting the grains to get fermentability from them.

 

[stevedore]

Makes sense. I had to think about it for a minute right after I posted that. My second brew involved steeping grains so I was going "huh?" while reading the second post, but I realized that I did dump in 7# of pale malt extract after that so.

 

[luke_d]

So sparging is for your base malt, and steeping is for specialty grains?

 

[bobeer]

It's not really an issue since you're adding extract which has all the sugars you'll need for fermentation. Pretty sure all steeping grains add is color, some taste and perhaps a little body. I've made some awesome beer like, porters, IPA's and holiday ales using steeping grains and extract.

 

[luke_d]

So what I'm understanding is that steeping grains is mainly for extract brewing?

 

[Maxkling]

So what I'm understanding is that steeping grains is mainly for extract brewing?

Yes, there are rare occasions, with darker malts people will steep them and not mash them with all grain.

 

[HeadyKilowatt]

Yes, steeping grains is a technique for adding complexity to extract brews.

Sparging is part of the mashing process and refers to rinsing the grains post-mash to make sure you maximize extraction of fermentable sugars. Not necessary for steeped grains, as the steeping process has already extracted plenty of what you're after without the necessity for a sparge step. You could sparge your steeping grains, but it wouldn't really get you anything.

I hope this helps clear things up for you.

 

[GASoline71]

Yes... all you're really getting is color and a little bit of flavor imparted into the brew from steeping grains. Not a whole lot of fermentables come out from steeping. You steep a small amount of grains (uually less than 2 pounds depending on your brew) in muslin bags at 150 to 155 degrees for a half hour. remove the grain bags, add in the extract... then kick the heat to it for the boil.

Gary

 

[bobeer]

Yes, the term steeping is usually used with extract brewing. Though, you can use the same amount of steeping grains, aka specialty grains, when converting an extract recipe to an all grain recipe. You just sub in whatever base malt (2 row, MO, etc) for the extract and mash it all together. There's formulas on here of how to approximately convert an extract recipe to all gain.

 

[billl]

Woa here. A lot of misinformation is flowing.

Most steeping grains have substantial sugar and absolutely do contribute to the overall sugar content of the wort. 2 row contributes about 37 points per lb. Most crystal is around 34 points per lb. The really dark malts are in the 25-30 range.

The difference between a "steeping" grain and a "mashing" grain is whether that sugar is ready to be dissolved in water or if it is still tied up as as starch molecules. If the sugar is ready to be dissolved, just add hot water and let it sit for a bit while the sugar dissolves. If the sugar is still tied up as starch, you'll need to mash the grains with something that has enzymes capable of breaking down that starch - eg all the base malts.

Either way, not all of the sugar will come out of a the grain. Everything in solution moves from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. They stabilize when the concentration outside is the same as the concentration inside. Therefore, when you are done mashing or steeping, there is significant sugar left in the grain. To get more of that sugar out, brewers "sparge". That is running some clean, hot water though the grain. Again, the sugar moves from high concentration (in the grain) to the lower concentration (water) and you can collect it that way.

 

[45_70sharps]

Woa here. A lot of misinformation is flowing.

Most steeping grains have substantial sugar and absolutely do contribute to the overall sugar content of the wort. 2 row contributes about 37 points per lb. Most crystal is around 34 points per lb. The really dark malts are in the 25-30 range.

The difference between a "steeping" grain and a "mashing" grain is whether that sugar is ready to be dissolved in water or if it is still tied up as as starch molecules. If the sugar is ready to be dissolved, just add hot water and let it sit for a bit while the sugar dissolves. If the sugar is still tied up as starch, you'll need to mash the grains with something that has enzymes capable of breaking down that starch - eg all the base malts.

Not only is that true but also a lot of time the steeping is done long enough and at a temperature appropriate for mashing.
Most steeping is done with the specialty grains though.
I think the intention is just to get the flavors, aroma and color.

 

[GASoline71]

Not only is that true but also a lot of time the steeping is done long enough and at a temperature appropriate for mashing.
Most steeping is done with the specialty grains though.
I think the intention is just to get the flavors, aroma and color.

That is what I was trying to explain in my comment. When I use steeping grains I don't use 2 row or any other base malts since that's mostly what makes up extract anyways. I have seen that when using steeping grains... they don't affect my OG very much at all, as compared to using straight extract.

When I add steeping grains to my extract brews... I'm not trying to gain hardly any fermentables out of them. Mostly for flavor and color. But that's me.

Gary

 

[LTownLiquorPig]

Sorry to Thread Jack, but how much/little water do I need to steep effectively to get some flavour/body/colour into a 20L brew?

 

[45_70sharps]

Sorry to Thread Jack, but how much/little water do I need to steep effectively to get some flavour/body/colour into a 20L brew?

What I always did was steep with my boil water so your pot size determines the boil volume and the steeping volume.

 

[luke_d]

Thanks for the clarification on this! I brew all grain so I guess steeping isn't too relevant for me. I've started with all grain, but would you guys recommend me trying extract? No offense but in my opinion it doesn't seem like it would be as fun as all grain. Unless I try a gluten free beer for my father in law.

 

[unionrdr]

Well,having done one partial mash so far,I'd say after one gets used to AG/PM,doing extract brews again should make them better than before brewing with mashed grains. I'm thinking AG/PM brewing would make your process/thinking more accurate in terms of temps,volumes,etc.
The last time we steeped we also used the 2.5-3 gallon partial boil volume at between 150-165F for about 30 minutes.

 

[TheJasonT]

Excellent thread that answered a lot of my mashing questions... However...

My next recipe I'm starting is an extract style with some steeping grains. I'm using 2 pounds of 2-Row Pale, 1 pound of Vienna, and 1 pound of rice hulls. Can I easily allow these to steep/mash at 155 for an hour then rinse/sparge them with hot water to turn these "steeping" grains into a partial mash?

 

[cullen]

Excellent thread that answered a lot of my mashing questions... However...

My next recipe I'm starting is an extract style with some steeping grains. I'm using 2 pounds of 2-Row Pale, 1 pound of Vienna, and 1 pound of rice hulls. Can I easily allow these to steep/mash at 155 for an hour then rinse/sparge them with hot water to turn these "steeping" grains into a partial mash?

Sure - if you're careful about the quantity of water, time, and temperature then you could be doing a partial mash. I don't understand the purpose of the rice hulls in that mix, though.

 

[TheJasonT]

I read that they add to crispness. It's one of goals for this next brew.

 

[unionrdr]

Seems to me rice hulls are used to aid in filtering through the grain bed with some grain mixes that might clump or get too thick. And mashing is donewith about 1.25qts of water per pound of grain at 150-156F for one hour.