Specialty grains / partial mash sediment

[mChavez]

Hi!

I have recently tried brewing using specialty grains and partial mash (BIAB), however, I ended up with a lot of sediment in my fermenters (up to ~3 litres for partial mash!).

Can somebody please:

a) confirm that for steeping specialty grains I just need to throw the bag into ~68C water for 15-30 minutes? Do I need to stir it at all?
b) let me know how to avoid sediment if that is possible?

Thank you very much for your help!

Chavez.

 

[Queequeg]

Steeping is not the same as partial mashing. Typically in PM the temperature is kept constant for a longer period, 60-90 mins. consequently PM can be used for more types of grains including those that require converstion of starch to sugar, usually base malts.

Steeping can only be used for certain grains and so is method used in extract batches and limited to speciality grains

When you mash, the grains are typcially stired at the end to release much of the sugars from around the grains. However this also releases sediment, which is drained and poored back through the grain bed until the run off is clear.

In BIAB you can't do this, but you should be using a fine mesh bag which will catch much of the particles, so stiring should in theory increase your OG. Futher more you can limit the material you send to the fermenter by rapidly cooling the wort and then decanting to the fermenter to leave the trub behind.

Some people pass the wort through a muslin cloth or colender on its way to the fermenter to catch any remaining sediment and hops and to aerate the wort.

This is how I do things but I sure some people will post with better insights.

 

[boydster]

You've got your steeping temp in a good spot. I usually stir, this helps agitate the grains and get all of the color and flavor extracted. To piggy-back on what Queequeg said, that is different that mashing BIAB recipes, which hopefully you have already discovered.

The sediment in the fermenter is normal. Some folks like to dump everything from the brew kettle into the fermenter, and they make great beer. I like to use a funnel with a strainer to help catch some of the hops particles and break material - this also helps aerate the wort at the same time. Something like this: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/8-funnel-with-strainer.html

 

[mChavez]

Thanks!

Do you squeeze the bag after steeping?

 

[boydster]

Now that's a whole different debate. I do. Some people thing you'll extract tannins if you squeeze the bag. I'm not in that camp. I don't think you can possibly squeeze hard enough to drive up the temperature enough to extract tannins. You might hear some other opinions, there's a thread about this particular topic, but I think it's been pretty well shown that you can squeeze the grain bag with no ill effects.

 

[mChavez]

Thank you.

I'll post another question about flameout here just to avoid creating a different thread:

As I understand right at the end of the boil I should turn the heat off and stir in the DME.
At the same time, In the last 15 minutes of the boil I need to dip in my immersion chiller and boil it to make sure it is sterilised. Boiling DME is probably a good idea too if I want it sterilised just in case some nasties got in.

Do I therefore boil up to 15 minutes before the recommended time, then power off, stir in DME, power on, boil for 15 minutes with immersion chiller and then cool down?

 

[Queequeg]

DME has been previous boiled during manufacture and has a very high sugar content twhich largely prevents growth of most nasties. On top of that the residual temperature after flameout 90C+ is enough to kill most species of bacteria and fungi including their spores. So there is not need to reheat. In fact if you do you will carmalize sugars in the DME ad defeat the purpose of a flameout.

Likewise copper itself is a pretty hostile environment for bacteria to growth, being that it has zero nutients or moisture and is itself as antimicrobial properties. So the residual heat again will be enough to sanitize it.

Personally I dip the coil is no-rise sanitizer and drain it simply because condensation on parts of the coil above the wort could drip back down into a cooled wort and contaminate it, but that is still highly unlikely. The likihood is the steam for the wort will santize the parts above the wort surface.