Steeped too hot?

[drum2exist]

I just finished up my 5th batch and i am a little worried. I did an extract kit with specialty grains from NB, (it's their Mustache Envy Belgian Stout). I steeped the grains for about 30 minutes and due to helping my wife with something the temp got up to 180 for about the last 5-10 minutes at the most. Should i be concerned about the release of tannings? This is kind of a pricy kit and i am worried about it being ruined. Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[Chris1272]

short answer not to worry your are fine. Long answer.... well its late just see short answer.

 

[TopherM]

Tannin extraction from grains STARTS at about 180F. 5-10 minutes isn't going to be long enough to extract enough to probably be noticeable in the final product, though, so you should be fine.

Just to be sure, tannins are not a taste, they are a mouthfeel, often described as the "pucker" mouthfeeling you get from good dry wines, in which tannins are considered desireable. If you have that kind of dry, puckery mouthfeel in your final beer, you know that it came from the 180F steep for 5-10 minutes, and you'll never make that mistake again!

Good luck!

 

[SurlyBrew]

I accidently steeped my grains closer to 200 with my Caribou Slobber kit from NB. I was worried as well. I used my wort chiller, and stuck it in the primary for an extra week. No tannins at all. It turned out better than I could have imagined. Cooling it faster helps get rid of bad flavors as well as aging it longer. Do these extra steps and you will be fine.

Cheers!

 

[helibrewer]

Tannins are much more a pH issue than a temp issue. Realize that in decoction mashing you are BOILING a significant portion of the grist and tannins are not an issue. Keep your water/grain ratios reasonable and the pH will be in the proper window = no tannins. Don't overly sweat the temps.

 

[drum2exist]

Tannins are much more a pH issue than a temp issue. Realize that in decoction mashing you are BOILING a significant portion of the grist and tannins are not an issue. Keep your water/grain ratios reasonable and the pH will be in the proper window = no tannins. Don't overly sweat the temps.

Thanks for all the replies, that really puts my mind at ease. Today i found my airlock filled with wort so i had to put in my first blow off tube, it is fermenting like crazy! Like at idiot i touched the end of the tube as i inserted it in to the fermenter. It was steralized prior though so hopefully it will turn out fine. As im sure you noticed i tend to over worry when it comes to my brewing.

 

[Revvy]

Tannins are much more a pH issue than a temp issue. Realize that in decoction mashing you are BOILING a significant portion of the grist and tannins are not an issue. Keep your water/grain ratios reasonable and the pH will be in the proper window = no tannins. Don't overly sweat the temps.

Yes, Helibrewer is right.

It's not as simple as folks think, it's not as simple an answer as "Don't squeeze your grain bags" (Which folks doing BIAB are ENCOURAGED to do.) or "Don't boil your grains" (Which folks doing decoction mashing HAVE TO DO.)

There's a combination of specific circumstances that have to come into play along with boiling or swueezing before you have to worry about tannin extractiion.

I give a thorough explanation about this here.

The bottom line, a little mistake, a quick boil with the grains, or a squeeze of your grainbag is not going to make ice tea beer.....

 

[dmaxdmax]

When I did my first batch, Belgian wheat, I followed the extract instructions and steeped the grains at 160 for 30 minutes. Then I left them in as I brought it to a boil, as per the instructions. I had trouble fishing the bag out so they stayed in at full boil for all of 30 seconds!

Should they have come out at the end of steeping before bring the temp to boiling?

 

[dbhokie]

From my reading the biggest detriment you may notice is the lack of alpha-amylase activity at a higher temperature (at least as much), and more pronounced activity of the beta-amylase enzyme. At worst this will give you a bit fuller body, and create a few more unfermentable sugars. Since this was partial, I doubt the difference would be significant at all. Though others could attest to that better.

 

[TopherM]

From my reading the biggest detriment you may notice is the lack of alpha-amylase activity at a higher temperature (at least as much), and more pronounced activity of the beta-amylase enzyme. At worst this will give you a bit fuller body, and create a few more unfermentable sugars.

The OP did an extract kit with specialty grains. Specialty grains don't contribute fermentable sugars, so no mashing, no alpha or beta amylase, no changes at all in body in this scenerio, just a slight variation on the color and flavor contribution of the specialty grains, at worst.

 

[amandabab]

don't worry about it.

I still occasionally brew some old recipes (ones new brewers would run screaming from with todays books) that call for leaving them in until the boil starts and some even call for a very short boil before pulling them out.