Steeping 0 to 170 or at 160?

[ChandlerBang]

Some recipes say steep specialty grains from luke warm to 170 degrees. Most say steep at 160 for 30 minutes or whatever.

Is there any advantage to the first way? I would think it would take less time, but you won't get nearly as much of the sugars out of the grains will you?

 

[tjpfeister]

If you come up through the temp range you will get fermentables and nonfermentables. At the 160 range you get just the undermentable dextrines. Usually in extract+grains you are only looking to the grains for flavoring and therefore (unless the recipe states to do it otherwise) I would suggest going the straight "160" route.

Take a look at this and you might better understand:
http://www.brewsupplies.com/mashing_temperatures.htm

Hope this helps!

 

[Captain Damage]

Basically, for steeping you just shouldn't let it get above 170F. At and above that temperature there is a risk of extracting tannin from the husks. But other than that the exact steeping temerature really isn't critical. But if you're mashing, as TJPFEISTER said above, the specific temperature has a major impact on your beer.

 

[wyzazz]

When I do an extract brew I steep at 154F for 30 mins with my full volume of water, then pull the grain bag and start heating up my water enough to add the extract.

 

[bennyd]

I apologize for the thread hijack here. But twice I have steeped grains from room temp up to 155 and let sit for 30 min. Both beers have ended up with very low FG's and tasted very dry. Could this be the reason? Out of all of the beers I've done those are the only two that I've really scratched my head at.

 

[sudsmcgee]

I can tell you what NOT to do. Don't use a large volume of alkaline tap water (pH 8.1) and steep you grains from cold to 180. I did this two batches ago, with the intention of stopping the heat at 160, only my wife got a hold of me and made me do stuff around the house. By the time I caught that it was so warm it was too late. I fermented and bottled the batch anyways, and after a month on the bottle and two weeks in the fridge, the tannins are subsiding. Unfortunately this was an IPA, so the hops flavor and aroma are also fading away.

 

[cruckin78]

I typically heat my water to ~150-160 while my oven is preheating. Then by the time it's preheated I drop my grains in, and place the whole pot in the oven for 30 minutes, at 160.....I've had awesome beer every batch *knock on wood*

 

[HerotBrewer]

I bring it up to 155 or 160 and throw my steeping grain bag in, then turn the heat down to low and it stays the right temp for the steeping time.

 

[tjpfeister]

I apologize for the thread hijack here. But twice I have steeped grains from room temp up to 155 and let sit for 30 min. Both beers have ended up with very low FG's and tasted very dry. Could this be the reason? Out of all of the beers I've done those are the only two that I've really scratched my head at.

Of course there is A LOT of information I don't know here, and many variables to consider. But one possible explanation is what I alluded to earlier. Steeping IS mashing. Therefore bringing the temperature of the water up through the range of temperatures does stimulate alpha amylase action. So depending on how long it takes to rise to the proper temp you would be creating fermentables rather than dextrins during this time. -POSSIBLY- explaining the lower final gravity and drier than expected flavors. Possibly.

But ignore all my conjecture above. I prefer hands on experiments anyhow! I suggest brewing the same beer again, only this time raise the water temp to 158F THEN steep the grains for 30 minutes. Finish the beer, compare the FG and flavor, then get back to us with the results.

Good luck!

 

[Captain Damage]

Steeping IS mashing.

Mashing is using the enzymes in the grain to convert starch to sugar. Steeping is only mashing if you have diastatic grain in your steep. E.g., two-row, Maris Otter, lager malt etc. Crystal/caramel malts and high-kilned malts such as chocolate have no enzymes and cannot convert their own starch to sugar, but you can still extract flavor and color from them by steeping. Most base grains have enough enzymes to convert, non-diastatic grains as well.

 

[tjpfeister]

Capt, you caught me! ;-)
But I still stick to my guns and say that you might as well treat them to the same temps and get in the habit for the jump to partial mash or all grain.

 

[Captain Damage]

On that we can agree!

I didn't mean to sound hostile. There are a thousand ways to make good beer and everyone thinks their way is the "right" way. This is confusing enough for newbies - I know it was for me. But there are a million ways to make bad beer. And so I feel pretty strongly that we should at least make sure the information we're giving out is correct and true so that new brewers at least have a solid footing to start off on.