steeping specialty grains

[sictransit701]

I am a new homebrewer and have a question about steeping specialty grains. I have only done kits with extract and specialty grains. I want to stick to extract and specialty grains before doing all grain.

To my understanding you can only steep grains that have been converted, correct? Is there a list of the different grains used for steeping? And what does each grain add to the beer?

I have a kit with victory special grains. What does this mean? I thought I read somewhere that victory had to be mashed?

Please help me with understanding specialty grains.

Thanks.

 

[Yooper]

I've read that victory "should be mashed"- but I've steeped it with success and with good results.

I'm not sure there is a real list anywhere- but roasted or kilned grains don't need to be mashed and can be steeped. That is anything that has the word "cara" in it, or "crystal" or anything roasted or dark (chocolate malt, roasted barley).

 

[govner1]

I brew AG but have done some partial or mini mash recipes.
Steeping the specialty grains essentially replaces the bashing step used in AG. You're extracting the sugars in your grains then rinsing the steeped grains (sparging) to rinse out any residual sugars & stop any enzymatic activity. It's a fancy tea for all intents & purposes.
The specialty grains, depending on how much they've been killed/roasted add color, flavor, body, & can aid in head retention.
You replace the balance of the sugars you would have gotten from mashing by adding either DME or LME, sometimes both, depending on your recipe.
Next you boil & add hops per the recipe, chill, transfer to your fermenter & pitch your yeast.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[flars]

Here is a link to Beersmith that will answer your question.
http://www.beersmith.com/Grains/Grains/GrainList.htm

 

[RM-MN]

I am a new homebrewer and have a question about steeping specialty grains. I have only done kits with extract and specialty grains. I want to stick to extract and specialty grains before doing all grain.

To my understanding you can only steep grains that have been converted, correct? Is there a list of the different grains used for steeping? And what does each grain add to the beer?

I have a kit with victory special grains. What does this mean? I thought I read somewhere that victory had to be mashed?

Please help me with understanding specialty grains.

Thanks.

This is correct in that if you have base malts and try to steep them in the temperature range of 146 to 158 they will convert and you will have done a partial mash, not a steep. That's all there really is to a partial mash, you "steep" the base malts in water the right temperature and the starches will magically turn to sugars.