steeping tips

[Adam's Apples]

I have started exploring the steeping grains options along with extract, to give my beers more character and complexity.

I saw some advice on here that stressed the need to steep the grains in less than the full boil vloume, so the ph levels aren't too high and unwanted flavours aren't produced. The last couple of brews I have used 2 gallons of steeping water and roughly 2lb of grain.

My next brew will simply have 1lb of crystal steeped before addition of the light DME. Just looked on BYO, which advises in the troubleshooting section that unwanted flavours can be produced if:

'..steeped grains in too much water (over 3 quarts water per pound of grain)'

Im in UK and 3 us quarts = about 0.62 UK gallons or 0.75 US gallons.

Would you guys use as little as 0.75 us gallons as steeping volume when using 1lb crystal? This seems like a very small valoume of water to me?

Cheers

 

[Yooper]

I don't think I would not use much more or less than usual- I always used around 2 gallons for steeping grains, I think. John Palmer has an example in his book that uses 1.25 pounds of steeping grains, but three gallons of water since that what he is boiling.

Here's more detail reading on steeping grains: http://howtobrew.com/section2/chapter13.html

 

[wild]

For just 1# of grain you could use 1/2 gallon of water without any problems.

Good luck,
Wild

 

[Castle Meadow Brewery]

I use 1 to 1.5 gallons of water for .75 to 1.5 lbs of grain @ 150°. Thats always done well for me.

 

[Dextersmom]

why do you steep in a smaller amount of water why its going to be diluted anyway? if you're doing a 3gallon boil why don't you just steep in 3 gallons. This past sunday i brewed my patter abbey single which required steeping 8oz or so of german crystal and said to do it in 1 gallon then sparge with 1 gallon of liquor (i think thats what it was). I did that initially but the one gallon was not enough to cover the bag and I didn't have a medium sized sauce pot. believe it of not i only have my brew kettle, two large pasta posts, 2 skillets, and a small very small pot of sorts (gotta love post college / early homemaking life). anyway tangent..... i decided just to combine the two gallons and spage with an additional gallon of clean liquor after the half hour of steeping at 150 degrees.

what are the pros and cons of steeping in a much smaller amount?