Steeping v. Mashing

[29Savoy]

I'm refining a recipe for an all grain quad and trying to evaluate whether to steep specialty grains (caramunich, caravienna, special B) versus mashing them. I'd like an end product with some body and a dark brown color. If steeping would be a good bet, what would be a goo technique?

 

[slym2none]

I always thought any specialty grains were put in with the others for the mash in AG brewing. Now I am interested in this question as well!

However, if you are going to steep them anyway, then it's simple: get your water up to around 150 degrees F, a little lower is fine, and higher is too as long as you don't get it above 160. Steep for 30 minutes, using what you'd use for a thin mash, maybe 1.5-2 qts water per pound of grain.

 

[ol-hazza]

If you can be bothered reading 100+ posts and not actually having your question answered then read this thread.

The basic gist of the thread is that crystal malts are considerably more fermentable when mashed with base malt than when mashed alone and also give better mash efficiency.

Personally I mash any specialty grains and adjust the temperature and recipe to change the body.

I have never brewed a beer above 7% though so can't advise you with any certainty unfortunately.

 

[Zepth]

I can see where steeping the grains for an extract brew is required. For me brewing AG I see steeping on the side as an unnecessary extra step. I've got enough other things going on to worry about that. Into the tun they go with everything else.

 

[29Savoy]

Gents,

Thanks for the great advice! Mashing the specialty grains sounds like a goo approach. I also like changing the temp and grain bill. My recipe called for 154f so I'll look at just how far up to adjust.

 

[ol-hazza]

I think, and I'm not entirely sure on this one so someone else please confirm or deny it..

bigger the beer = more sugars left unfermented = more body

But again I'm not entirely sure of this one.

Personally I would brew to the recipe and use that brew as a basepoint to adjust from in the future

 

[brewkinger]

someone else please confirm or deny it..

bigger the beer = more sugars left unfermented = more body

I think that you have the right idea but the above equality is not necessarily true.

Let me give you an example of 2 big beers.
I make a DIPA that comes in at 1.075 OG
I also make a stout that comes in at 1.074 OG.

DIPA finishes at 1.018, stout finishes at 1.023.
They both are big beers but the stout has more unfermentable sugars which give it body.
The DIPA has fewer unfermentable sugars and ends up with light to medium body.

Difference is grain selections and most of all temperature of the mash.
Stout is mashed at 156 and DIPA is mashed at 150.

Higher mash temps = more unfermentable sugars = more body

To the OP, mash it all together. In essence you are steeping the grains that need to be steeped while you are mashing the ones that need to be mashed.