Temperature for grain? Have to be exact?

[dirtfang]

I just started my boil with my grain in the steeping bag and the recipe calls to stop the boil at160°F. I actually stopped the boil around 150°F. What do you think about that?

 

[brewkinger]

I think your water should not be boiling at 150 degrees.

 

[brewkinger]

Seriously though...
As long as the temp stays BELOW 170 degrees, you are fine.

Get the water up to between 150 and 160 and then steep the grains in the bag like a tea bag for 20-30 minutes.

 

[dirtfang]

 

[dirtfang]

#4 on the recipe

 

[freisste]

You're basically just pulling a little flavor and color (and maybe a marginal amount of sugar), but it isn't particularly temperature dependent. There will be a negligible difference between 150 and 160. If you stopped at 100, I would say pay more attention to details.

And I second what was mentioned before. Don't go above 170 for fear of actual flavor changes.

 

[gcdowd]

You're fine. As long as you don't boil the grains like crazy, everything will be as it should be. Anything under 170 is fine. 150 to 160 is ideal. After all you're just trying to extract color and flavor mostly.

 

[dirtfang]

Cool. So basically I'm just extracting the color out of the grain and I just don't want to burn it. That sound about right?

 

[freisste]

Roughly, yes.

Technically you don't burn it at 170 (or even at 212). The fear is tannin extraction, which makes your beer take on an astringent quality.