Vienna malt-How long to steep?

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I am going to brew this recipe.

6lbs light LME
1lb German Vienna
1oz Hersbrucker 60 min
1oz Hersbrucker 5 min

I was planning on a 60 min boi but I am not sure how long and at what temp should I steep Vienna? Should it be the whole 60 min? Please, need help!

 

[Professor Frink]

I'm not sure about this, but doesn't Vienna have to be mashed?

 

[elkdog]

I think you'll get some flavor from the Vienna if you steep it, but if you could hold it, in about 1/2 gallon or so of water, at 155 F for 45 minutes or so, you'd extract some sugars and more flavors.

More importantly, DO NOT BOIL THE VIENNA. When you get any grain above about 170 F you risk extracting tannins from the grain, which will hurt the flavor of your beer considerably. If you don't want to mash the Vienna (and I don't think you need to in order to get some flavor from it), steep it, in however much water you're going to boil for your wort, at 155 F for 15-20 minutes, being careful not to let the temp get near or above 170. Then remove the Vienna and start your boil.

 

[[email protected]]

thanks for the reponses. i steeped the vienna at 160 for 30 min. obviously i am doing this recipe for the first time.

 

[Professor Frink]

It turns out Vienna does have to be mashed. If you just steeped it, you'll probably get some Vienna flavor, but you'll have a lot of unconverted starches in there, probably leading to some haze. Next time, throw in about 1/2 lb. of 2-row base malt, and get your water to about 154 degrees, and hold it there for an hour. That's really all partial mashing is and you'll get conversion from the Vienna malt.

 

[elkdog]

My bad. Good looking out, professor.

 

[bradsul]

The vienna will convert itself quite handily so you don't need the 2-row for that alone (not that having it in there is in any way a bad thing!).

 

[solidghost]

I am getting a little confused here. So this Vienna malt just need to be steeped at 160 for 20 minutes to get the sugars or is there mashing required?

 

[ashbyp]

I am getting a little confused here. So this Vienna malt just need to be steeped at 160 for 20 minutes to get the sugars or is there mashing required?

From howtobrew.com
Vienna Malt 4 L This malt is lighter and sweeter than Munich malt and is a principal ingredient of Bock beers. Retains enough enzymatic power to convert itself but is often used with a base malt in the mash.

So you can steep and get fermentable sugars, but a 20min steep would be more to add colour/flavour only.

If it's an extract recipe you are doing, stick to the 20min steep. The recipe would have been designed so as to get the fermentables from the extract not the grains.

 

[homebrewer_99]

In the Classic Brewing Styles book there a chart. It says Vienna may be steeped so I think you'll be OK.

 

[solidghost]

Thanks for the most useful information. Sometimes I get so mixed up with which grains to steep and which grains have to be mashed first.

 

[bradsul]

Thanks for the most useful information. Sometimes I get so mixed up with which grains to steep and which grains have to be mashed first.

This wiki page should help with that.

 

[solidghost]

Hmm....thanks bradsul, but it says that the Vienna Malt needs to be mashed!?

 

[bradsul]

Technically it does or you get starches and not sugars (there is very little sugar in Vienna). You can still steep it to get some flavour and colour though. Don't get caught up in mash/steep, steep between 150F and 160F for 30 minutes and hey, you just mashed and it's a moot point.

 

[Professor Frink]

Technically it does or you get starches and not sugars (there is very little sugar in Vienna). You can still steep it to get some flavour and colour though. Don't get caught up in mash/steep, steep between 150F and 160F for 30 minutes and hey, you just mashed and it's a moot point.

Exactly. The biggest difference between mashing and steeping is less the technique and more of if you have grains that can undergo conversion.

 

[solidghost]

Good info there, thanks.