Steeping Grains

[quigley]

Hi folks...
as a KnK brewer, what do you folks think of steeping grains?

Since I started (only 6 mths ago), I have always been steeping and adding extra grains to my brews.

I steeped 400 gms of Carapils last night to add to a brew and when I took a good look at it this morning (after it had settled overnight), the liquid was clear. Hydro on it showed 0 SG (or 1 I should say).

I started the steep at a temp of 70 degrees and this morning it was about 4 degrees. I then add this steep liquid to my kit, add more LDME and some BE2, then hops. Generally boil for 60 minutes with a few hop additions at 60, 15 and 5 mins.

I know there are no fermentables in simply steeping grain, but does it really add much to the brew?

I must say that so far, mine have turned out OK with the extra grains, but is it really worth the fuss?

cheers, :chug: :beer:

Mike

Sorry... that 4 degrees should have read 40 degrees! It doesn't cool down THAT quick here on the Sunny Coast!

 

[wabster]

Wow that is really odd I think, to steep overnight and have no fermentables. I'm not experienced at any of this, in fact I'm a K&K brewer, but my first thought was is that grain a specialty that can be steeped or does it need full mashing? Maybe the sugars had settled to the bottom?

I am just at the point where I'm considering steeping some grains to add more body and flavour to my K&K brews, before moving on to Brewing in a bag. I'll be very interested in thoughts on this topic. Cheerz Wab

 

[brettprevans]

check out this thread

it may answer a few questions. Not sure why your taking an SG of your steeped liquid though??? and there should be some sugars in your grain from steeping (if they are crystal type grains)

 

[quigley]

check out this thread

it may answer a few questions. Not sure why your taking an SG of your steeped liquid though??? and there should be some sugars in your grain from steeping (if they are crystal type grains)

Thanks CityM and others......

I took the SG (of the steeped dliquid) just out of curiosity.

Mike :beer:

 

[bconnery]

Hydrometers are calibrated to 20C. Some I believe are 15C but I think 20 is common for Aussie ones.

If you measured at 40C then you won't have an accurate reading.

The higher the temp of your sample the more points you have to add on to your reading.

I plugged your reading of 1.000 into this site below and got 1.006, so that tells you that you did get something...



http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator...er.html?9097329



There are fermentables in steeping grain, just that specialty grains don't require conversion to extract the sugars.

The benefits are flavour and character in your beer that you won't get as easily from just a kit.

They are fresher because you have extracted the ingredient directly into your brew, rather than relying on a process that has already occured in making the kit.



Also carapils is used primarily for head retention and won't add much of flavour dimension in the way that a crystal or darker grain will...

 

[RobboMC]

IMHO steeping or mini-mashing at least 500g of grain is ESSENTIAL to making better beer.
My grain bag was the best investment I ever made toward making better beer.

I'm no expert but you may find that Carapils needs to be mashed rather than steeped.
The advice I'm getting from other brewers as I move from extract to mini-mash brewing is that the grains are better
with a RISING temperature rather than a falling one, so start off
around 45-50 deg C with the strike water, add grains and heat gently
for an hour or so until temp reaches 70 deg C. Don't boil it until ALL grains are removed.

I do my extract plus hops on one hotplate and my grain mini-mash simulatneously on another.
After only one hour, grain liquor, extracts and hops all in the fermenter, brew done!

I started with Crystal grain as it still gives you plenty of good stuff even if temp and pH conditions are not perfect.

 

[gavpk]

Carapils needs to be mashed rather than steeped.

untrue, i use carapils in every brew and have been through this before, the advice i got from Ross (craftbrewer) is that u can steep carapils 100%

cheers :beer:

Gav

 

[quigley]

Great replies folks... I'm learning a lot here...

Thanks to all!!!

Cheers :beer:

Mike

 

[Disco_tezz]

The advice I'm getting from other brewers as I move from extract to mini-mash brewing is that the grains are better
with a RISING temperature rather than a falling one, so start off
around 45-50 deg C with the strike water, add grains and heat gently
for an hour or so until temp reaches 70 deg C. Don't boil it until ALL grains are removed.

I am just trying to get a better understanding of this process, but do you heat the water slowly, over the 60 min period, then as soon as the water temp hits the 70 degree mark, you remove the grain, or do you keep the grain in there for longer at a steady temp of 70 deg C?

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Get water to about 70*C - or 2 parts boiling 1 part cool

Then chuck in your cracked grains

Leave for 30 mins

Strain out grains

Boil resulting liquid - with malt or by which ever process you wanna use

Cheers

 

[twenty]

Get water to about 70*C - or 2 parts boiling 1 part cool

Then chuck in your cracked grains

Leave for 30 mins

Strain out grains

Boil resulting liquid - with malt or by which ever process you wanna use

Cheers

So just the inital strike temp (trying to sounds professional) of 70C doens't have to be maintained? it can cool off over that period?

 

[Cortez The Killer]

You can let if drop off or maintain it on the stove - much of a muchness IMHO

Cheers

 

[PostModern]

I steeped 400 gms of Carapils last night to add to a brew and when I took a good look at it this morning (after it had settled overnight), the liquid was clear. Hydro on it showed 0 SG (or 1 I should say).

Were the grains cracked??

 

[brettprevans]

Were the grains cracked??

ahhhh PoMo askes the $10,000 question (well actually its probably about $2 worth of grain). but yes that would have a significanbt effect wouldnt it. we just all assumed it was cracked.

to assume makes an ass out of u and me

 

[danman]

am i reading the first post correctly,steeped grains overnight? what the? ive been taught that for the purpose of steeping grains you only need to steep them for 1/2 hr or so. overnight seems a bit excessive.
im with cortez, but my technique is slightly different.
i allow my pot of water on the stove to heat to a temp such that ive got the slightest of bubbles starting to come off the bottom of the pot-not a huge rolling boil. then i slap in whatever grain bill im using,take pot off heat and jam the lid on the pot. easy as p1ss! by adding the grain this way you automatically reduce the temp of the water to around 70-75c and let it sit for 1/2 hr. rince the grains until rinsing water is kinda clear,add the rest of your stuff and boil as long as you want-obviously for hop additions etc. sometimes i dont even boil,straight into the fermenter with the tin of goo and fill to 21L. never ever had an infection-well none the doctors couldnt fix!

cheers,dan