Using 'steep' Grains In The Boil

[madawoods]

Craftbrewer says that grain like carahell can be steeped. Will it be a problem to add it in the boil, and what will the final alcohol level?

I've done it before with good results so I'm just looking for some more information



Thanks

 

[gap]

Did you steep the grains and then separate the grains from the steeping liquid
and only add the steeping liquid to the boil.

You should not boil the grains.

Regards

Graeme

 

[QldKev]

Do not add grain to the boil, unless you want your beer to taste like cats arse.

 

[DSculthorpe]

Hi All,

I'm new to aussiehomebrewer.com and thought I'd tack onto this post given my question is sort of related...

I'm about to start my first AG brew and am using 300grams of Choc Grain, I;'ve read a lot about the steeping process but the more I read the more people say to cold steep dark grain (i.e. chocolate) for 24hours instead.

Is anyone able to let me know what is better? Cold or "heated" steeping for dark grain? And how does one go about cold steeping?

Sorry QldKev for hijacking your thread

 

[mwd]

Seeing as you are doing all grain you can just add the steeping grains to the mash.

Cold steeping just put the grains into a pot with cold water and leave overnight. The steeping liquor is added to the boil.

 

[QldKev]

As Tropical_Brews said, just throw the extra grains in with the mash. No need to add any extra processes at all.

this is not my thread? madawoods was the OP

QldKev

 

[kelbygreen]

you only steep grains when you are doing kit beers and they are only crystal grains and just add to colour and flavour and little if any fermentables.

As tropical says you are going to do a AG so you are mashing the grains, Your crystal or steeped grains go in with the mash as your doing it anyway and it will benefit allot more then just steeping.

 

[pk.sax]

The man who showed me this technique isn't usually on so I'll chime in.

Cold steeping seems to make bugger all taste difference. The colour is all you get.

Throwing into the mash or steeping hot will get you a flavour contribution too.

PS: this was used by said brewer to make a delicious black hefe when the black everything craze was doing the rounds. Me, I like them as they were intended

 

[cam89brewer]

My local U-brew it boils their speciality grains!!

 

[QldKev]

My local U-brew it boils their speciality grains!!

My LHBS told me AG is a waste of time...




boiling grains... ever heard of astringency?

 

[Wimmig]

My local U-brew it boils their speciality grains!!

Eh?

 

[DKS]

20 years ago my brother and I were told to boil these grains by our LHBS. Didnt HB for 15yrs after that.
How things have changed. Read, read, read some more, free net advice. Plenty here on AHB. Dont boil grain.
Daz

 

[Florian]

Quoting myself here:

Depending on which spec grains you use and what you're trying to achieve with them this can make sense, but might not always be necessary (although there is no harm in doing so as everything you want is already converted).

As an example, when brewing dark lagers (Schwarzbier, Munich Dunkel) I always cold steep the dark grains and add at start of boil to avoid too much roastiness which I would otherwise extract if steeping warm or mashing.

 

[cam89brewer]

My LHBS told me AG is a waste of time...




boiling grains... ever heard of astringency?

Generally when someone turns to AG they realise home incompetent their dodgy LHBS is and order online instead.

That's what I did anyway.

 

[kelbygreen]

thats why they say its a waste of time as they know every one that does 1 AG batch will never go back into there store!! Now thats not the customers fault or AG fault its the fact that the LHBS wont recognise or care that there is a market in AG. Take MHB I got some grain on thursday and he said since tuesday they sold 5-6 wheely bin full off the aussie pilsner malt. Thats 1 type of malt, Mind you its the cheapest well the ale is the same so people prob go to that before spending big on german malt.

He now has a hopper that he dumps the grain into and opens the shute to fill the bins up . Now you cant say its not worth getting into stocking AG! it just a matter of getting there arse into gear and setting it up right. I mean there isnt a big profit in grain but the profit you get from having your customer shop there till they stop brewing is far greater then them never coming back when they start to AG

 

[manticle]

The man who showed me this technique isn't usually on so I'll chime in.

Cold steeping seems to make bugger all taste difference. The colour is all you get.

Throwing into the mash or steeping hot will get you a flavour contribution too.

PS: this was used by said brewer to make a delicious black hefe when the black everything craze was doing the rounds. Me, I like them as they were intended

Bollocks.

I cold steep my dark/roasted garins overnight when using a significant amount (eg stout, porter etc). Main reason is to keep mash pH where I want it without having to add chalk.

I chuck the grains and liquor into the mash at the end of my saccharification rest so it's hot in the tun for 10 minutes before mashout and sparge but I get much more than colour - lovely smooth chocolate and coffee flavours etc.

Not sure about exclusively steeping and chucking in with a kit but I would be very surprised if that black liquid just tasted like black water. Soak some and see.

As above - don't throw the grains in the boil. Boil the liquor, whether hot steeped or cold steeped. If doing kit or extract, I would be hot steeping because it takes much less time and you're probably not buggerising around with pH (and shouldn't be - mash is already done).

 

[pk.sax]

Anyway A, that's what I tasted. There wasn't much transferred if any. Maybe it went further and kept it in the fridge, but I'd guess you'll taste black in a weizen.

 

[manticle]

My stout's got plenty of black.

I raise it to you sir.

The pint glass containing it right now I mean.

 

[Markbeer]

Manticle,

I did this once, an overnight steep of 800G crushed choc malt at about 16 degrees. I filled the bowl with crushed grain and tapwater and covered with glad wrap and left overnight.

I ended up with vomity/butyric acid beer I assume was from mash spoiler originating from overnight steep and this flavour carried through even though I boiled it with the normal mash. The grain flavour did come through though and was smooth.

Should I be refrigerating this overnight cold steep to avoid infection?

Cheers.

Bollocks.

I cold steep my dark/roasted garins overnight when using a significant amount (eg stout, porter etc). Main reason is to keep mash pH where I want it without having to add chalk.

I chuck the grains and liquor into the mash at the end of my saccharification rest so it's hot in the tun for 10 minutes before mashout and sparge but I get much more than colour - lovely smooth chocolate and coffee flavours etc.

Not sure about exclusively steeping and chucking in with a kit but I would be very surprised if that black liquid just tasted like black water. Soak some and see.

As above - don't throw the grains in the boil. Boil the liquor, whether hot steeped or cold steeped. If doing kit or extract, I would be hot steeping because it takes much less time and you're probably not buggerising around with pH (and shouldn't be - mash is already done).

 

[Nick JD]

I did a Swartz with 10% Carafa 3 once.

It's was black, no doubting that.