Steeping of Specialty Grains

[TheBrewWarrior]

I'm working on going all grain, but wanted to start something in the meantime. I found Jamil's American Amber recipe (http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Jamil/JamilsAmber-RedAle.htm) and wanted to give it a shot using extract in place of the 2-row. Here's the full grain bill:

74.5 9.50 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Great Britain 1.038 3
3.9 0.50 lbs. Victory Malt America 1.034 25
7.8 1.00 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
7.8 1.00 lbs. Munich Malt(light) America 1.033 10
3.9 0.50 lbs. Crystal 120L America 1.033 120
2.0 0.25 lbs. Chocolate Malt - Light Great Britain 1.034 200

So in converting this, I know that Victory and Munich need to be mashed, not steeped. Would it be possible though to have two bags in the kettle, one containing the crystal 40L, crystal 120L and chocolate malt with the other containing the victory and munich, and let them steep for difference lengths of time? Would it hurt to put it all in the same bag and just leave it in for 60 minutes?

My understanding is that if you steep the specialty grains for an hour around 150 degrees it's about the same as mashing, but is that correct? In the two bag scenario, could I leave bag 1 (C40L, C120L and chocolate) in for 20-30 minutes but leave bag 2 (victory and munich) in for an hour and be just fine? How this change the final product?

I would greatly appreciate any advice.

 

[RM-MN]

Can you bring a quantity of water to a specific temperature? The difference between steeping and mashing is that steeping can happen at a wide range of temperatures while mashing requires a tighter control.

There isn't any need to separate the grains into different bags. When I mash all the grains go in together for the total time.

If the answer to the first question is yes, would you consider putting in the pale malt too? You will find that mashing isn't as difficult as you imagine once you try it. You could put in part of the pale malt if you wanted to also, it's still a partial mash. Just get the water temperature right.

 

[TheBrewWarrior]

I'm able to maintain a relatively constant temp, so it doesn't seem like there would be any problems. I guess I was just wondering if this process would yield any negative side-effects.

 

[IslandLizard]

If you can, do a mini mash with the 3.25 lbs of specialty grains. You'll need a 2-3 gallon pot which you can put in a pre-heated oven, or a container that keeps its temperature, for an hour, like a small cooler. You could use 2 kitchen pots and split the mash. If going that route add at least a pound of 2-row to get a better, more convertible mash. Mash at 150 for an hour.

Then use light or extra light extract for the remainder of the malt bill. Add 1/3 of the extract at the beginning of the boil and the rest 5-10 minutes from the end.

 

[billl]

In terms of how much work you have to do, there really isn't any difference between steeping and mashing, so you may as well mash everything. I'd toss a lb of 2-row in with those speciality grains and then mash away. If you have a big enough bag, you can toss them all in 1. If not, you can use multiple bags.

You may not actually need any 2-row to mash, but that would depend on the specifics of your victory and munich. Both would "self-convert", but they don't have as many enzymes as your normal base malts. An extra lb of 2 row with them would provide a bit of insurance in case some of your other parameters aren't optimal.

 

[TheBrewWarrior]

Ended up steeping with two bags. It's the process I'm most used to, though I'm looking forward to going all grain next time. Added a pound of the 2-row also. I'm just about to start the boil and everything looks great so far. Solid 153 for one hour.

Ended up subbing light LME for the rest of the 2-row.

 

[RM-MN]

Ended up steeping with two bags. It's the process I'm most used to, though I'm looking forward to going all grain next time. Added a pound of the 2-row also. I'm just about to start the boil and everything looks great so far. Solid 153 for one hour.

Ended up subbing light LME for the rest of the 2-row.

Congratulations! You have the hardest part of going all grain down, being able to hit and maintain the correct temperature. Want to try it again? This time do 2 pounds of pale malt and reduce the amount of malt extract. You're partial mashing because part of the malt sugars are coming directly from the grain you mashed. If you keep adding pale malt and reducing malt extract, you're taking steps toward all grain. One day you will have to only add a teaspoon of malt extract. It will still be partial mash because part of the sugars come from extract, right? Or you could just go all grain next time.

 

[TheBrewWarrior]

Congratulations! You have the hardest part of going all grain down, being able to hit and maintain the correct temperature. Want to try it again? This time do 2 pounds of pale malt and reduce the amount of malt extract. You're partial mashing because part of the malt sugars are coming directly from the grain you mashed. If you keep adding pale malt and reducing malt extract, you're taking steps toward all grain. One day you will have to only add a teaspoon of malt extract. It will still be partial mash because part of the sugars come from extract, right? Or you could just go all grain next time.

lol. I'll just go all grain.