STEEPING GRAINS

[trucker5774]

I'm about to do an Old Peculiar using crushed roasted barley, crystal malt, LME etc. Using a large stock pot rather that a boiler.............how important is the heating. Must it be 60 to 70C . Must it be for a set period.........does it matter if it boils. I'm Looking for the general rule (not just for this recipe)

[trucker5774]

Thanks chris...........knew i could count on a reply from your good self!

[WishboneBrewery]

I've been taking the advice of the Graham Wheeler book, that 'boiling the grains isn't a problem'... though when i have a grain bag that up to the job I might steep and remove before the boil.

[OldSpeckledBadger]

For the Black Country Mild I did a few weeks ago, I boiled the grains and certainly couldn't detect any off tastes when I sampled it. For the 2 bitters I've brewed since I steeped the grains for 30 minutes at 60-70C and the took them out. This obviously makes the process a bit longer.

[trucker5774]

Moving on a little..........sparging.........Ive often wondered about the catchment of the first part and then the return to the mash tun followed by the second batch or fly sparging. Why not just run it through a very fine sieve from the beginning and pour hot water onto the remainder and continue sieving............I can almost hear the screams. What am I mising here?

[OldSpeckledBadger]

Moving on a little..........sparging.........Ive often wondered about the catchment of the first part and then the return to the mash tun followed by the second batch or fly sparging. Why not just run it through a very fine sieve from the beginning and pour hot water onto the remainder and continue sieving............I can almost hear the screams. What am I mising here?

Have you switched subject to all-grain brewing? There's no sparging to be done in extract brewing

[trucker5774]

Moving on a little..........sparging.........Ive often wondered about the catchment of the first part and then the return to the mash tun followed by the second batch or fly sparging. Why not just run it through a very fine sieve from the beginning and pour hot water onto the remainder and continue sieving............I can almost hear the screams. What am I mising here?

Have you switched subject to all-grain brewing? There's no sparging to be done in extract brewing

Yes, sorry Mr. Badger .........."moving on" I'm thinking of doing a bit of AG. As the topic followed the same sort of thread, I thought i would sneak a quick question in. Didnt mean to mix the forums up..........so...err do you have any thoughts?

[KevP]

I'll just jump in here and utilise this thread as its on topic, would you suggest adding some Wheat Malt for a 'creamier' texture Chris? I'm convinced this is what I'm missing in my brews, if so roughly what amount for a 23L 1046ish brew?