Cold Steeping grains

[Hengoedbrewer]

Hi all

I have just bottled my first all grain beer (BIAB) and am now planning Brew 2. I am torn between another IPA with a Citra Galaxy hop combo as I have both hops, and a relatively simple stout for the winter. One thing which interests me is the cold steeping of grains for a smoother flavour if it's the latter. Looking for 10L at the end so about 13L of combined strike / sparge water I guess.

The proposed recipe is here- https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/844423/biab-stout

Am I right in saying I should
1) steep the roasted barley / chocolate malt / and dark crystal in about 1.5L of water, then
2) leave it in the fridge overnight,
3) remove grains and sparge with <80c water? Say another litre...then
4) add this extract to the last 10 mins of the boil?

Any pointers / general comments on recipe greatly appreciated.

 

[BeerCat]

As above but sparge with cold water

 

[Hengoedbrewer]

As above but sparge with cold water

Wow; I wasn't far off! Thank you very much!

 

[MrRook]

Definitely put it in the fridge. The last stout that I did I left the dark grains out at room temperature and ended up with a sour mini-mash.
It gave the stout a modest tang reminiscent of Guinness.

 

[Hengoedbrewer]

Definitely put it in the fridge. The last stout that I did I left the dark grains out at room temperature and ended up with a sour mini-mash.
It gave the stout a modest tang reminiscent of Guinness.

Great, will do. Does the rest of the recipe look okay?

 

[BeerCat]

If it were me I would keep the crystal to 5% and use some flaked barley or oats.

 

[foxbat]

Watch out for a drop in your usual efficiency. I can't remember the exact numbers but I was down about 5 gravity points when I cold steeped the roast grains.

 

[Hengoedbrewer]

Watch out for a drop in your usual efficiency. I can't remember the exact numbers but I was down about 5 gravity points when I cold steeped the roast grains.

Thanks (and @BeerCat) for advice, I will mess with recipe a bit. This will only be my second BIAB and my efficiency first time was a bit better than I estimated using BrewersFriend, following some pretty vigorous bag squeezing, the OG was estimated 1.046 and I measured 1.054. At this stage I really am only concerned with a decent quality all grain so as long as it is that, if I drop a couple of points I will live with it and aim to improve as I go. Thanks again for the pointers! No idea how it will taste but the first BIAB is now carbed in bottles, a quick squeeze this morning showed me!

 

[BeerCat]

Watch out for a drop in your usual efficiency. I can't remember the exact numbers but I was down about 5 gravity points when I cold steeped the roast grains.

Good point. I think you end up diluting it by about 10%. I am brewing on this weekend and will probably boil separately so i can add straight to the fv and max out my 40l boiler.

 

[Hengoedbrewer]

Good point. I think you end up diluting it by about 10%. I am brewing on this weekend and will probably boil separately so i can add straight to the fv and max out my 40l boiler.

So to compensate for dilution of cold steeping, and to avoid lowering abv... Could I just add 10% more Maris Otter to the mash?

 

[MrRook]

Great, will do. Does the rest of the recipe look okay?

I wouldn't use the carapils or the light crystal, but it's not my recipe.

 

[Hengoedbrewer]

I wouldn't use the carapils or the light crystal, but it's not my recipe.

Hmmm. Oats for better mouthfeel swapped for carapils?

 

[BeerCat]

So to compensate for dilution of cold steeping, and to avoid lowering abv... Could I just add 10% more Maris Otter to the mash?

That's what i do, or you could increase all ingredients.

 

[Hengoedbrewer]

That's what i do, or you could increase all ingredients.

Perfect. Thank you. Think I will chuck some oats into the mix too.