cold steeping

[druid1966]

About a year ago (first time I was here) I read a blurb about improving beer kits by adding cold steeped grains. There was a link to another site/page which went into how to cold steep the grains and then add them to your beer kit (in my case Coopers kit ) Does this ring a bell to anyone? or better yet, anyone know the process? I need to start a stout or dark ale this weekend and have some grains I could add if I can sort out the process. As always, thanks for any input in advance...

 

[foxy]

About a year ago (first time I was here) I read a blurb about improving beer kits by adding cold steeped grains. There was a link to another site/page which went into how to cold steep the grains and then add them to your beer kit (in my case Coopers kit ) Does this ring a bell to anyone? or better yet, anyone know the process? I need to start a stout or dark ale this weekend and have some grains I could add if I can sort out the process. As always, thanks for any input in advance...

If I am making a stout (all grain) then I will cold steep for 24 hours. But only for the sweeter oatmeal or milk stout. A dry stout then I will add them to the mash and get some astringency. When cold steeping remember to make an allowance for the liquor.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

I have done a cold steep using chocolate malt for 24 hours with great results.

 

[Dexter101]

I haven't done it myself but with kits or malt extract people do it in order to add more complex flavours.

I think you can steep for as little as 30 minutes.

There is a sticky on the beer kit section and i think it includes something about this

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

I found 24 hours gets the best results. Dexter is right I have used this method to tweak kits & my extract / partial mash brews with great results.

 

[Duxuk]

Why not steep in warm water for 30 minutes or so? Strain and use the liquor as part of you volume.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

I just find it easy for when I’m tweaking kits. My treated water for brew day is chilling in the fridge for 24 hours so my speciality grains might as well be in there doing the same & steeping. Either method works well though.

 

[terrym]

Why not steep in warm water for 30 minutes or so? Strain and use the liquor as part of you volume.

Thats what I do. I use about 500ml water at about 75*C for every 100g grain and leave for about 30mins then sparge with a similar amount of water at 75*C . Whichever method you use the liquid must be boiled to sterilise before adding to the FV.

 

[druid1966]

Thanks for the info...I missed the sticky in the beer kit forum. The one tweak I read was to boil the grains for 20 mins. Is this for extraction, or sterilization? I assume that if I was to cold steep it say overnight, I would then need to boil for 20 mins...or just chuck it in the wort.

 

[DavidDetroit]

boil the grains for 20 mins

No boiling of grain ever as far as I know. Boiling of wort, yes, for sterilization.
I don't know what the top end is for temp and proper steeping but like terry said, 75°C is good. Personally, I do 68°C-71°C for that 1/2 hour because I usually have base grains in there with specialty grains as well. It doesn't slow me as I'm boiling at least three pots of liquid at the same time (brew water, steep water and rinse water).
I've not seen or experienced cold-steeping of specialty grains but it is interesting.

 

[ryderkellan]

I've had good results from cold steeping dark speciality grains. Steep for about 24 hours in cold water, then add the extract towards the end of the boil, e.g. At 10 mins. You may need to add more dark grains this way than if you were mashing. I've found double quantities good, but that's just me. Good luck!

 

[DavidDetroit]

good results from cold steeping dark speciality grain

So you're obviously getting good flavor and color from that? Nice.
I noticed you also said doubling up when doing this. I might try that. I steep my tea for 24 hours in the fridge and it comes out all right.
Is there a flavor benefit to it? I can only speak about tea and it would seem the gentle extraction is a plus.

 

[druid1966]

This is from the sticky in the kit brewing forum....


1. Mix the cracked grains with about 1 litre of water and bring to the boil.

2. Boil gently for 20 minutes then add the hop pellets and turn the heat off at the same time.

Let the hot mixture stand for about 10 minutes.

3. Pour the hot mixture through a fine strainer into the fermenter.

Gently pour some hot water through the collected grain to rinse all the goodness into the fermenter.

4. Add the other ingredients to the fermenter plus some hot water if necessary and mix thoroughly.

5. Add cold water up to the 23 litre mark and stir well.

6. When the temperature is below 30 deg C. add the yeast and make your beer the usual way

If Im reading/understanding it correctly, I am boiling thhe cracked grains, then adding them to the wort.??

 

[DavidDetroit]

You're reading that exactly right.
But, wow, I have never read to boil the steeping grains in who knows how many recipes I've read.

 

[druid1966]

This is for use in kits though..not AG. Im assuming that this is a "cheat" and perhaps not the most efficient way of doing it

 

[Slid]

I do not think that boiling the grains is a good idea. I have never tried it myself and have never seen any advice that I would greatly respect that would favour it.

So, steep the grains, by whatever method, strain off the liquor and boil that, with some hops at whatever point, and then cool it down as required to add to your kit.

Well, that's my take, anyway.

 

[Duxuk]

I concur. Boiling the grains will extract tannins, giving the beer an astringent flavour.

 

[foxy]

You can boil the grains, decoction mash is boiled grains, some or quite a few will say this produces a better, clearer beer but for time poor brewers this is not an option. What druid 1966 put in his post is quite feasible, more of a short cut of decoction mashing.