Method Variations - What effect will they have?

[AntComo]

Hi guys!

I'm waiting on my home brewing kit order to be finalised and using this time to research the process and get prepared for my first batch whenever everything turns up.

I've noticed a couple of slight variations in methods (which I realise may be down to recipe, but they sounded more like 'standard practice' than anything else) and am curious as the what effect the tweaks will have on the beer. I've not doubt there are dozens of opinions on best practices for these things, but I guess what I really want is to understand more about what happens at each stage of the process, and how adjusting it will effect the product.

So, some fun hypotheticals for you. Please let me know your thoughts!

1. When ‘steeping’ your grains at the start of the recipe, place them inside a muslin bag and…
   
   Stir them around with a spoon, taking care not to let them sit on the bottom of the kettle lest they may burn. Do this for 30 minutes.
   
   OR
   
   Dip them in and about like a tea bag, perhaps leaving them tied to the handle for a total time of 20 minutes or until the water comes to the boil.
   
   Presuming both methods are fine (they are, after all, very similar) what would the main effect on the beer be when altering the amount of time and the method in which you steep the grains? My presumption would be that the colour and the amount of flavour from the grains would simply be stronger or weaker depending on the time spent (like a cup of tea…)
   
   
2. When making additions of hops to the boiling mixture, you…
   
   Pour the hops directly into the mixture
   
   OR
   
   Add the hops to a muslin bag and steep them in the mixture
   
   Presuming both methods are fine, I imagine that steeping them rather than leaving them in the wort for the whole of the fermentation has a huge effect on the flavour, no?
   
   
3. After the wort has been fermenting for one week…
   
   Transfer the wort to a second, smaller carboy for secondary fermentation for two weeks
   
   OR
   
   Leave the wort in primary filtration for a further two weeks
   
   What effects will this have on the beer? I imagine the lack of a secondary (or tertiary? Presumably this can be done a few times for different effects?) fermentation increases the amount of sediment in the beer as it hasn’t benefitted from the filtration that happens during the transfer (ie, not transferring the sludge at the bottom of the carboy).

These came from a couple of different how-to videos from manufacturers.

Thanks!

 

[simon12]

1 Its normal to mash the grains for an hour and you never want to boil the grain.
2 it sounds like your talking about dry hoping which you do after most fermentation has finished some people add them in a bag with something to weigh it down others add them loose.
If you list what equipment you are buying we could give you more of an idea what you should be doing.

 

[AntComo]

Thanks Simon! I should've mentioned where the info came from...

I'm planning to get the Northern Brewer deluxe kit, and the instructions came from their 'how-tos'.

 

[simon12]

OK you are doing an extract brew with some steeped grains so ignore what I said before. I have never done this so hopefully someone esle can clarify but
1 your thinking is spot on on this.
2 yes putting then in a bag will stop it all ending up in the fermenter which is better.
3 I think if you used the bags so you have not dumped them into the fermenter doing the rest in the primary is fine but if you did dump the hops in the transfer to another vessel would be a good idea.