Extract & Steeping grains - Critique me!

Discussion on brewing beer from malt extract, hops, and yeast.
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Cam
Steady Drinker
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 10:46 am

Extract & Steeping grains - Critique me!

Post by Cam » Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:25 pm

Hi All, I've done 6 brews now and for the last 4 I've started steeping grains to try and add a bit more freshness to my IPAs also colour/flavour to porter/stout. In the interest of learning (Thanks to @Jocky) I have been reassessing the use/amount of grains I steep. I was using BrewUK's recipe calculator as it has a steep selection but I've come to realise its WAY OFF! It adds the steep like its an extract. Looking at brewer's Friend's recipe creator it handles this much better (only tried this for the first time today).

In the below recipe I created I worked out that the steeped grains only added 0.005 OG. What are peoples thoughts on my recipe, any advice and also about the use of steeped grains for adding body/freshness. I had been noticing with my extract only brews they seemed very thin and since steeping grains they seem much better.

My original "grain bill" was this prior to Jocky's advice.

30.4% 1kg Cara Gold
30.4% 1kg Carapils
8.7% .285kg Faked Oats
30.4% 1kg Dry Malt Extract - Light

Here is the full recipe after I ended up changing it. The brew went great and I hit my OG figure as intended, this was matched by BrewersFriend calculation being only 0.001 higher.

Session Coconut IPA

Grain Weight – Time - Temp (10L Water Steep_

Cara Pils 500g – 30 Mins – 65°C
Cara Gold 500g – 30 Mins – 65°C
Oats, Flaked 285g – 30 Mins – 65°C


Time - Hop - Weight (Boil 15L water)

60 Mins - DME (light) - 1.5kg
Magnum - 14g

15 mins - Irish Moss - 2 teaspoons

10 mins - Amarillo - 25g
Cascade - 25g
Coconut - 215g

5 mins - Amarillo - 25g
Cascade - 30g
Coconut - 215g


Hop stand while cooling Cascade 75g

After 5 Days Fermenting For 5 days
Amarillo - 50g
Cascade - 100g
Coconut - 215g

Yeast: WhiteLabs WLP001

IBU: 77.76

Original Gravity: 1.043 (measured 1.042)

Final Gravity: 1.010 (TBC)

Notes:
Coconut to be toasted for 15mins @ 85c – Mix and make sure it’s not too dark.
Tesco Ashbeck water.

Thanks in advance and hope the above makes sense, I have it organized in a word doc

sandimas
Steady Drinker
Posts: 52
Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2016 11:29 am
Location: Near Malvern

Re: Extract & Steeping grains - Critique me!

Post by sandimas » Sat Dec 10, 2016 3:49 pm

Steeped grains add colour and flavour, but not a lot of fermentables. Mashed grain produced fermentables. That's why, despite adding a whole load of grain, you didn't get much increase in ABV - which might be what you wanted anyway?

Also, 30% base malt/DME is a tiny amount - I'd normally aim for 80-90%. The Cara malts are usually added max 10% so 30% seems a lot. Of course, you can do what you want and brewing is all about experimentation, it'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

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