BeerBorg

so i have these mashing grains that come in a beer kit that call to be steeped for 20 mins and using 3.3# rye lme and 3#pilsen dme as base

8oz honey malt
4oz munich
2oz vienna

wouldnt i just be adding starchiness to my brew by just steeping them?

so should i just do a mini mash? and also if i mash these grains do i still have to do a full 60 min boil?

From what I've read, honey malt can be steeped, but Munich and Vienna have to be mashed. I'd mash if I were you.

With that little bit of grain, I would not worry about a 60 minute boil if you don't feel like doing one.

Also, a 30 minute steep at warmer mash temperatures (154ish) will get you most of the conversion. The Vienna will help the Munich convert. The tiny bit of starch that might remain isn't going to mess up your beer. So if you don't want to mash for an hour, its OK. But you can if you want of course. With such a kit, probably following the directions and adding 160 degree water to your grains gets you right into the proper mash temperature range, and you end up doing a short partial mash even though the directions are calling it a "steep" anyways. So even following the directions likely gets you most of the conversion. Especially if you toss the pot in the oven set at a low temp or wrap it so it holds temps.

Also honey malt will convert in the mash. The whole concept of what can be steeped and what can be mashed depends on what you want (or don't want) to get out of it. You get flavor, but also starch just steeping honey malt. Same for Munich or Aromatic or such. Honey malt is not crystal malt, it is not fully converted, it has enzymatic power and can convert in the mash. By the same logic used for Honey malt, both Honey malt and Munich/Aromatic should be considered (in small amounts) steepable to get flavor, and the little bit of starch not being enough to cause any trouble... or in larger amounts, must be mashed, or the starch will cause trouble. But again, a steep at a temp like 154 is going to get you most of the conversion in 30 minutes anyways, so the amount of starch remaining is likely insignificant.

If you have the time I would do a full 60-minute mini mash, just to be sure.

I would decide on my boil time based on the rest of the recipe. Does it call for a 60-minute hop addition?

mashani wrote:With that little bit of grain, I would not worry about a 60 minute boil if you don't feel like doing one.

Also, a 30 minute steep at warmer mash temperatures (154ish) will get you most of the conversion. The Vienna will help the Munich convert. The tiny bit of starch that might remain isn't going to mess up your beer. So if you don't want to mash for an hour, its OK. But you can if you want of course. With such a kit, probably following the directions and adding 160 degree water to your grains gets you right into the proper mash temperature range, and you end up doing a short partial mash even though the directions are calling it a "steep" anyways. So even following the directions likely gets you most of the conversion. Especially if you toss the pot in the oven set at a low temp or wrap it so it holds temps.

Also honey malt will convert in the mash. The whole concept of what can be steeped and what can be mashed depends on what you want (or don't want) to get out of it. You get flavor, but also starch just steeping honey malt. Same for Munich or Aromatic or such. Honey malt is not crystal malt, it is not fully converted, it has enzymatic power and can convert in the mash. By the same logic used for Honey malt, both Honey malt and Munich/Aromatic should be considered (in small amounts) steepable to get flavor, and the little bit of starch not being enough to cause any trouble... or in larger amounts, must be mashed, or the starch will cause trouble. But again, a steep at a temp like 154 is going to get you most of the conversion in 30 minutes anyways, so the amount of starch remaining is likely insignificant.

This ^^^.

My Bell's Best Brown clone includes a pound of Victory, along with a pound of Special Roast, a pound of 60L, and 0.19 of Chocolate. I steep at 160 (start there, it drops a few degrees) for 30 minutes. My understanding that with the other grains I don't need to worry.

Also, a 30 minute steep at warmer mash temperatures (154ish) will get you most of the conversion.

That is the first thing that popped into my head as well based on the grain bill you've got.

Just curious: What kind of brew is the recipe for? Also, do you by chance have a refractometer?

Doin a rye ale.....and no refractometer tho