Steeping grains after mash in 2 separate boils?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by unclejimbay, Jan 27, 2015.

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  1. unclejimbay

    unclejimbay Initiate (0) Aug 25, 2008 Florida

    Howdy,
    I am planning to do a 15 gallon brew day with an 2 row extract base wort. I am curious to split this batch into three separate boils. If I add some caramel, pale chocolate, and carafa III to the wort AFTER mashing, will the steeped specialty malts still work properly?

    Basically, can I steep specialty grains in pre boil wort?

    Thanks in advance.

    I want to do something like
    step 1) one large mash of all 2 row, with a 18 gallon yield.
    step 2) split final yield of wort into 3 different 6 gallon batches.
    step 3) Begin boil on batch 1 as is, steep batch 2 with 1 pound caramel 60L at 160F, steep/mini-mash batch 3 with 1 pound of 2 row & 1 pound caramel 90L & 1 pound pale chocolate & 1 pound carafa III

    Final result would be, 1 SMASH IPA, 1 IPA with Caramel 60 addition, 1 stout


    Will this work? anything I need to be concerned about adding steeping grains or an additonal mini mash using pre-made/pre-boil wort?

    Thanks.
     
    #1 unclejimbay, Jan 27, 2015
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Yes, you can.
     
    #2 VikeMan, Jan 27, 2015
    machalel, jbakajust1 and unclejimbay like this.
  3. DNuggs

    DNuggs Initiate (0) Apr 13, 2006 Massachusetts

    That'll work fine.....last brew day I did a mash and sparged to get 14 gallons. Split it in half and boiled one down for an IPA while the other one steeped with some crystal and chocolate for a nice dark amber.
     
    #3 DNuggs, Jan 27, 2015
  4. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Sounds good. I don't believe you'll need a mini mash for crystal malts or heavily kilned grains. I'd be tempted to cold steep the stout malts the night before, to help make brew day a little easier. That said, a mini mash never hurt anything.
     
    #4 inchrisin, Jan 27, 2015
  5. Homebrew42

    Homebrew42 Initiate (0) Dec 20, 2006 New York

    Your general plan is sound. That said, regarding batch 3, if you put 1 lb 2-row, 1 lb caramel 90L, 1 lb pale chocolate, and 1 lb carafa III in 6 gallons of wort you will not be performing a successful mash as the only source of enzymatic power is the 2-row and it will be too dilute in that much wort. You could just eliminate the 2-row completely and simply steep the specialty grains if you wanted to.
     
    #5 Homebrew42, Jan 27, 2015
  6. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Yes, this will work. I have done it many times, wrote an article about it in BYO last year, and won 2nd place for an American Stout I did using this method. As HB42 said above, I would nix the 2 row on batch 3. If you don't mash it it will just be starch. If you need to up the OG on that batch you can simply add some DME for that one.
     
    #6 jbakajust1, Jan 27, 2015
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