This will be my first time steeping grains. It's a Brewer's Best dunkelweizen kit I got locally. Grains are 8 oz munich and 8 oz chocolate. Instructions give range from 150-165 degrees. What is ideal for these grains? Is the 20 minute steeping time good enough or does a little more help?

Temperature is not as important for steeping as it is for mashing...since all you are doing is rinsing the sugars off the grains and not doing any conversion...

So basically pick anywhere in that range..

Excellent. Thanks!

Munich should be mashed, not steeped. Otherwise you will end up with unconverted starch in your beer.

Here's the instruction sheet, see step 3.

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1029 ... weizen.pdf

Now I'm confused.

If you steep at 150 to 165, the munich will convert it's starches on its own. Technically it's a mini-mash, but the procedure is the same as a normal steeping grain procedure since munich can self-convert.

At the grist ratio most brewers use for "steeping" (often 1-2 lbs in the entire boil volume of say 3 gallons, which gives 6-12 qts/lb ratio), the enzymes will be diluted and have a hard time converting in any reasonable amount of time.

If you have another smaller pot, try steeping your pound of specialty grains in 1-2 qts 150-160F for 15-20 minutes (congratulations, you're mini-mashing!), then move the bag to the rest of your water (also at 150-160F) and leave it in for a few minutes, swirl it around/dunk it in a few times to rinse off any remaining sugars. After you remove the grains, add the original 1-2 qts and start your boil as usual.

In general, any roasted malts (Chocolate, black, carafa, etc.) and crystal malts (including caramunich, etc.) can be steeped in any volume of water, at any temperature below 170F. Things like Munich, Victory, Wheat, Oats, must be mashed (a fancy way of saying "steep at 150-160F in a small amount of water, 1-2 qts per lb of grain) to convert the starches.

RDWHAHB

Just got home from work. I asked my supervisor (he's the local brewmaster) what he thinks and he said the same thing. He said another take on it is put the grains in the water and start to heat it. At about 140 degrees it will start to convert until the upper 160s. Have a thermometer in the water and let it warm up to 155-160 while steeping, then turn the flame down for a minute or two and take the grains out, then go from that point on.