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Mysticmead · 11-29-2012, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slcdawg

My question is for those that use a 7.5 gal kettle, what is your method to get the necessary pre-boil volume? Say the recipe is 12 lbs of grain and you lose 1 gal to grain absorption. With a 7.5 gal kettle I can only mash with ~5 gal of water - which will leave me ~2 gal short. Which method do you use?

A. Mash-out at 170F. Top off to pre-boil volume
B. Skip Mash-Out. Sparge with volume of water to reach pre-boil volume
C. Mash-out and Sparge
D. Other?

first.. you'd lose .72 gallons.. less if you squeeze the crap out of that bag..
second.. sparge with 170F water.. either by pouring through grains and then squeezing.. or dunk sparging... followed by squeezing

slcdawg · 11-29-2012, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mysticmead

first.. you'd lose .72 gallons.. less if you squeeze the crap out of that bag..
second.. sparge with 170F water.. either by pouring through grains and then squeezing.. or dunk sparging... followed by squeezing

Thanks. So, do you mash-out and sparge? Or, just sparge?

MMJfan · 11-29-2012, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slcdawg

My question is for those that use a 7.5 gal kettle, what is your method to get the necessary pre-boil volume? Say the recipe is 12 lbs of grain and you lose 1 gal to grain absorption. With a 7.5 gal kettle I can only mash with ~5 gal of water - which will leave me ~2 gal short. Which method do you use?

A. Mash-out at 170F. Top off to pre-boil volume
B. Skip Mash-Out. Sparge with volume of water to reach pre-boil volume
C. Mash-out and Sparge
D. Other?

Currently I do C. I have 2 kettles (7.5 gal. and 5 gal.) I mash and mashout in the large kettle and sparge in the small kettle. I then squeeze the bag in a bucket with a colander and combine all of the liquid to get my desired pre-boil volume.

Also, I can start with about 6 gal. of water for a grain bill between 12-14 lbs. in my 7.5 gal. kettle. Makes for a tight fit, but it's doable.

One question I have been wondering though regarding my method is, if I'm doing a sparge, do I need to do a mashout as well? I've been thinking doing both a mashout and then a sparge seems a little redundant and I could probably just skip the mashout and go straight from the mash to the sparge?

Mysticmead · 11-29-2012, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slcdawg

Thanks. So, do you mash-out and sparge? Or, just sparge?

I mash out and use a keggle

solbes · 11-29-2012, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slcdawg

Do you do a mash-out at 170F for 10 minutes as part of your process? And then just top off with water to get the right pre-boil volume?

I do a mashout to 170, and then pseudo drip sparge from a second small kettle (holds maybe 1.7 gal). This option C on your last post of pg 111. If I'm still low on volume I will usually just top up to my pre-boil volume ( less than a 1/2 gallon). I don't hold at mashout temps, but it does take 10-15 minutes to get there from my propane burner.

And I squeeze the heck out of the bag after sparge (in basket) using a saucepan lid. No tannins.

slcdawg · 11-29-2012, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solbes

I don't hold at mashout temps, but it does take 10-15 minutes to get there from my propane burner.

Very helpful - thank you!

For the Mash-out, do you turn your burner on to get to 170F and then you're done with that step (since it takes 10-15 min to get there)? Or, 10 minutes once at 170F?

Sorry for all the questions - think I'm just about there.

solbes · 11-29-2012, 05:21 PM

After the mash is done, I turn the burner on and leave it on until post boil flame out. I raise the grain in the basket from the rope/pulley once the mash gets to 170F. Then I start my drip sparge after the grain is suspended. I also add any first wort hops at this time. The sparging takes place while my wort in the kettle is heating towards the boil. Usually sparge is complete with grain bag squeezed by the time the wort is up to 200 F or so. Only another 5-10 minutes until boiling.

Theres alot of efficiencies with BIAB (less equipment costs and less cleaning required). But my favorite is the time savings of the sparging. There is no time used at all for me as the wort has to come to a boil anyway. And it can still get you within 10% efficiency of some of the best fly sparge setups I've seen.

slcdawg · 11-29-2012, 05:32 PM

Very cool! It does seem simple. Doing my first mini mash this wkd. Hope to try AG BIAB soon.

somedudefromguam · 11-29-2012, 06:55 PM

I am just switching to BIAB. Do I have to worry about over sparging? astringency?

solbes · 11-29-2012, 08:13 PM

Partial mashes are awesome for the first couple of BIAB's. Yes your still doing all the work of a AG, but its a little more forgiving of mistakes since a significant portion of the malt is extract. I did 4 of them, but would have been ready after 2.

Some new things with going all grain that may affect astringency. Like your water. I would say if your water has the correct alkalinity and mineral content to mash with your specific grain bill, that won't be a problem. I have very alkaline water that buffers, so I cut it with 50-85% Reverse Osmosis water from the grocery store (more RO for light beers, less for dark). I use small additions of 88% Lactic Acid to drop my mash (and sparge) to the proper pH (usually less than 2 mL). You can download the free MS Excell Water Calculator 3 from this site, add your water profile from city website, and add your grain malt recipe to get in the ballpark.

And you don't want to over heat your mashout or your sparge water. If I mash out to 170F, I bring my sparge up to maybe 174 or so. By the time I drip it all the way through its considerably cooler. Not a worry on cooler, it just may not extract sugar as easily. I don't think you can oversparge, but someone might have a better answer for that. Good luck to both of you!