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Antler · 10-18-2011, 10:20 PM

Heating the water

Mash in

During the mash

The boil

Fancy cooling setup lol

The brewing room, can't wait to purchase a home so I can have a basement brewing area!

johnodon · 10-19-2011, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfisherwes

Probably but I don't know how much those cost.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/reflectix-my-rreview-biab-262083/

John

**Brewitt** · 10-19-2011, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brewitt

I haven't gotten everything solved but I have resolved to soak the whole keg overnight in a trashcan of PBW to remove grunge inside and out.

Well, this part worked fine. Ended up just using a good strong solution of Oxyclean (5 big scoops, didn't have the stuff for PBW), filled up the trashcan with warm water, and let it sit overnight. Labels, stickers, grunge and some paint peeled right off the outside and beer grunge came off the inside easily with a scotch brite pad and a little elbow grease. Keggles looking pretty good and ready for the drilling for spigot and thermometer. I'm happy. May be ready to brew by the weekend.

Mysticmead · 10-19-2011, 11:29 PM

you'll be better off not drilling for a thermometer...

**Brewitt** · 10-20-2011, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mysticmead

you'll be better off not drilling for a thermometer...

Why do you say that? Are you saying best not to have a permanent thermometer? I have the Bilchmann Bremometer which many people seem to love.

Mysticmead · 10-20-2011, 12:23 PM

having a thermometer probe sticking into the kettle is a great way to tear the bag. honestly, stirring real well (which you should do) will get the mash temp as close to even as possible. use a digital thermometer once the temp is where you want. wrap it up and walk away for 60-90 minutes. A thermometer isn't needed during the boil and while cooling if you use an Immersion Chiller (like me) a digital thermometer is good enough. Heat will rise while chilling plus stirring while chilling helps to chill faster.

Burgs · 10-21-2011, 05:11 PM

It may end up being something that I look back on as a really bad idea... but part of me wants to do a 100% rye beer using biab.

I've been researching it for a little while and it seems like most people were going for a roggenbier with the Weihenstephan yeast and noble hops and all that, but I think I like the idea of a 100% rye pale ale better.

I don't see how lautering could really be that huge of a problem with my setup (maybe I'll eat those words) - because I use pretty thick gloves and squeeze the bejeesus out of my mash.

Anyone done it? Am I setting myself up for failure?

**JeepDiver** · 10-21-2011, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mysticmead

having a thermometer probe sticking into the kettle is a great way to tear the bag. honestly, stirring real well (which you should do) will get the mash temp as close to even as possible. use a digital thermometer once the temp is where you want. wrap it up and walk away for 60-90 minutes. A thermometer isn't needed during the boil and while cooling if you use an Immersion Chiller (like me) a digital thermometer is good enough. Heat will rise while chilling plus stirring while chilling helps to chill faster.

I've done ~10 batches with my current bag in my Blichmann and no tears in my thermometer. Not need to check with another thermoter, just watch the one in the kettle and if the temps drop fire it up for a few mins to get back to temp.

Seven · 10-21-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burgs

It may end up being something that I look back on as a really bad idea... but part of me wants to do a 100% rye beer using biab.

I've been researching it for a little while and it seems like most people were going for a roggenbier with the Weihenstephan yeast and noble hops and all that, but I think I like the idea of a 100% rye pale ale better.

I don't see how lautering could really be that huge of a problem with my setup (maybe I'll eat those words) - because I use pretty thick gloves and squeeze the bejeesus out of my mash.

Anyone done it? Am I setting myself up for failure?

I haven't done a 100% rye beer but I have brewed this recipe with great success: Denny's Wry Smile Rye

Not sure if this helps you or not.

Burgs · 10-21-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seven

I haven't done a 100% rye beer but I have brewed this recipe with great success: Denny's Wry Smile Rye

Not sure if this helps you or not.

I might wuss out and not go 100%, but I definitely wanna do at least 50/50. It sounds like some folks who have attempted to do 100% rye find out that it doesn't impart as much red color as they had hoped - I even read a report that said it was grayish? Gross.

Maybe a 75/25 rye wine pitched onto a cake I have of Denny's Favorite 50...