Recent content by dobo

It's easier than you would think with BIAB and most of us are doing it all the time (see the number of times this thread references a 'mash out' where we raise the temp to make extracting the sugars easier- that would be the most common form of a 'single decoction mash' used in brewing). Since...

Amen! What we do is a mix of Science and Art. In order to get good beer in the end, you can't cheat the science, but how each brewer goes about doing the science is what makes it an art (I for one admire the simplicity and low cost of the BIAB process as well as the flexibility in adjusting...

The one I have (picked up mine from the local HD store so the link I provided should be the same thing) has a long handle already. Overall length with handle and mixer head is a few inches past 3' (sorry no tape nearby so I am estimating based on 12" ceramic tiles on the floor). Would imagine...

78% on a 15.5 lb grain bill is a big improvement over what you were getting before! Just curious, how much water did you start with this time? (you mentioned adjusting for pH, but not volume) Stirring enough to circulate the mash will make a big difference on making sure that all of the grist...

Oh, you are a gluten for punishment... At least now we know who on the thread to direct our yeast questions at, since I AM convinced that most of those complex things that yeast do besides make alcohol in the process are some sort of black magic voodoo... But that's a different thread.

Perfect, I applaud the fact that your PhD field really compliments this hobby and unlike others who ask for an explanation of what's going wrong with their brew and expect you to dumb it down and treat the science of it as some black magic voodoo that doesn't matter, you at least "get it"...

So now that I took you on a stroll down "theoretical lane" you should be able to see that there are things that you can do to improve your efficiency, but I would argue that it's less about what efficiency you achieved, and more about "what efficiency you expect to achieve". This is the true...

And you will have to boil to get down to your desired volume and SG, which isn't always good either since "Excessively long boils" (still trying to find out the empirical evidence to back this up, or minimally define how long is "excessive", so any insights are appreciated) or "Excessively...

When I was laid up recouping from a surgery, I had plenty of time to read as many brewing books I could get a hold of. You know, the ones that most of us get and just flip to the section that has the recipes and skip over all the chapters that cover the science side of brewing. I mean, hey are...

I also do "5" gallon batches for variety reasons and since it is plenty for my own consumption (wife won't drink beer, but now she has me doing hard cider since I've got all the gear). It does make it a bit more tricky for the times that you are needing to brew for occasions where you are...

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I think others have already covered the fact that tannins are a result of water chemistry and temp so if you are doing a mash out (I would recommend that you do since it helps with the efficiency) just make sure that you don't overshoot your temp (typically you want to hold at 170˚ for 10...

Ditto, except mine was an EPA I racked about a week ago and I used Whirlfloc instead. I have a Cream Ale on tap now that was the first BIAB batch I ever attempted and just blindly trusted what all the other BIAB brewers were saying about not fretting about the clarity issue, as it all works...