maltoftheearth
Well-Known Member
Yesterday was my first attempt at a BIAB brew and it was fantastic -- with one exception. I'll start there.
My only problem was the loss of water. I started with 6 gallons and ended with maybe 3.5 or 4 (at best.) The grains absorbed a TON of water and there was way more boil off than expected.
That said, I was able to compensate by adding boiled and cooled water to the wort at the end of the process in order to achieve my desired gravity (1050.) So, the only negative is not knowing exactly how much wort I have at the moment -- I think maybe 4.5 gallons.
The pluses = greater temperature control of the mash and greater ease of use. It was so much easier to step up my mash temperatures, I had not been doing that but I am going to do it every time now b/c it is so much easier than messing with a mash tun.
I am off to read some other posts about BIAB by members here but I wanted to include my process for critique:
I loaded up my brew pot with 6 gallons of water, carried it outside, dropped in the grain for my Hefeweiss, heated up to 112 (according to Radical Brewing some mash at this temp for 30 minutes to get a greater clove taste) for 30 minutes and then mashed at approx 153 for 90 minutes. Then I lifted out the bag (ungodly heavy), set it on a strainer, got the wort to a boil, boiled for 60 minutes, then dropped in the wort chiller.
***Grain Bill***
5lbs hard red winter wheat (germinated and malted by me)
5lbs American 2-row pale malt
.25lbs Munich Malt (10L)
75% efficiency would have been 1052 at 5 gallons. I hit 1060 at 3.5 or 4 gallons. Since I am not convinced the wheat was crushed very well I am very happy with these results!
My only problem was the loss of water. I started with 6 gallons and ended with maybe 3.5 or 4 (at best.) The grains absorbed a TON of water and there was way more boil off than expected.
That said, I was able to compensate by adding boiled and cooled water to the wort at the end of the process in order to achieve my desired gravity (1050.) So, the only negative is not knowing exactly how much wort I have at the moment -- I think maybe 4.5 gallons.
The pluses = greater temperature control of the mash and greater ease of use. It was so much easier to step up my mash temperatures, I had not been doing that but I am going to do it every time now b/c it is so much easier than messing with a mash tun.
I am off to read some other posts about BIAB by members here but I wanted to include my process for critique:
I loaded up my brew pot with 6 gallons of water, carried it outside, dropped in the grain for my Hefeweiss, heated up to 112 (according to Radical Brewing some mash at this temp for 30 minutes to get a greater clove taste) for 30 minutes and then mashed at approx 153 for 90 minutes. Then I lifted out the bag (ungodly heavy), set it on a strainer, got the wort to a boil, boiled for 60 minutes, then dropped in the wort chiller.
***Grain Bill***
5lbs hard red winter wheat (germinated and malted by me)
5lbs American 2-row pale malt
.25lbs Munich Malt (10L)
75% efficiency would have been 1052 at 5 gallons. I hit 1060 at 3.5 or 4 gallons. Since I am not convinced the wheat was crushed very well I am very happy with these results!