FWH for BIAB
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Horseballs
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Pull your bag out, toss in your hops and start the flame to bring to a boil.
I think some hops would be stuck in the grains in this scenario, don't you? I usually add my hops either to first runnings or after all runnings collected but before boil (~15-20m before boil). The latter might not be true FWH but it's also not a 60m addition either.
paraordnance
Well-Known Member
For BIAB FWH I always add them just when I pull the grain bag out and start draining. Just don't forget it like I sometimes do 
For BIAB FWH I always add them just when I pull the grain bag out and start draining. Just don't forget it like I sometimes do
That's what I would do.
I thought there was a difference between FWH and Mash hopping. I've FWH'd and really like it and I do BIAB. I just toss the hops in when I remove the bag to drain as mentioned and start the water to boil. It usually takes me 30 minutes to bring to a boil so sometimes I do FWH as an addition to my 60 minute hop hit and sometimes I skip the 60 minute. Can't say I really have noticed a huge difference either way but I'm hooked on it.
>>I thought there was a difference between FWH and Mash hopping. I've FWH'd and really like it and I do BIAB. I just toss the hops in when I remove the bag to drain as mentioned and start the water to boil. It usually takes me 30 minutes to bring to a boil so sometimes I do FWH as an addition to my 60 minute hop hit and sometimes I skip the 60 minute. Can't say I really have noticed a huge difference either way but I'm hooked on it.
FWH is usually done while Sparging, yes? With traditional methods (false bottom in a cooler), thats at 170F, and takes a long time.
So with BIAB why not leave the hops in during the mash, since there isnt really a sparge.
Or am I missing something?
>>I think some hops would be stuck in the grains in this scenario, don't you? I
No, because I use a hops bag.
Without the hops bag, then you would have to put the loose hops under the bag, and they might not get enough circulation.
FWH is usually done while Sparging, yes? With traditional methods (false bottom in a cooler), thats at 170F, and takes a long time.
So with BIAB why not leave the hops in during the mash, since there isnt really a sparge.
Or am I missing something?
>>I think some hops would be stuck in the grains in this scenario, don't you? I
No, because I use a hops bag.
Without the hops bag, then you would have to put the loose hops under the bag, and they might not get enough circulation.
the hops aren't just in for the sparge. adding the hops after you pull out the sack would be exactly the same as how its normally done
The Paint Strainer bags come in sets of two. Add your hops to one bag, secure with a rubber band, and then add at that bag to the grains held within the other bag. Mash in as usual. When it comes time to Mash out, remove the hops bag, rinse the outside, and toss in your main kettle with 170-ish water already at temperature. Dunk your grain bag several times in that 170-ish water as well. Drain the grain bag into a bowl on the counter, pour the rest of the drippings from the bowl into the main kettle, which is coming up to boiling temps, and if partial-mashing, add your DME. This is a sort of Mash Hop / FWH combo for BIAB but you won't notice any difference.
I'm thinking tiny hop particles are going to infiltrate the grain bag as opposed to freely circulating throughout the boil as usual. I guess I should have been more clear.
No. The bag isn't that loose that your hops just fall through it. If it is, then you need a finer bag.
do you sparge/rinse when you BIAB? if so, FWH shouldn't be a problem: throw them in with the intial runnings, and let them sit while you mash out with the second round of water. add the sparge/rinse water to your first runnings (and to the FWH), and start your boil.
if you don't sparge, then add the FWH as you are draining the bag and leave in while you bring your kettle up to boil.
if you don't sparge, then add the FWH as you are draining the bag and leave in while you bring your kettle up to boil.
>>do you sparge/rinse when you BIAB?
No, thats the point of BIAB. When your mash is over, pull out the bag, and start teh boil.
The Sparge is 2 minutes while the wort drains from your grain bag
The only lag time is how long it takes to go from mash (or mash out temperature) to boiling. Thats much less than the traditional sparge time.
At some point I will try this, and also Mash Hopping.
No, thats the point of BIAB. When your mash is over, pull out the bag, and start teh boil.
The Sparge is 2 minutes while the wort drains from your grain bag
The only lag time is how long it takes to go from mash (or mash out temperature) to boiling. Thats much less than the traditional sparge time.
At some point I will try this, and also Mash Hopping.
you and i have different understanding of BIAB. for me, BIAB does not preclude sparging. in fact, spearging is required to reach full volume and it greatly increases efficiency.
do you mash in your full boil volume? if you need to boil 6 gallon (to make a 5 gal batch), do you mash in all 6 gallons? if so, at 1.5 qt/lb, you'd need to be mashing 16 pounds of grain. at 1.25 qt/lb, you'd need 19.2 lbs of grain. if you're using less than 16 pounds of grain, your water-to-grain ratio is off and enzymes may be too dilluted.
deathbrewer's BIAB tutorial illustrates how to sparge while BIAB'ing: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/. in this tutorial, i would add FWH at post #3 - right after you move the grain into the sparge pot, throw your FWH into the now-grainless main mash pot.
There are definitely a few methods to BIAB, but I know many guys/gals do no-sparge, full volume BIAB for ease and speed of brew-day.
paraordnance
Well-Known Member
I BIAB and I sparge to get to proper pre-boil volume. It doesn't take any longer than traditional full volume BIAB. I start sparging when I fire kettle and before it gets to boiling I done with sparging and squeezing grain bag
there is a tad more work moving the grain to another vessel (assuming that's what you're doing) and also in cleaning another vessel. If you lift and pour water over it, I suppose that's about equal in effort/cleaning to full-volume, though.
paraordnance
Well-Known Member
tre9er said:
yeah, my grains in steamer basket, lined with a bag. I just lift the basket out of kettle and fire up burner. Not much extra work or cleaning. Minutes at most.
Transamguy77
Well-Known Member
ArcLight said:
I sparge when I BIAB, my kettle won't hold the full volume so I sparge in a smaller pot.
I actually do BIAB on my stove top, so I sparge since I need to use a second pot.
Actually, I mash in 2 pots, pour the wort into a third pot, and sparge in the 2 original pots, then combine them.
I end up with 2 pots.
But the "traditional" BIAB developed in Australia does not split into 2 pots, they do all in one.
(thats not to say you have to do that, but thats how many of them do it, for ease and simplicity. You lose a little efficiency, to which they would say, "add another $1 of grain and RDWHAHB"). No sparging, just raise the temperature to 170 for 10 minutes and raise the bag.
I think that may be a bit too diluted for lower gravity beers, putting all the grain in 6.5+ gallons of water (say 1 gallon boil off, and half a gallon retained in the grain). So I would mash in less water, say 4-5 gallons, and sparge in a second pot for 10 minutes at 170 with 1.5+ gallons.
But for FWH even with the sparging you are talking 10 minutes at 170, plus whatever time it takes to get your total volume to boiling. Thats MUCH shorter than the traditional method of the long sparge when using a cooler and gradually drawing off water.
Using BIAB and sparging in a separate vessel, is 20 minutes enough? Compared to 60-120 for those using coolers? Thats why I am wondering if putting the hops bag in the mash might be the way to go.
Obviously experimentation is needed.
How long must hops be cooked (heated at 150-170), and at what temperature, to get an optimal FWH taste?
Actually, I mash in 2 pots, pour the wort into a third pot, and sparge in the 2 original pots, then combine them.
I end up with 2 pots.
But the "traditional" BIAB developed in Australia does not split into 2 pots, they do all in one.
(thats not to say you have to do that, but thats how many of them do it, for ease and simplicity. You lose a little efficiency, to which they would say, "add another $1 of grain and RDWHAHB"). No sparging, just raise the temperature to 170 for 10 minutes and raise the bag.
I think that may be a bit too diluted for lower gravity beers, putting all the grain in 6.5+ gallons of water (say 1 gallon boil off, and half a gallon retained in the grain). So I would mash in less water, say 4-5 gallons, and sparge in a second pot for 10 minutes at 170 with 1.5+ gallons.
But for FWH even with the sparging you are talking 10 minutes at 170, plus whatever time it takes to get your total volume to boiling. Thats MUCH shorter than the traditional method of the long sparge when using a cooler and gradually drawing off water.
Using BIAB and sparging in a separate vessel, is 20 minutes enough? Compared to 60-120 for those using coolers? Thats why I am wondering if putting the hops bag in the mash might be the way to go.
Obviously experimentation is needed.
How long must hops be cooked (heated at 150-170), and at what temperature, to get an optimal FWH taste?
thepartsmancometh
Well-Known Member
I have an oat pale ale sitting in primary right now that I experimented with. I mash in one pot,then dunk sparge in my BK. While sparging, I put my fwh hops in the mash tun. Post sparge, mash tun gets dumped into BK with sparge water. Sort of a two vessel, biab, partial mash setup (I only have tun room to mash 6-7 lbs).
We'll see how it turns out! It smelled great
We'll see how it turns out! It smelled great
olefattguy
Well-Known Member
Yup. Mini-BIAB and Maxi-BIAB are a few of those, for more info check out the BIABrewer forum section...
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