First Post, First Mash (BIAB Partial Mash)

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drubes542

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Hey all, first post here after lurking for a few months and learning a heck of a lot. A buddy and I began brewing this past June and have really enjoyed it so far. We've done 3 batches so far, 2 extract (BGSA and a version of the DFH IBA from Sam's book with a few tweaks) which came out great and 1 partial mash APA which we're getting ready to bottle tomorrow. The BGSA still has some time before it comes into its own but so far its coming along nicely.

As far as the APA, here's the recipe. Its a modification of a recipe I found on here a while ago, feel free to rip it to shreds:

4# pale 2-row
4# light DME (in the boil)
1# Munich 10L
0.5# Crystal 20

Target mash temp/time 155*F for 60 min in 14.8 qt water
Mash out at 170*F for 10 min
60 min boil, 5.5 gallon final volume

Hop Schedule:

0.25 oz cascase FWH
0.5 oz warrior 60 min
0.5 oz cascade 15 min
0.75 cascase flameout
0.5 warrior flameout

OG Measured 1.060 (86% efficiency)


So that was the plan. We ended up mashing a little hot at 159ish because we tried the mash in the oven trick, but our oven is a hunk of junk since we live in a small apartment and it must have been a little warmer than we thought. Checked on the mash and stirred after 30 min to bring the temp back down but by the time we pulled it back out at 60 min it was back around 159. It's been in primary for 13 days now, checked the specific gravity last night for the first time since brew day and it was at 1.020 (target was 1.015 if I recall correctly). I'm going to venture a guess that our high mash temp contributed to some extra non-fermentable sugars and left the final product a little on a sweet side. That being said, after tasting the hydro sample I was still pretty happy with where it's at - definitely a little sweeter than what we were aiming for, but it will still be really good beer when it's bottled, carbed, and cold. That's providing Mr. Murphy doesn't decide to drop by and decide to enforce his law.

Didn't take any pics of the BIAB process but it was super easy, and a great way for extract brewers like me to start messing with grains. Again our space and equipment are limited due to the size of our apartment, and it still wasn't too bad. As far as draining the grains goes, we set up a colander over a smaller pot, put the spent grain bag in the colander after the mash, then put a heavy glass bowl on top of the grains with a bag of flower in it to squeeze out the extra wort. We let it drain as the rest of the wort heated up to boiling, then added the extra back with our 60 min hop addition. I was very pleased with the whole process - 86% efficiency was way better than I had hoped for on the first run. Had we hit the correct mash temperature, everything would have gone perfectly, which I can even tell you after 3 batches would have been a miracle haha.

Can't wait to bottle this one and dream up my next batch. Thinking of a nice coffee stout since the weather is starting to get colder...
 
Hey all, first post here after lurking for a few months and learning a heck of a lot. A buddy and I began brewing this past June and have really enjoyed it so far. We've done 3 batches so far, 2 extract (BGSA and a version of the DFH IBA from Sam's book with a few tweaks) which came out great and 1 partial mash APA which we're getting ready to bottle tomorrow. The BGSA still has some time before it comes into its own but so far its coming along nicely.

As far as the APA, here's the recipe. Its a modification of a recipe I found on here a while ago, feel free to rip it to shreds:

4# pale 2-row
4# light DME (in the boil)
1# Munich 10L
0.5# Crystal 20

Target mash temp/time 155*F for 60 min in 14.8 qt water
Mash out at 170*F for 10 min
60 min boil, 5.5 gallon final volume

Hop Schedule:

0.25 oz cascase FWH
0.5 oz warrior 60 min
0.5 oz cascade 15 min
0.75 cascase flameout
0.5 warrior flameout

OG Measured 1.060 (86% efficiency)


So that was the plan. We ended up mashing a little hot at 159ish because we tried the mash in the oven trick, but our oven is a hunk of junk since we live in a small apartment and it must have been a little warmer than we thought. Checked on the mash and stirred after 30 min to bring the temp back down but by the time we pulled it back out at 60 min it was back around 159. It's been in primary for 13 days now, checked the specific gravity last night for the first time since brew day and it was at 1.020 (target was 1.015 if I recall correctly). I'm going to venture a guess that our high mash temp contributed to some extra non-fermentable sugars and left the final product a little on a sweet side. That being said, after tasting the hydro sample I was still pretty happy with where it's at - definitely a little sweeter than what we were aiming for, but it will still be really good beer when it's bottled, carbed, and cold. That's providing Mr. Murphy doesn't decide to drop by and decide to enforce his law.

Didn't take any pics of the BIAB process but it was super easy, and a great way for extract brewers like me to start messing with grains. Again our space and equipment are limited due to the size of our apartment, and it still wasn't too bad. As far as draining the grains goes, we set up a colander over a smaller pot, put the spent grain bag in the colander after the mash, then put a heavy glass bowl on top of the grains with a bag of flower in it to squeeze out the extra wort. We let it drain as the rest of the wort heated up to boiling, then added the extra back with our 60 min hop addition. I was very pleased with the whole process - 86% efficiency was way better than I had hoped for on the first run. Had we hit the correct mash temperature, everything would have gone perfectly, which I can even tell you after 3 batches would have been a miracle haha.

Can't wait to bottle this one and dream up my next batch. Thinking of a nice coffee stout since the weather is starting to get colder...

Since you only had 5 lbs of grain try this next time. Once the bag is in the colander, get two coffee cups, one in each hand and press w/them as hard as you can moving around in the grain. This will get max liquid out of the grain.

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