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kjbarry

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I am trying to make a brewing come back. up until now I have done extract batches I would like to try some partial mash/biab but have never done it before. From what I understand you heat your water to strike temp so it can drop to mash temp when you add your grain and stir. How are those temps determined? Then you let it set covered till you reach mash out temp Then turn the heat back on and stir for another 10min at 170 then pull out grain bag and let drain. Then proceed with boil and hopping etc

How do these sound

Light ale
Batch size: 2.2 gal
Boil volume: 2.0 gal
OG: 1.046
FG: 1.012
Bitterness (IBU): 9.9
Color (SRM): 5.7
ABV: 4.6%
Grain/Sugars:
3.00 lb Two-row (US), 75.0%
1.00 lb Crystal 10L, 25.0%
Hops:
0.25 oz Cascade (AA 6.6%, Pellet) 30 min, 9.9 IBU
0.75 oz Cascade (AA 6.6%, Pellet) dry hop
Yeast/Misc:
Ale yeast, 1.0 unit(s), Yeast
Chocolate Milk Stout
Sweet Stout
Batch size: 2.2 gal
Boil volume: 2.0 gal
OG: 1.074
FG: 1.019
Bitterness (IBU): 32.7
Color (SRM): 50.0
ABV: 7.3%

Grain/Sugars:
3.00 lb Two-row (US), 46.2%
1.00 lb Flaked Oats, 15.4%
1.00 lb Crystal 10L, 15.4%
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (US), 15.4%
0.50 lb Milk Sugar, 7.7%

Hops:
0.60 oz Magnum (AA 12.0%, Pellet) 30 min, 32.7 IBU
0.40 oz Magnum (AA 12.0%, Pellet) dry hop

Yeast/Misc:
Irish Ale yeast, 1.0 unit(s), Yeast
 
 
I am trying to make a brewing come back. up until now I have done extract batches I would like to try some partial mash/biab but have never done it before. From what I understand you heat your water to strike temp so it can drop to mash temp when you add your grain and stir. How are those temps determined? Then you let it set covered till you reach mash out temp Then turn the heat back on and stir for another 10min at 170 then pull out grain bag and let drain. Then proceed with boil and hopping etc

How do these sound

Light ale
Batch size: 2.2 gal
Boil volume: 2.0 gal
OG: 1.046
FG: 1.012
Bitterness (IBU): 9.9
Color (SRM): 5.7
ABV: 4.6%
Grain/Sugars:
3.00 lb Two-row (US), 75.0%
1.00 lb Crystal 10L, 25.0%
Hops:
0.25 oz Cascade (AA 6.6%, Pellet) 30 min, 9.9 IBU
0.75 oz Cascade (AA 6.6%, Pellet) dry hop
Yeast/Misc:
Ale yeast, 1.0 unit(s), Yeast
Chocolate Milk Stout
Sweet Stout
Batch size: 2.2 gal
Boil volume: 2.0 gal
OG: 1.074
FG: 1.019
Bitterness (IBU): 32.7
Color (SRM): 50.0
ABV: 7.3%

Grain/Sugars:
3.00 lb Two-row (US), 46.2%
1.00 lb Flaked Oats, 15.4%
1.00 lb Crystal 10L, 15.4%
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (US), 15.4%
0.50 lb Milk Sugar, 7.7%

Hops:
0.60 oz Magnum (AA 12.0%, Pellet) 30 min, 32.7 IBU
0.40 oz Magnum (AA 12.0%, Pellet) dry hop

Yeast/Misc:
Irish Ale yeast, 1.0 unit(s), Yeast
 

This is an AG 2 gallon recipe because I don't see any extract in your recipe, or am I missing something? Typically partial mashes include LME or DME. Mashing is normally done in the 152 degree range. Different temps will provide different results. You will have to learn by trial and error on what temp to start at. Once you are at the 152 degree range try to hold that temp for an hour. Then you can rinse the BIAB with 170 degree water to make sure all the sweet wort has been collected. You will just have to coordinate your water volumes for mashing and sparging by the size kettle you have and desired boil volume.
 
When you BIAB you start with the amount of water you will need for the amount of beer you intend to bottle plus the amount you will boil off. Mashing will occur between about 146 and 160 and yes the beer will be different depending on the temperature you mash at. I like to mash at 152 to 156 because that produces beer with the flavors I prefer but I have done a batch at 148.

To determine the strike temperature you typically would use a software calculator and use the amount of water and the temperature and amount of grains as inputs. When your water is at strike temp you turn off the heat, put the bag in the pot, and stir in the grains. Put the lid on and insulate it and leave it for the mash period.
 
What you're describing is a full volume boil (recipe volume + boil off). I do partial boil,partial mash biab myself in the same 5G kettle I started with. but it depends on whether he wants to go AG or PM as stated.
 
i guess that is part of the question what is the difference between partial mash and BIAB

Well,all grain uses 100% grains to get the wort. Partial mash uses about 4-6lbs of grains to get as much as 50% of the fermentables,as I do. You then get it to the desired OG with extract,which I stir in at flame out. This allows me to use my 5 gallon SS kettle with the only additions being a nylon paint strainer bag & a cake cooling rack in the bottom to keep the bag/grains from burning on the bottom of the kettle. So you can either do all grain or partial mash with the biab method.
 
BIAB is simply one method of AG brewing. Instead of using a manifold or false bottom in a Keggle or Cooler, BIAB simply means that you are mashing your grains inside a large mesh bag and then straining the wort out after the mash.

The reason it's so popular is that you don't have to spend money on a cooler and build a manifold or some other device for lautering. You just buy a $5 paint strainer bag and have at it.

Note that you can use BIAB for AG or Partial Mash. In the case of Partial mash, you can mash your grains and then add the necessary amount of extract after the sparge.
 
If you do it right,yeah. Good mash temp & sparge temp,etc. I'm setting up to do a pb/pm biab vanilla porter now. 5 gallon batch by the time it goes into the fermenter. As an example,I'll be mashing 5 1/8lbs of grains in 2 gallons of local spring water @ 155 for an hour. Then sparge with 1.5 gallons @ 168F. That gives 3.5 gallons boil volume for hop additions. I'll add the extract & 1/2lb demerara sugar at the end & extract @ flame out.
Then ice bath down to 75F or so. Strain into fermenter & Top off to 5 gallons recipe volume with the cold chilled spring water.
 
So if i do the small batch recipes that i have listed using biab will i get quality results

I get quality results doing small batches BIAB. Whether you do or not depends on your knowledge and your technique. The same goes for any form of all grain. One can get great results or poor results.
 
So if i do the small batch recipes that i have listed using biab will i get quality results

The technique, yes. The recipe for the stout, not so much. That's a LOT of chocolate malt and crystal malt (15% each!) and only 46% base malt.

Lowering the amount of those specialty grains, and increasing the base malt, will make a good beer.

For the light ale, cutting the crystal in half (at least!) or even in quarters would make a decent beer.
 
There are some calculations you can make based on the amount and temperature of the grain, and the amount and temperature of the strike water that will get you in the ball park of your mash temp.

If you BIAB on the stove you have the added benefit of being able to heat the mash if you undershoot. If you overshoot you can simply add a few ice cube to lower the temp a bit. Go slow to prevent over compensating.

Then you might want to check the temp 2-3 times during the mash and slowly heat and stir to maintain your mash temp when it starts to drop a bit.

And don't worry it will work out fine once you get the recipe tweaked. The idea behind mashing is to simply mix some water with the grain and maintain the right temperature for the appropriate amount of time to allow the enzymes in the grain to convert the starches into fermentable sugars. It's not rocket science and there doesn't need to be a high level of precision. (except maybe for mash pH, but forget I said that for now...)
 
I'm curious about your light ale recipe and have a couple of questions for you about it. I've been working on what I call a light ale that's targeted towards those who only drink American lagers as many don't seem to appreciate my mild blonde ale's that have ~15 IBU's and low 5% ABV.

You've pushed for your 10 IBU's from a single addition at 30 mins. Why 30 mins?

You have a large dry hop addition. Why?

Why such a high FG with a low OG? What yeast are you planning on using that has a low attenuation?

Why so much crystal 10 (25%)? That seems a little much.

Don't take my questions the wrong way. I'm just curious why you've gone in the direction you have, and wondering if maybe something you're doing could/should be applied in my applications.
 
I am for the most part just winging it. I had three criteria for this beer 1) low ibu's 10 or less 2)light in color 3) and have some flavor. or to put it simple like a Michelob light so my wife will like it. was using a beersmith knock off I played with the hops till I got something under 10 I am thinking I will change to a half a pound of crystal 20 so to booster the body and use safeale 05
 
If you are looking for a nearly imperceptible hop presence I'd give it closer to 50-60 min boil and skip the dry hop. Create another brew or make this one larger to use up the remainder of the hops.

I'd also go much lighter on the crystal malt. Maybe half of that at most.

Maybe a little carapils might be good too.

For my light ale I chose a pound of rice DME to create that thinner profile, but ended up enlarging the yield and added some honey. While not what I was trying for it created a very nice honey flavor.

Something else I've done when attempting something I'm uncertain of is to look at beer kits and see what ingredients they've used as well as how much of it. And then I also look around here in the recipes to get man idea of what it takes.
 
how about these numbers
for the chocolate oatmeal milk stout
Grain/Sugars:
3.00 lb Two-row
1.00 lb Flaked Oats,
.25 lb Crystal 10L,
.50 lb Chocolate Malt
0.50 lb Milk Sugar

light ale
3.00 lb Two-row (US), 75.0%
.25 lb Crystal 10L, 25.0%
 
Were it me, and looking for a very mild taste for someone who likes Ultra Light, I'd use 2 oz of crystal 10 and 2 oz of carapils with the 2 row. And find the amount of hops needed for ~8-10 IBU's for a 45-60 min boil.

I'd also think you may want more chocolate in that stout.

What brew calculator are you using?

I've been using Brewtoad who took over Hopville. It has an auto scale function that may be useful for you. Plug in the numbers for a typical 5 gal (or any size) and then change the yield size and presto! And it's free.

http://www.brewtoad.com/
 
I ran those numbers through Brewtoad and I gave you poor advice on cutting down on the crystal. That ought to be a good amount (8%).

But I also noticed that the numbers you gave are different. It shows 4.8% ABV, 1.045/1.009, and 3* L. Their attenuation % is off for US-05. It needs to be changed to 81%.

I'm curious if you are splitting this yeast packet in half between these two beers? Weighing it out? Can you bump these up to 2.5 or even 3 gals each? It would help with such a light need for hops. Maybe steal a little from the stout and save the Cascade.
 
Style: Sweet Stout
Batch size: 2.2 gal
Boil volume: 2.0 gal
OG: 1.052
FG: 1.013
Bitterness (IBU): 30.1
Color (SRM): 30.8
ABV: 5.1%

Grain/Sugars:

3.00 lb Two-row (US), 66.7%
0.75 lb Flaked Oats, 16.7%
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (US), 11.1%
0.25 lb Milk Sugar, 5.6%

Hops:

0.50 oz Northern Brewer (AA 7.0%, Pellet) 45 min, 23.7 IBU
0.25 oz Northern Brewer (AA 7.0%, Pellet) 15 min, 6.4 IBU
0.25 oz Northern Brewer (AA 7.0%, Pellet) dry hop

Yeast/Misc:

Irish Ale yeast, 1.0 unit(s), Yeast
Batch size: 2.2 gal
Boil volume: 2.0 gal
OG: 1.041
FG: 1.010
Bitterness (IBU): 10.4
Color (SRM): 4.3
ABV: 4.0%

Grain/Sugars:

3.00 lb Two-row (US), 85.7%
0.50 lb Crystal 10L, 14.3%

Hops:

0.25 oz Cascade (AA 6.6%, Pellet) 30 min, 10.4 IBU
0.75 oz Cascade (AA 6.6%, Pellet) dry hop

Yeast/Misc:

US-05
 
Your batch size of 2.2 gals makes me wonder if you are using Mr Beer fermentors. If so they can hold as much as 2.5 gals.

You can also go to the bakery department at your grocery store and ask for their icing buckets that are food grade.
 
I swore I replied earlier but I guess not yes you found me out I am a Mr. beer guy and have 5 fermenters I am still wanting to do small batch especially as I transition to BIAB and beyond thanks for the tip on getting some buckets from the grocery store
 
I have 3 of their fermentors, and I'm looking for another so I can do 2 five gal batches in them.

They can hold 2.5 gals as long as the gravity is reasonable I'd think. I've done it with up to 5.5% ABV beers and cool (64-66*) temps. I'm sure a more energetic yeast might give problems. Dunno...
 
hit up bed bath and beyond December 26 and you can get them at about half price that's where 4 of mine came from
and that inculeds the can of wart and all so it is a great buy
 
I have a friend that I got into full batch making that has a bunch of the Mr Beer fermentors. He is going to give me some.

I think they'll work awesome for creating a lager as they'd sit on a shelf nicely. And it can make a Belgian easily enough.

I don't like using the spigot when I've had them submerged in water despite adding a little bleach to the water. I've just siphoned it into my bottling bucket.
 
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