Almost ready to switch to BIAB, recipe question...

[iamwhatiseem]

On NB - I notice there are BIAB recipes, why would the recipe change between AG and BIAB? Why would the grain bill change?

Thanks.

 

[shetc]

I highly recommend the http://biabrewer.info/ web site. It made transitioning to BIAB very easy. And it addresses your question as well.

 

[wilserbrewer]

On NB - I notice there are BIAB recipes, why would the recipe change between AG and BIAB? Why would the grain bill change?



Thanks.

I think the BIAB recipe kits on NB are only 3 gallons, marketed to someone who has a smaller kettle etc.

A recipe is a recipes no matter the method to brew it.

 

[wilserbrewer]

On NB - I notice there are BIAB recipes, why would the recipe change between AG and BIAB? Why would the grain bill change?



Thanks.

I think the BIAB recipe kits on NB are only 3 gallons, marketed to someone who has a smaller kettle etc.

Copied from NB below
All-Grain BIAB Kits

Original brew-in-a-bag all-grain recipes for use with our 3-gallon BIAB system - all-grain quality with the ease of extract brewing!

All kits yield 3 gallons and include blended grain malts, hops, yeast, and complete instructions. All-grain kits use malted grain as the base for the finished beer; in addition to familiarity with basic brewing techniques and the equipment for fermenting, siphoning, and bottling, you will also need equipment for brew-in-a-bag all-grain brewing.

End copy....


A recipe is a recipes no matter the method to brew it.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

BIAB is all grain.

All allgrain recipes need to be scaled for two variables, brewhouse efficiency and batch size. Until you know better (by taking measurements during your brewday), just leave the brewhouse efficiency alone. If you're batch size matches theirs then no need to scale at all for your first brew or two.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

BIAB is all grain.

All allgrain recipes need to be scaled for two variables, brewhouse efficiency and batch size. Until you know better (by taking measurements during your brewday), just leave the brewhouse efficiency alone. If you're batch size matches theirs then no need to scale at all for your first brew or two.

Thanks, I have been doing AG for several years..so kinda beyond that, I just noticed that NB had BIAB recipes...can't believe I didn't notice they were only 3-3.5 gallon batches

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Another question...I have one of those kettle strainers left from the turkey fryer kit I started out on before I got a better kettle - anyhow...I see plenty of folks using these to place the grain bag in. Which certainly eases lifting ut of the kettle...but it looks too small to me, I would think the grains are too crowded, especially bigger beers.
Not a concern? I guess if you stir well enough?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Another question...I have one of those kettle strainers left from the turkey fryer kit I started out on before I got a better kettle - anyhow...I see plenty of folks using these to place the grain bag in. Which certainly eases lifting ut of the kettle...but it looks too small to me, I would think the grains are too crowded, especially bigger beers.
Not a concern? I guess if you stir well enough?

Some like to use a basket, some don't. I am in the no basket camp. You are correct, a basket that is undersized can be an issue, especially with larger beers.

No basket IMHO...

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Some like to use a basket, some don't. I am in the no basket camp. You are correct, a basket that is undersized can be an issue, especially with larger beers.

No basket IMHO...

Thanks...say...you got some good stuff on your site. I think I will be your next customer.

 

[McKnuckle]

The best geometry for BIAB is to have the bag fit your mash tun like a second skin, with no dead space around it. A basket inevitably has dead space below or around it. That will affect your ability to reliably hit and hold a desired mash temp. Sure, you can recirculate or stir but those things add complexity or have other cons associated with them (stirring does, anyway - loss of heat).

[Edit: Order a bag custom fit for your kettle from Wilser]

 

[iamwhatiseem]

One more question...I have an 8 Gal. Megapot. I do make some 8%-10% ABV beers for the winter. Am I going to get squeezed with this pot?

 

[pricelessbrewing]

It's going to be tight, but you should be able to get to ~1.090 if you mash at 1.25 qt/lb and use a sparge for the remaining water.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Some like to use a basket, some don't. I am in the no basket camp. You are correct, a basket that is undersized can be an issue, especially with larger beers.

No basket IMHO...

Just placed an order...appreciate the advice.

 

[RM-MN]

One more question...I have an 8 Gal. Megapot. I do make some 8%-10% ABV beers for the winter. Am I going to get squeezed with this pot?

Short answer, yes.

Long answer is that you can work around the smaller pot if you want to do the work. Mill grains very fine and get your efficiency way up so you can use a smaller grain bill. Plan to double sparge with a dunk sparge being the most efficient. Hold back the wort from the second sparge(maybe both sparges) and add it to the pot after the hot break because you won't have much free space and will likely have a boil over. Plan most of your beers to be lower in alcohol to avoid bumping up against the limit of the pot.

 

[doug293cz]

Short answer, yes.

Long answer is that you can work around the smaller pot if you want to do the work. Mill grains very fine and get your efficiency way up so you can use a smaller grain bill. Plan to double sparge with a dunk sparge being the most efficient. Hold back the wort from the second sparge(maybe both sparges) and add it to the pot after the hot break because you won't have much free space and will likely have a boil over. Plan most of your beers to be lower in alcohol to avoid bumping up against the limit of the pot.

Or, make smaller batches when brewing higher gravity beers.

Also note that efficiency drops when brewing higher gravity beers (it's physics.) You can mitigate this by sparging when doing high gravity beers.

Here's a couple of chart's for you. The first shows what happens to efficiency when the grain bill increases, and shows the difference between no-sparge and equal runnings batch (dunk) sparge, for different grain absorption rates. All curves assume 6.7 gal pre-boil volume.



The next chart shows boil kettle size needed for full volume (no-sparge) BIAB as a function of grain bill weight, also for 6.7 gal pre-boil volume.



Brew on

 

[iamwhatiseem]

With high gravity brews I will probably do those AG like always.
Somehow if I buy a larger kettle...I feel like I am abandoning my current brew pot. Like cheating on a wife kind of thing...