Any helpful BIAB tips?

[capt82]

Just did my first single pot, no sparge, BIAB today. I liked the time saved, less equipment, and no stuck sparge, but... my brewhouse efficiency sucks and the clarity sucks.

After reading the forum, everyone pretty much agrees to double or even triple grinding grain to get higher efficiency. I used the same mill as I always have with a single pass.

I believe if I pulverize the grains more my efficiency will get better, but I have to believe it will also make the wort look like sewage. I feel I have given up quality by BIAB.

 

[estricklin]

I have been BIAB lately, and I don't feel like I lost anything except for a little efficiency. If your wort is looking more cloudy than usual, you may need a better bag. There is a user here who makes REALLY good bags at a great price, and I'm sure he'll chime in here on this thread. I have set my mill to grind very fine, it improved my efficiency a lot.

I don't believe for one second that BIAB effects the quality of the final product. It's a super simple and cost effective way to get into homebrewing, and it works well for many experienced brewers as well.

 

[BroStefan]

Don't worry about milling tight. The wort may be a bit more cloudy but it doesn't effect quality.

I've been doing BIAB exclusively for 2 + years and wouldn't go back. Like any system you have to dial your process but once you do your golden.

 

[phug]

You can definitely hit mid to high eighties doing biab. Wort clarity resolves in the fermenter, or you can take the extra step and use gelatin

 

[CGish]

but... my brewhouse efficiency sucks and the clarity sucks.

Hang in there. There is a learning curve with any new process. The clarity of the final product should not suffer.

This is a BIAB batch - BM's Centennial Blonde. I brewed on 11-29-15, kegged on 12-25-15. This is 24 days in the keg:



The wort going into the fermentor is cloudier, but it does not hurt the end product.

Efficiency takes some adjustment, but the simplicity of BIAB makes the effort worthwhile.

Good Luck,
Cody

 

[Bosh]

For better efficiency squeeze the bag until it stops dripping wort.

 

[WVHomeBrewer]

Squeeze that bag it doesn't add any unnecessary off flavors

 

[hzlin70]

Cold crash and use gelatin to clarify.

This is a 3 Floyds Zombie Dust Clone.

Right out of the boil kettle.

Then- after 5 days in the keg. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1453527719.669360.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1453527732.521580.jpg

 

[Gavin C]

Just did my first single pot, no sparge, BIAB today. I liked the time saved, less equipment, and no stuck sparge, but... my brewhouse efficiency sucks and the clarity sucks.

After reading the forum, everyone pretty much agrees to double or even triple grinding grain to get higher efficiency. I used the same mill as I always have with a single pass.

I believe if I pulverize the grains more my efficiency will get better, but I have to believe it will also make the wort look like sewage. I feel I have given up quality by BIAB.

Your process is lacking .

Double/ tripple grinding is largely a pointless endeavor. Single narrow milling is adequate.

BIAB no sparge brewhouse efficiency can exceed 80%

Quality of beer is not something that needs to be sacrificed. The process when done correctly will result in excellent beer.

Some BIAB tips in my sig below.

Sounds like you have much to learn. Best of luck.

Typical Beers made via BIAB

 

[doug293cz]

Yes, BIAB produces cloudier wort to the boil kettle and fermenter, but it will all settle out in the fermenter, especially if you cold crash and add fining. I took 1st place in a comp with wort that started out very cloudy, so there is no quality degradation.

Brew on

 

[seabrew8]

Your process is lacking .

Double/ tripple grinding is largely a pointless endeavor. Single narrow milling is adequate.

BIAB no sparge brewhouse efficiency can exceed 80%

Quality of beer is not something that needs to be sacrificed. The process when done correctly will result in excellent beer.

Some BIAB tips in my sig below.

Sounds like you have much to learn. Best of luck.

Typical Beers made via BIAB

Hey Gavin, you use any finings in those beers? They look amazing!

 

[m00ps]

Dont listen to Gavin, hes CLUELESS about BIAB

 

[seabrew8]

Thanks for the laugh! lol

 

[wilserbrewer]

You don't need to double or triple grind, one good crush is all you need. People are 2-3x grinding because their mill setting is too loose IMHO. You may have had way too many whole or just cracked grains in your grist. Examine your grains, there should no, or very few intact pieces with all kernels thoroughly broken. A decent crush will help greatly if that is where you were lacking, as is my guess.

A polyester voile bag is a much finer weave and will produce clearer wort, so I have been told. Still not as clear as a conventional MT.

Clear wort to the fermenter is not required to produce clear beer.

Whirl flock added to the kettle 5-7 minutes before flame out helps, as well as storing your beer cold for a few weeks.

If you really want clear beer, try some gelatin post fermentation on cold beer.

 

[Gavin C]

Hey Gavin, you use any finings in those beers? They look amazing!

Thanks very much.

Yes. Finings are part of my process.

Also on the wort clarity issue.

While it is true that pre-boil wort in the BK is less clear via BIAB than it is with a conventional mash-tun (entirely related to the movement of the grain during lautering), it is not accurate in my experience to point to any difference in clarity of post-boil wort.

Post boil-wort clarity is dictated by
1. Good hot break
2. Good cold break
3. Settling of other insoluble compounds precipitated during the boil

I don't see the excessive fermentor trub so often mentioned by folks. I see even less now that I've started using an excellent bag made by @Wilserbrewer .

Typical fermentor trub levels

Typical Post-Boil Wort Clarity (Dunkel spelled incorrectly)

A Wilserbrewer bag in action. Get one!

 

[GoldenWeekendBrewing]

Secondary to my apartment size, BIAB was my only option. Able to get 80+ efficiency, however, I do take an extra step and after removing the bag, I sparge by pouring water over the bag to reach by pre-boil volume. I've been getting excellent beer using this method, wouldn't do it another way.

- Jeff

 

[soccerdad]

3 things from me ( for what it's worth)
- go ahead and let the mash run longer ( many folks go 90 minutes)
- get a wilser bag
- use whirlfloc or irish moss

 

[brew-bandit]

3 things from me ( for what it's worth)
- go ahead and let the mash run longer ( many folks go 90 minutes)
- get a wilser bag
- use whirlfloc or irish moss

You can mash longer or you can get a finer grind (single pass). My initial tests with a fine grind (mill set at .025") you can actually complete the mash in ~30min! So not only does you efficiency go up but you brew day gets shorter.

Prior to grinding my own I would get the standard crush from the brew store and get ~75% eff now it is around ~85%.

I have only taken measurements on 2 batches so far when I get more data I will post it here. I have been sampling gravity every 5 min over a 60 min mash and the majority of the conversion looks to be done at around 15-20 mins and you get a few more points after that.

Also... get a Wilser Bag!!! They rock.

 

[GearDaddys]

Regarding clarity of finished product with BIAB.. I made two changes recently, and I'm not sure which was the primary contributor.. That being said, my Pliney clone that I have on tap now is INCREDIBLY clear.. It rivals anything commercially available.

Two changes: Gelatin fining.. And I purchased a kit from "Clear beer draught systems" that replaces the standard dip tube with a very short one.. You attatch a float to the short dip tube, and then the beer is always drawing from the top of the keg! Genius.. Like I said, I'm not sure which was majority contributor, but DAMN.. I never knew homebrew could be this clear!

 

[djt17]

Cold crash and use gelatin to clarify.

This is a 3 Floyds Zombie Dust Clone.

Right out of the boil kettle.

Then- after 5 days in the keg.

Nice 1st post; welcome.

 

[capt82]

Thanks for the tips. You all convinced me to keep trying BIAB. I do like the added sparge step Jeff adds. Seems like that will rinse the grains in the bag and possibly help filter out some cloudiness. I'll have to play around with the milling to see what works best. Best of all, no stuck sparges

 

[relicdog]

ditch the BIAB and build a cheap mash tun.

 

[doug293cz]

ditch the BIAB and build a cheap mash tun.

Troll

Brew on