First BIAB - Mash Temp Control

[Asator]

Hello,

Until recently, I had been an extract brewer. Wanting to start the process to all-grain, I decided to try BIAB and am very excited to do so.

I'm worried about my mash temp. I'm using the NB Irish Red BIAB kit (3-gallons). My kettle is 8 gallons. The kit says to heat 5.5 gallons to 161-163, dump in the grain, and then the temp should stabilize around 153. My kettle does not have a temp probe, so to check to temp, I'd have to keep taking the lid off and using my digital thermometer. I've read you lose a lot of heat just taking the lid on and off, and since it's a small batch, I'm even more concerned about heat retention. I have three heavy moving blankets I was planning on using for insulation.

Would you all check the temp every 15 minutes or so? If it's too cool, fire up the burner and stir until it gets back up to 153? I do not have a way to keep the bag off the bottom without physically holding it out of the mash water. Maybe I need more equipment?

Thanks for any insight. I'm excited about going to BIAB, but anxious about the mash. Also, mash out, yes or no?

 

[cegan09]

If you hit your temp at the beginning of the mash, you can wrap it and just ignore it. Even if you lose a few degrees you're fine.

You can do a few things for mash temp. You already have blankets and other insulating things. You can set your oven for it's lowest setting and put it in there. Having the ambient temp closer to mash temp will help it stay stable. Some leave the oven on the whole time, others pre-heat and then turn it off when they put the kettle in. You can check every so often and try to adjust up and down, but that can tend to be messy if you aren't mixing constantly to prevent temp pockets. Or you can go full equipment nerd and build a re-circulation system for mashing.

If you're just starting out with all grain I recommend the "just ignore it" method until you get a few brews done and you're comfortable with the process.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I wouldn’t feel bad not having a kettle thermometer, some feel you are better off with a hand held thermo as you can move it around the mash and check several spots. As said above, get an accurate strike temp at low 160’s, mash in and wither insulate your kettle, or place in a warm oven.

Rdwhahb

 

[Vad3r]

i put a few towels on the garage floor, put the pot on it, and put an old sleeping bag over it. I hold temp awesome unless i choose to open it up half way through and stir it. That's the only time I lose temp.

 

[LittleRiver]

...I'm worried about my mash temp. ...I have three heavy moving blankets I was planning on using for insulation.

That will be plenty of insulation. No worries there.

Would you all check the temp every 15 minutes or so? If it's too cool, fire up the burner and stir until it gets back up to 153? I do not have a way to keep the bag off the bottom without physically holding it out of the mash water. Maybe I need more equipment?

You are going to lose heat if you are constantly opening it up, so just leave it alone. I use a thermometer that has a remote probe so I can monitor the temp without removing the lid & insulation. What I've found is that is remains very stable, and my insulation is a crappy 1960's army sleeping bag.

If you ever do need to add heat (it's only happened to me once, in a very cold winter) just use low heat and stir constantly. If you do that you won't damage your bag. No false bottom needed.

...mash out, yes or no?

Not needed.

 

[billsea]

Experiment. Fill your pot with just water. Heat it to 153. Cover it as you intend to and then measure the temp/time as it cools. Do it again if you want to make a change. When brew day comes you will have confidence. But, like others have said if you cover it properly it will not loose that much temp.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Experiment. Fill your pot with just water. Heat it to 153. Cover it as you intend to and then measure the temp/time as it cools. Do it again if you want to make a change. When brew day comes you will have confidence. But, like others have said if you cover it properly it will not loose that much temp.

Experiment till the cows come home if you like, but you will find water will cool much faster than a mash w grain...water only is not a valid experiment, water behaves much differently than a mash and will show a much greater temp loss... play if you want but realize you are only playing and NOT gaining valid info

 

[billsea]

"Experiment till the cows come home if you like, but you will find water will cool much faster than a mash w grain...water only is not a valid experiment, water behaves much differently than a mash and will show a much greater temp loss... play if you want but realize you are only playing and NOT gaining valid info"

When I started BIAB I wrapped my pot with reflectix. I used just water in a pot to test the temp drop. When I changed to mashing in the oven I used just water in the pot to test the temp drop. In both cases the results with water were close to that with the mash. I was a good test. I got valid info, and I am glad I did it. Maybe water cools a little faster than mash, but how much is "much faster". In any case for a first timer it is easy to do and can still take away some doubt. If the temp drop with water is OK then with mash it will be even better.