Poor effiency, read this!!

[christpuncher123]

Use that stupid cooler for what it is meant for, keeping your beer cold. Do BIAB and never worry about your crush, temp, sparge, how open your valve is, or how fast your draining. Every day there is 10 new posts about poor efficiency and they cant figure out why, but none of those posts are ever about A BIAB setup! If you are doing 10+ gal a cooler makes sense, but if it's only 5gal do yourself a favor and use a bag. And stop blaming the grain mill, they have feelings too!

 

[captainL]

haaaa. I'll take one of what you are having. I have only BIAB'ed and Ive had my problems but I now hit 75% with RO water and some salt additions. I don't disagree with you.

However I think someone need to do some serious studies about BIAB and write a book about it. There are many things that need to be addressed for the beginer BIAB'er?????

1. Effects of higher water to grist ratio? result = thinner beer. What temp to mash at to equalize this?
2. Mash PH due to higher water content? you can use EZ water or brunwater but you do need to take that into consideration.
3. How to lift the bag. Rope and pully/leverage. Get over the squeezing and tannin myth.
4. Decrease of efficiency as OG increases. We need a way to predict this accurately.
5. What else am I not thinking of?

I do have to say that crushing the grain one more time has positively effected my efficiency by about %10.

Cheers!!

 

[Stauffbier]

I get good efficiency with both methods... :cross:

 

[sonex]

I have no idea what your talking about, I use a braid and have never had a stuck sparge. I have no problems hitting my mash temps and when you have hit 85% efficiency then I'll consider BIAB. I have no issues with people that prefer BIAB, but we are all different and I don't attack your method so leave us batch spargers alone.

 

[ktm250]

BIAB sucks!

 

[bigbeergeek]

BIAB sucks!

Cooler for life! (With CPVC manifold and a barley crusher... 89% efficiency).

Did I mention my system can accommodate everything from low gravity 5 gallon batches to 15 gallon batches with an OG of 1.065? Good luck lifting that sack! Hee hee!

 

[Denny]

I have no idea what your talking about, I use a braid and have never had a stuck sparge. I have no problems hitting my mash temps and when you have hit 85% efficiency then I'll consider BIAB. I have no issues with people that prefer BIAB, but we are all different and I don't attack your method so leave us batch spargers alone.

THIS^^^^^


I brew mainly 5 gal. batches, but BIAB is totally unworkable for me. If BIAB works for you, that's great. But it doesn't mean there's any problem with other methods.

 

[KISS Brew]

If BIAB works for you, that's great. But it doesn't mean there's any problem with other methods.

I love BIAB, and I approve this message.

 

[TKOriginal]

HA Stupid newbs trying to learn a process and troubleshoot! That'll teach them.

 

[TalkingGoats]

I tried it this weekend just because it is nice to only have to clean the boil kettle at the end of the day. 75% efficiency. Its nice and convenient.

 

[Stauffbier]

when you have hit 85% efficiency then I'll consider BIAB..

I'm not quite that high with BIAB, but I did hit 81% on one last Saturday..

Cooler for life! (With CPVC manifold and a barley crusher... 89% efficiency).

I do love my cooler as well, but I've only hit 83% on it. I have a SS braid, but I plan on building a manifold to see if it improves it...

 

[Denny]

I'm not quite that high with BIAB, but I did hit 81% on one last Saturday..



I do love my cooler as well, but I've only hit 83% on it. I have a SS braid, but I plan on building a manifold to see if it improves it...

Why would a manifold improve your efficiency? Do you fly sparge or batch sparge?

 

[christpuncher123]

You haters are hilarious! If you get such good effiency, why did you bother to read this post? I use both methods, Biab for 5 gal batches and mash tun for 10 gal. I consistently get 75-85% with Biab with no wasted wort, and 65-80% with the cooler, and waste 1-2gal in the deadspace. I came up with the great idea of putting the grains in the bag and give them a squeeze, and presto 1-2 more gal of beer magically apeares. Keep dumping it on the lawn, it thanks you.

 

[Stauffbier]

Why would a manifold improve your efficiency? Do you fly sparge or batch sparge?

I batch sparge. I really don't know if it would improve, but I figure with the braid I might be getting channeling. I'm not really concerned about getting better efficiency, just curious to see if I will. Plus, I enjoy DIY stuff, so I figured I'd make the manifold and see which I prefer.

 

[Stauffbier]

You haters are hilarious! If you get such good effiency, why did you bother to read this post? .

You seem to be the only hater in this thread. I only read it out of curiosity. Sometimes trolls start their own threads it seems!

 

[texasbrewer73]

Every day there is 10 new posts about poor efficiency and they cant figure out why, but none of those posts are ever about A BIAB setup!

I agree that people should read more before posting, but asking those questions is EXACTLY what this forum is for. Sorry that you're so inconvenienced by people asking the same questions, but BIAB is not for everyone and is not the end all be all to making beer. Some like to learn the process better with a more traditional method.

 

[Denny]

I batch sparge. I really don't know if it would improve, but I figure with the braid I might be getting channeling. I'm not really concerned about getting better efficiency, just curious to see if I will. Plus, I enjoy DIY stuff, so I figured I'd make the manifold and see which I prefer.

If you batch sparge correctly, by stirring in the sparge water, channeling doesn't happen. You are getting the sugars in solution and draining them, not rinsing them, so there's nothing to channel.

 

[Denny]

You haters are hilarious! If you get such good effiency, why did you bother to read this post? I use both methods, Biab for 5 gal batches and mash tun for 10 gal. I consistently get 75-85% with Biab with no wasted wort, and 65-80% with the cooler, and waste 1-2gal in the deadspace. I came up with the great idea of putting the grains in the bag and give them a squeeze, and presto 1-2 more gal of beer magically apeares. Keep dumping it on the lawn, it thanks you.

Dude, there's no hate on my part....just pragmatism. Get over yourself.

 

[ahurd110]

I came up with the great idea of putting the grains in the bag and give them a squeeze, and presto 1-2 more gal of beer magically apeares. Keep dumping it on the lawn, it thanks you.

Ever come across a concept called tannin extraction during your exhaustive brewing science research? Keep up the good work.

 

[joshhath]

I mash with a bag/pillow case in an unmodified round cooler, so what the heck is that called?

I usually hit 75% and batch sparge once.

 

[djt17]

I have done both; I prefer a cooler with braid. I get better efficiency with the cooler, it's not as messy. Oh, I never had a stuck sparge either.

 

[bknifefight]

You haters are hilarious! If you get such good effiency, why did you bother to read this post?

The title of this thread does not read "Are you having poor efficiency? If so, please read this thread." It reads "Poor effiency, read this!!" It looked, to me, like a thread where you are having poor efficiency and were asking for advice. What we got though, upon opening it, was much much better.

 

[TyTanium]

I mash with a bag/pillow case in an unmodified round cooler, so what the heck is that called?

Creative.

 

[bob1852]

I consistently get 75-85% with Biab with no wasted wort.

a 10% swing doesn't sound very consistent to me...

 

[H-ost]

Do BIAB and never worry about your crush, temp... ...how open your valve is, or how fast your draining.

To the first part, uh.... what? Does BIAB allow you to magically ignore those factors when it comes to efficiency, body, tannin extraction, protien rests...?

To the second part, those are the same thing...

FWIW, I have never done anything to try to up my efficiency when it comes to double crushing or conditioning my malt and I receive 80% efficiency. Hmmm... now I wonder if I should give it a try sometime...

I wouldn't doubt that the first few views on this thread were people coming here to try and help you but you sound like a fool for starting a thread just to start an argument.

 

[phoenixs4r]

THREAD OF THE YEAR!

BIAB sucks.

I just realized thus trolls name is Christ puncher.

 

[kh54s10]

Use that stupid cooler for what it is meant for, keeping your beer cold. Do BIAB and never worry about your crush, temp, sparge, how open your valve is, or how fast your draining. Every day there is 10 new posts about poor efficiency and they cant figure out why, but none of those posts are ever about A BIAB setup! If you are doing 10+ gal a cooler makes sense, but if it's only 5gal do yourself a favor and use a bag. And stop blaming the grain mill, they have feelings too!

Really! I have done 4 BIAB and 3 of them had the lowest inefficiencies of the 27 batches that I have done.

BIAB is a hot sticky PITA!!!!!!!!

 

[mccabedoug]

THREAD OF THE YEAR!

BIAB sucks.

BIAB is like religion and politics: knock yourself out if you enjoy it but don't try and shove your opinion(s) about it down my throat. Leave me and my blue cooler alone - we're doing just fine.

BTW, I love this thread even though I don't give a rat's *ss about BIAB!

 

[Kingfish]

BIAB is like religion and politics: knock yourself out if you enjoy it but don't try and shove your opinion(s) about it down my throat. Leave me and my blue cooler alone - we're doing just fine.

BTW, I love this thread even though I don't give a rat's *ss about BIAB!

Screw you and your blue cooler. Everyone knows red is far superior and you get better efficiency and bottles of beer mashed in a red cooler carb up within 2 days. :cross:

 

[christpuncher123]

Lmafo!!!!

 

[Golddiggie]

I've done BIAB, cooler but then I saw the light and made a keg mash tun. Heat the water in the keg mash tun to dough-in temp. Mix in the grain, stabilize temp and let it sit. Direct fire to get up to sparge temp, drain and sparge. DONE!!!

I will admit to using the BIAB bags for other aspects now. Such as for the luscious wort to flow through (from the mash tun) so that I don't need to vorlauf. A few ounces of rice hulls is sound insurance against a stuck sparge, when using a Jaybird/NorCal false bottom too.

As for efficiency... As long as your consistent for different grain bill sizes, who really cares? I range from about 72-78% currently, depending on the amount I mash (full keg is ~72%). With buying grain in bulk, I have enough on hand to brew my recipes without issue. Personally, I'd rather sacrifice a few efficiency points if it means I'll avoid the negative aspects of too high an efficiency (tannins, etc.).

BTW, another way to have better efficiency control is to mill your own grain. Use a solid mill, and you eliminate the HBS doing a good enough job of it for you. Plus, milling the grain shortly before mashing it adds another level of freshness to the ingredients (at least to me it does). Besides, running my mill sounds so damned cool. Well, evil actually, since it IS a Monster...

 

[H-ost]

Besides, running my mill sounds so damned cool. Well, evil actually, since it IS a Monster...

Heh. Yeah I feel like a Rebel when I use my mill

 

[Denny]

Yeah, but with a blue cooler you get 137% efficiency. After 10 brews, a bag of grain magically appears in your garage.

 

[Golddiggie]

Heh. Yeah I feel like a Rebel when I use my mill

When you yell, does she cry "more, more, more"??? :fro:

 

[ktblunden]

Screw you and your blue cooler. Everyone knows red is far superior and you get better efficiency and bottles of beer mashed in a red cooler carb up within 2 days. :cross:

My orange Gatorade cooler kicks both your coolers' asses! It mashes my grains, sparges, empties itself into the brew pot and then does the boil by itself while I sit and drink beer.

 

[KISS Brew]

My orange Gatorade cooler kicks both your coolers' asses! It mashes my grains, sparges, empties itself into the brew pot and then does the boil by itself while I sit and drink beer.

Electrolytes. Plants crave them.

 

[MicroBrewMaster]

When you yell, does she cry "more, more, more"??? :fro:

haha great stuff

 

[christpuncher123]

I've done BIAB, cooler but then I saw the light and made a keg mash tun. Heat the water in the keg mash tun to dough-in temp. Mix in the grain, stabilize temp and let it sit. Direct fire to get up to sparge temp, drain and sparge. DONE!!!

I will admit to using the BIAB bags for other aspects now. Such as for the luscious wort to flow through (from the mash tun) so that I don't need to vorlauf. A few ounces of rice hulls is sound insurance against a stuck sparge, when using a Jaybird/NorCal false bottom too.

As for efficiency... As long as your consistent for different grain bill sizes, who really cares? I range from about 72-78% currently, depending on the amount I mash (full keg is ~72%). With buying grain in bulk, I have enough on hand to brew my recipes without issue. Personally, I'd rather sacrifice a few efficiency points if it means I'll avoid the negative aspects of too high an efficiency (tannins, etc.).

BTW, another way to have better efficiency control is to mill your own grain. Use a solid mill, and you eliminate the HBS doing a good enough job of it for you. Plus, milling the grain shortly before mashing it adds another level of freshness to the ingredients (at least to me it does). Besides, running my mill sounds so damned cool. Well, evil actually, since it IS a Monster...

Keg mash tun with false bottom, awesome! It is basically BIAB on steroids! Dammit now I just spent more money on a false bottom!

 

[ktm250]

Yeah, but with a blue cooler you get 137% efficiency. After 10 brews, a bag of grain magically appears in your garage.

+1000 for blue coolers. Way better than the other color coolers.

Blue Cooler of Overwhelming Efficiency

+100 frost resistance
+15 strength
+7 agility
+24 stamina
+13 intellect

30% chance of critical strike upon mash in.
50% chance of 150% efficiency

 

[Golddiggie]

Keg mash tun with false bottom, awesome! It is basically BIAB on steroids! Dammit now I just spent more money on a false bottom!

The Jaybird/NorCal false bottoms are the tops...

I'm looking at getting/making another mash tun (more capacity). If I build my own, it will be fitted with one of Jaybird's false bottoms. While I might be able to get away with something that costs less, I don't think the product quality, and level of customer service, can be beat. The only negative is they're on the west coast, and I'm on the east coast...