Questions on my first BIAB

[kramer2500]

Before you reply RDWHAHB, I'm not freaking out. I know my beer will be just fine, but trying to figure out why I missed so many numbers on my recipe.

So, this is my first non-extract beer. I followed DRoyLenz excellent instructions at: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=142648

For my first attempt I tried a recipe I dubbed "Donkey Pale Ale." During the creation of this recipe, I calculated a 70% efficiency:
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/385643/donkey-pale-ale

So using the calculators at Brewer's Friend, I embarked on this journey. I followed all the instructions and the pre-boil measurements stated my gravity was 1.042 for 4.25 gallons resulting in 93.09% efficiency (wait, what? That's what I said).

Flash forward 60 and some odd minutes mins later after the boil. Boil is done, wort is in the ice bath, I'm finally cracking open a beer congratulating myself on a job well done.

Chill the wort to 68 degrees, pull a sample for the hydrometer, pitch the yeast.

According to my recipe, the OG should have been 1.054. My OG was 1.050. My final volume should have been 2.5 gallons; it was damn near 3 gallons (by my estimation, 2.94343245 gallons to be exact)

I know this beer is going to be good. I'm not worried about that. However, my question is did I do my math correct and how do I hit the numbers in the future? Was my efficiency calculated correctly and why did I end up with 1/2 gallon more of wort than I thought I would?

 

[Chris_Primavera]

Congratulations on your first BIAB!

Don't sweat the numbers - especially for your first brew - take accurate measurements and keep records. Your boil off will have to be adjusted to your equipment and even tweaked according to the weather. After a few brews, you will have a better understanding of YOUR process. This is a good tool to keep records.

Make sure you get an accurate sample by mixing the wort - compensate for temperature - a refractometer is nice to monitor the hot side numbers.

Oh and RDWHAHB

 

[soccerdad]

Sounds like you did pretty damn good. 1050 v 1054 is small potatoes .. especially with more wort than anticipated. Boil off is a tricky thing. One day you may boil off a gallon in 60 minutes and the next it's .9G or 1.2G. There are many variables. The more you BIAB, the more consistent it will be. And you can always extend the boil a few minutes if you want to reduce the wort a bit more (careful there as hops calcs can be sensitive). I bet you can't wait to brew again.

 

[kramer2500]

So I played with numbers this morning and figured out my brewhouse efficiency was 75% (more inline with what I have found on this forum). For my first non-extract brew, I cannot complain! We will see how it tastes in a few weeks (I am hoping that I like it since I want something easy and cheap to make for football season).

One more question, what do you do to keep the powder from milling from getting into the wort? Do you strain it first and then add it to the bag?

 

[TorMag]

So I played with numbers this morning and figured out my brewhouse efficiency was 75% (more inline with what I have found on this forum). For my first non-extract brew, I cannot complain! We will see how it tastes in a few weeks (I am hoping that I like it since I want something easy and cheap to make for football season).

One more question, what do you do to keep the powder from milling from getting into the wort? Do you strain it first and then add it to the bag?

First, you going to say "Damn! This is so much better than that extract crap. Why did I not do it sooner?"

The flour goes in your with rest of your grain, that is how you get the efficiency you are looking for. The small weave of your bag should take care of most of it. My last two beers have been really clear. I owe that to using Whirlfloc (sp) tablets and the FastFerment Conical. I can't recommend the Conical enough. It's really fantastic for clearing all the trub that gets into the fermenter.

 

[soccerdad]

Depending on your process, you will have at least one opprtunity to leave trub behind. 1) when you transfer from kettle to fermenter. Note that many people just dump it all in. It appears to have no ill effects to do so. 2) when you transfer from fermentor to either keg or bottle bucket .. just carefully move the racking cane or auto siphon to stay above the trub.

Personally, I leave trub behind in both steps, but clearly after the yeast have done there work (#2 above) the trub sticks to the bottom and is more settled - sending clearer beer to the keg.

 

[Morrey]

Great job! You already noticed how 1/2 gallon of additional wort can really skew your efficiency numbers! Believe me, you are right in the zone. I think my average BH is around 74% so you are GOLDEN!!

I used to get really hung up on numbers until I got my grind down and strike water volume where I was happy with the consistency. (Boil off is a number you need to get established early on) It is important to know all this, and in a few short brews from now, you'll be confident in your process. I still occasionally check numbers, but it is far less critical now that I know my equipment and my process. The only numbers I really fret over now is my water chemistry ph management and brewing salts additions.

My Wilser bag catches most everything including flour dust when I pull my grain bag. I use a hop spider during the boil, then I pour my wort thru a 5G paint strainer bag into the fermenter. Lots of folks don't even do this as break material will eventually settle down into your yeast cake in the fermenter and be left behind when you rack.

Great job BTW!!!

 

[brokebucket]

If you are a really up tight person, hell bent on hitting your numbers and doing any little thing to make your process tight as hell, you will hate www.brulosophy.com. For the rest of us, the exbeeriments will really ease your mind on what you can get away with and still make great beer. Here is some on-topic reading for you regarding trub going in to the fermenter:

http://brulosophy.com/2015/03/22/the-impact-of-kettle-trub-part-2-exbeeriment-results/

Also, congrats on your first all-grain!

 

[kramer2500]

Thanks for all the replies! I am not uptight about the numbers. However, when I start something new, I want to know why I missed the expected results so if something doesnt turn out right, I know what to fix. Fortunately, I have everything saved right now in a basic sheet so I can look back on it later. That said, looks like I need to bite the bullet and buy BeerSmith.

 

[soccerdad]

Just a side note, I have heard that Beersmith, while too amazing and fantastic is not the be all end all for BIAB. I seem to do fine with priceless biab calc and brewers friend.

 

[Setsumi]

Thanks for all the replies! I am not uptight about the numbers. However, when I start something new, I want to know why I missed the expected results so if something doesnt turn out right, I know what to fix. Fortunately, I have everything saved right now in a basic sheet so I can look back on it later. That said, looks like I need to bite the bullet and buy BeerSmith.

Remember things can go the other way, short on fg and volume. This is a bigger issue to me .......

 

[Brew_G]

Just a side note, I have heard that Beersmith, while too amazing and fantastic is not the be all end all for BIAB. I seem to do fine with priceless biab calc and brewers friend.

Same here. I use the following:

Building recipes: Brewers Friend app
Starter/pitching rates: Brewers Friend online
Water chemistry: Bru'n Water
Strike temp: Priceless
Priming sugar calc: Homebrewdad

It seems like a lot of places to go for one brewday, but I'm used to it now and do most of my calculations well in advance anyways.

 

[TorMag]

On the flip side, I have been using Beersmith for my BIAB calcs and I think my beer is fantastic.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Just a side note, I have heard that Beersmith, while too amazing and fantastic is not the be all end all for BIAB. I seem to do fine with priceless biab calc and brewers friend.

Personally, I think all the beer software, while fun to play with, is unnecessary. I put together an Exel spreadsheet that does it all, including recording my recipe. Putting the spreadsheet together helped me understand the concepts behind the numbers.

 

[TorMag]

Personally, I think all the beer software, while fun to play with, is unnecessary. I put together an Exel spreadsheet that does it all, including recording my recipe. Putting the spreadsheet together helped me understand the concepts behind the numbers.

That is one of the cool things about this hobby, you can put as much or as little effort as you want, concentrating on what is important to you.

 

[JPicasso]

Plenty of comments about how your numbers are not at all that far off and tasty beer and all that.

As for cloudyness however, do not associate cloudy wort with cloudy beer. Dump it all in, it will settle in the fermenter. Whirlfloc is fine to add, but not necessary.