BIAB Brewing (with pics)

Ya thats what i have been hearing...

 

Question: interested in doing a 10 gallon biab. I assume I'll need 15 gallons of water to start. Do I need a 20 gallon pot? Could I get by with a 62 quart pot? Thanks for any help.

 

You can get away with a 15 gallon pot. Just mash with less water, then after the mash top up with water to your preboil amount.

 

I would "sparge" with the topup water instead of just putting it in. Either dunk sparge or pour through a collinder like item.

 

Or tighten your gap if milling your own. I tightened mine up to .030 and gained 5 points with a single crush as opposed to a double crush on the old setting. It's so fine I'm afraid to double crush it even though I can see some kernels are hopping around the rollers.

 

Ok. So I can use the 15 gallon pot. Right now I have a 10.5 gallon. I'm gonna purchase one either way either a 15 or 20. If I went with the 20, that would create the most simple system, correct? I just mash with all 15 gallons, heat to 170, wait and pull the bag out. Then start boiling.

Other wise, with a 15 gallon pot, I have to perform other operations.

Is what I'm saying correct?

Sorry if these are basic questions. (Perhaps I should have started a thread.) I've only completed one BIAB--a double IPA, which seems to be going well. 3 more days of dry hopping and then bottle.

Thanks for those who've commented. Your help is appreciated.

 

What your saying is right! The 20 gallon would make things simpler, but if your stuck with the 15 gallon you can make it work.

 

Thanks, Antler (and others)!!!

 

If you are looking for simple, IMO the mashout to 170 is optional...some like it yet others question the need...stir well several times either way though to aid in rinsing the sugars from the grain!

 

But I thought you needed to do the mashout to 170 for efficientcy (sp?). Could I just add a lb or 2 of grain and skip the mashout?

 

Some say it's voodoo bunk and not needed, other's claim it helps w/ efficiency...YMMV.

Here ya go, folks in this thread w/ more smarts on the subject than me...you can decide if your a believer, I'm not.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/biab-why-mashout-309533/

 

a

 

B

 

Does anyone have any idea where to get a custom BIAB ? I have a 20 gallon Kettle 16.5" tall and 20.5" radius.
Thanks,

 

I know where I'm getting my custom BIAB. I got a package of voile from Walmart (I was hemming and hawing over the types of voile with the other old ladies in the curtain department). I'm sitting down with my grandmother's sewing machine and my brew kettle and having at it. After all I'm gonna brew with it, not wear it around town. We'll see how it goes.

 

Thanks,
I was checking around and noticed that you can make some w/out even sewing.. just make a big circle, and clip excess to the rim of the pot with binder clips... i was wondering if taht would work as I don't sew and dont have a machine, and it looks like some people have done it.

 

Sure trainwreck, you can BIAB w/ a big piece of voile in a circle, for a pot 20 X 16.5 you would need a very large piece, say almost 60" IMO. To line the pot this way you end up w/ a lot of folds and pulling the bag might be unwieldy w/ a pot that size. Just my opinion and experience, a bag w/ a drawstring will make it easier and lessen the chance of dumping the mash all about, that being said, It can be done.

Another option is to use two or three 5 gallon paint strainer bags tied off and placed in the kettle, another cheap method that will work. People have also sewed bags by hand FWIW, good luck whatever you choose.

 

http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=999

Check this out for BIAB bags

 

Using "Wilserbrewer" to make my bag. Seems like the safer route to go I have a 20 gallon and its a pretty oddly sized pot. I plan to do some big imperials with it... I've only done extract kits before this. So hopefully all goes well.
do most of you get kits or make your own recipes? or modify kits?

 

This will work. I also wrap bungee corks around the top of my kettle to help with this process. You can buy a voile curtain that will be plenty big enough at Walmart for about $5.

 

I usually make my own recipes or use recipes from the HBT recipe database.

 

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/biab-why-mashout-309533/[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the post! Makes my life easier. I also found it interesting about 45-60min mash vs the 8+ hour mash. The first time I tried it, I left it for 90 minutes. Instead of hitting 1.067, I hit 1.064. Not too bad.

This is a great thread!

 

Ditto! If you can find grain by the sack, your cost will drop substantially IME, then make recipes, don't be afraid to make substitutions FWIW! all good!

 

I tried this method once and it was not great. I held the voile with binder clips, but the portion hanging over got scorched from the heat coming up the side of the pot. I also forgot to use my cake rack in the bottom and got a scorch on the bottom of the pot. So it ended up being a one time use. I eventually found laundry bags at Bed, Bath, and Beyond that have a tight mesh and drawstring. They've worked fantastically for my 42 qt pot.

 

maybe already known but good info..

http://www.bagbrewer.com/index.html

 

I have one of their bags and am very happy with it.

 

i was about to make my own and just put a draw string on it then i seen this guy puts handles on his, genious,,,,Im going to make my first one and see how it goes, ill let that be the judge if a make another or buy.

 

How often do you stir your grains while waiting for conversion? I'm thinking of every 15 min for a 60 min mash, then bring temp up to 168 mash out while stirring some more. Maybe it's not really needed?

I'm getting excited for my first batch in my new s/s modified BIAB that should be completed soon.

 

I stir my grains when I add them to my strike water to make sure there aren't any lumps. When I'm satisfied, I put the lid on my kettle and then cover the kettle with a sleeping bag and let it go for the entire 60 minutes. That way I'm not letting any heat out and I can maintain my mash temps better.

Note: I usually don't have to add heat once my sleeping bag is covering my kettle so I don't have to worry about scorching my grains. I also have a canning basket I place upside down at the bottom of my kettle so this too will help prevent scorching if I happen to have to add heat...

 

FWIW, I stir frequently, about every 5 minutes, both to avoid any potential for scorching (if the heat is on) and I figure more homogeneous solution will translate into better conversion efficiency and more accurate thermometer readings.

 

I'll be keeping a little heat going with my induction plate to maintain temps so I guess it would be a good idea to stir more often.

How long of a mash time does everyone do? I'm guessing the larger grain amounts should probably go longer? I'm only doing 2.5 gl brews with 4-8 lbs of grain so I'm thinking 60 min should be more than enough?

 

I do 20 min at 104 F for dough in, 60 min at my sacch rest (149-155 depending on the beer), and 10 min at 168-170 for mash out. ~80-81% efficiency on everything I've done recently, including a 1.100 monster.

 

ok.. to answer a few of the previous posts.

yes I mash out. I do it as I feel it helps my efficiency. will not mashing out ruin the beer? no.

I have both a bag sewn by my wife that is custom fit to my 10 gallon kettle and a bag made by CustomBIAB for my keggle (see link in signature). Both work great. Get a bag made for you or make your own and you'll make great beer either way.

I stir my grains when I dough in to break up and dough balls.. I then stir again when heating to mashout. I don't add heat at all during the 90 minute mash and only drop temps by 2-3 degrees.

I also make my own recipes for the most part. That said, BIAB is all grain brewing. use ANY all grain recipe and you'll be fine.

 

Mysticmead,
Do you find the 90 min mash necessary for complete conversion or are you just playing it safe?

 

I have been experimenting and find that 90 minutes increases my extraction. Below are figures from a recent brew and are fairly typical of my results.

15 minutes: 7.4 brix/1.0282 (mash temp 154F)
30 minutes: 7.8 brix/1.0298 (mash temp 154F)
45 minutes: 8.6 brix/1.0329 (mash temp 154F)
60 minutes: 10.0 brix/1.0384 (mash temp 152F)
75 minutes: 10.5 brix/1.0404 (mash temp 150F)
90 minutes: 11.2 brix/1.0432 (mash temp 150F)

Ramped up to 168 and rested at mashout for 10 minutes:

100 minutes: 11.4 brix/1.0440 (mash temp 167F)

As I am oft to repeat ad nauseam: "Disregard the conventional "facts" and try things for yourself to see what works for YOU".

---Todd

 

I find it helps with conversion

 

Do either of you stir during the 90 min mash?

 

Only if something happens to wake me up during that 90 minute nap.

 

Great advice!