2nd BIAB...went SOOO much better...I think!

[Pumpkin-King]

Hey guys! So I finally got around to doing my second BIAB brew session. Me and a coworker decided to go in halves on a Chocolate Vanilla Porter. Essentially we took an Urca Dry Dock Vanilla Porter clone kit and added 4 oz. of chocolate nibs.

Here is the recipe:
MASH INGREDIENTS

4.25 lbs English Maris Otter
4.25 lbs Rahr 2-row Pale
0.875 lbs English Medium Crystal
0.75 lbs Flaked Barley
0.5 lbs English Chocolate Malt
0.5 lbs Belgian Aromatic Malt
0.5 lbs Belgian Special B
0.25 lbs English Black Malt

2.75 oz.
Willamette (30 min)

Last brew went horrible to be quite honest. I only mashed for 60 min and boiled for 60. I used a bad calculator for the water bill and came up about a gallon short. Didnt even come close to hitting the correct gravity's. And now it tastes pretty bad. This was my 3rd beer to ever brew and I was definitely disappointed.

Now to this brew! The brew itself went well. I had my LHBS mill the grain a second time for me to up my efficiency a bit. I also extended the mash time to 90 minutes and the boil time to 75 minutes while using a much better BIAB calculator.

We finished with the following results:
_______________Gravity___Volume____Expected
Post Mash - 1.045 8.10 gal 8.05 gal
Post Boil - 1.061 6.25 gal 6.33 gal
Into Fermentor - 1.057 5.30 gal 5.25 gal

The beer smells great and tastes awesome just after primary fermentation. It has been fermenting now for almost 3 weeks. 1 week in the primary and coming up on two weeks in the secondary.

We mixed a cup of vodka with the chocolate nibs and the 5 vanilla beans (split, scraped and cut) and let this blend for a few days. I added this at the bottom of the secondary and racked on top.

I am really excited to try this one now. It's coal black and I have high expectations! Have a great day guys and thanks for reading!
Happy Brewing!


My Brew Setup

 

[wilserbrewer]

Why the different gravity post boil versus into the fermenter?

Wow, you left behing a whole gallon of potential beer?

Great job, just what came to mind.

 

[FLOutlander]

Yeah these numbers dont make a lot of sense. Can you explain? Otherwise congrats on a great brewday!

Outlander

 

[Pumpkin-King]

Hey thanks for your reply!

I'm not positive but I think the difference between post boil and into the fermenter was the compression of the wort as it cooled and leaving behind the gunk.

One thing I forgot to put in the original post was that the gravity going from primary to secondary was 1.028

I'm hoping that it will continue to lower a good bit during secondary since I'm aiming for 1.013




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[Pumpkin-King]

That's part of why I wanted to post is to help me understand it as well




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[wilserbrewer]

Ok, gravity readings are temperature dependent, there are charts to correct gravity but they are only applicable to about 100 degrees I believe.

I wouldn't be averse to fermenting most of your wort, seems to me like you are throwing away a large percentage, the trub will all settle in the fermenter.

Some transfer everything to the fermenter, some don't. Leaving 20% behind seems like a lot to me....
Have fun, happy brewing.

 

[Pumpkin-King]

Hello and thanks for your reply. I do realize gravity readings are temperature dependent. I let the samples cool to room temperature while I moved on to the next steps. I didn't sample gravity readings of near mash or boiling temp wort.
I do realize that it seems I left a lot behind. I used the Biabacus from a BIAB site that I follow to calculate the volumes and appropriate temperatures/gravity readings. I would lean to agreeing with you however my numbers followed what they indicated almost spot on the full way through. I ended up at just under 5 1/4 gallons going into the secondary fermenter which is perfect for my needs

Anyway I will be transferring to the keg either tomorrow or tuesday and am looking forward to trying the first blended sample! Have a great day guys and again thanks for your responses.

Happy Brewing!

 

[DonH]

From ast experience, screw the secondary and just leave it in the primary save yourself a step and the possibility of contamination

 

[Pumpkin-King]

From ast experience, screw the secondary and just leave it in the primary save yourself a step and the possibility of contamination

Thanks for your reply Don. My only concern with not doing a secondary is how to add the vanilla and chocolate. How do you accomplish additions with yours? Thanks!


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[Jayslay]

Just... Add it? Secondary is old school and not required for most stuff. Anything you can add to a secondary can by dropped Into primary.


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[Pumpkin-King]

I'm sorry I should have clarified what I meant by that. Right now when I racked from primary to secondary, I placed the nibs, vanilla beans, and vodka they had been soaking in into the secondary and then racked on top of it.

My question is that when you open the primary part of the way through fermentation to make an addition, do you do anything special to make sure that you do not contaminate the primary chamber at this point?

I hope I explained that better!


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[sikkingj]

I'm sorry I should have clarified what I meant by that. Right now when I racked from primary to secondary, I placed the nibs, vanilla beans, and vodka they had been soaking in into the secondary and then racked on top of it.

My question is that when you open the primary part of the way through fermentation to make an addition, do you do anything special to make sure that you do not contaminate the primary chamber at this point?

I hope I explained that better!


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Short answer is no.

Reasonable precautions should be sufficient - in other words do not sneeze in to the bucket, use a non-sanitary spoon, use a cup to grab a taste, do not return the hydrometer sample to the fermenter, etc.


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[Pumpkin-King]

Those are things that I already do so I should be good to go. I think I'll try the no secondary option next brew!

Now to just figure out what to do with my 5 gallon carboy



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[vinsanity820]

Looks like you've got a second primary!


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[RM-MN]

Those are things that I already do so I should be good to go. I think I'll try the no secondary option next brew!

Now to just figure out what to do with my 5 gallon carboy



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primary for a 3 or 4 gallon batch of beer, a 5 gallon cider or mead? :rockin:

 

[Pumpkin-King]

Ooooo I may have to try my hand at a mead! We have the renaissance festival nearby each year and that's always a favorite of mine when we go. Thanks guys! Happy Brewing!


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[RM-MN]

Ooooo I may have to try my hand at a mead! We have the renaissance festival nearby each year and that's always a favorite of mine when we go. Thanks guys! Happy Brewing!


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Do lots of reading about meads before you start so your final product is as good as you can make it.

 

[Pumpkin-King]

I sure will! Thanks for the heads up. I definitely want to do my research as I've heard you need to age them 6 months to a year. I better make sure I get it right if it's going to take that long!


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