All right boys! The time has come for my first BIAB!

[carloscede2]

So, all extract for 8 months and now I am gonna try my first all grain batch using the biab method. I currently own a 5 gallons pot, so my recipe is based on 3 gallon and I am planning to boil 4 gallons. I'm planning to mash my grains at 155 and preheat my oven to 170 and turn it off to put my pot inside and hold the mashing temperature.
Here's what I got, some feedback is appreciated!

6lbs of vienna malt
1 lbs of munich malt
0.5 lbs of carapils
0.5 oz of northern brewer at 60
1 oz of saaz at 15
Nottingham yeast
Og 1.062 (6.4%) based on a 70% efficiency

Thanks guys!

 

[lumpher]

You don't need the Carapils with base being Vienna and having Munich in it. I'd drop the carapils. It'll be pretty malty without it.

 

[carloscede2]

You don't need the Carapils with base being Vienna and having Munich in it. I'd drop the carapils. It'll be pretty malty without it.

The rest ok though?

 

[BigFloyd]

Aside from your recipe-

1) after draining, squeeze the bag like it owes you money to get all of the sugary goodness you can into the boil.

2) Pitch and ferment cool. Nottingham is wonderful in the upper 50's to lower 60's. If you let it get above 68*F (beer temp) when it's actively fermenting, that yeast will kick off some pretty funky esters that can ruin an otherwise good batch.

 

[carloscede2]

Aside from your recipe-

1) after draining, squeeze the bag like it owes you money to get all of the sugary goodness you can into the boil.

2) Pitch and ferment cool. Nottingham is wonderful in the upper 50's to lower 60's. If you let it get above 68*F (beer temp) when it's actively fermenting, that yeast will kick off some pretty funky esters that can ruin an otherwise good batch.

Same, rest ok though? I'll follow that advice, usually my bedroom is 17 to 20 celsius cause is winter and blah blah blah... Thanks!

 

[joshesmusica]

Then I'm sure you also know by now that a bedroom temperature that warm likely means a beer temp of up to 25-27 during the most vigorous part of fermentation.

I wouldn't set your oven to 170. Set it to your mash temp. 155 is already creeping up on the temperature range to get a sweeter beer. The temp being warmer in the oven will make it keep rising during the mash, and I don't think you'll want that. I second dropping the carapils.

Then I would search for the BIAB calculator that people on here love (or just get beersmith) to figure out if all that water and grains can fit in your "mash tun."

Lastly, if your LHBS controls the grain crush for you, then use a kitchen blender in order to chop up those grains even more. Mine are almost flour in the end.

 

[carloscede2]

Then I'm sure you also know by now that a bedroom temperature that warm likely means a beer temp of up to 25-27 during the most vigorous part of fermentation.

I wouldn't set your oven to 170. Set it to your mash temp. 155 is already creeping up on the temperature range to get a sweeter beer. The temp being warmer in the oven will make it keep rising during the mash, and I don't think you'll want that. I second dropping the carapils.

Then I would search for the BIAB calculator that people on here love (or just get beersmith) to figure out if all that water and grains can fit in your "mash tun."

Lastly, if your LHBS controls the grain crush for you, then use a kitchen blender in order to chop up those grains even more. Mine are almost flour in the end.

Im sorry I just dont understand how from 18 degrees you go to 25-27? Can you elaborate on that?
Apparently people online set their ovens to 170(cause its the lowest it goes down to, same as mine) and they turn it off wjen they put the pot inside cause they experience a big heat loss from openning the oven, leaving the temperature on a similar range.

 

[joshesmusica]

The process of the yeast metabolizing the sugar is an exothermic reaction, meaning it produces heat.

Here's a thread that highlights the difference between ambient air temps and actual beer temps:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=553916

As far as the oven, is that the lowest reading? Or actually as low as it will go? I know on most of the ones I've dealt with, the lowest reading and the spot that it actually turns the oven on are often incongruent. If it were me, I would test the temperature about every 20 mins or so during the mash just to be sure. But I usually also stir mine every 20 mins just to try to help make sure I get full conversion.

 

[joshesmusica]

The difference will of course be dependent upon yeast strain, starting temperature, and original gravity of the wort. But Nottingham is known to take off, I believe.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Sounds fine to me, except maybe I would target 152-153 mash temp, this is more in the middle and give you more room to potentially slip up or down.

Not a big deal either way.

 

[TexasWine]

Im sorry I just dont understand how from 18 degrees you go to 25-27? Can you elaborate on that?

I just recently had two batches in my fermentation chamber. One had reached terminal gravity, the other I had just pitched the yeast.

At its peak, the actively fermenting batch was 7F warmer than the finished batch. This was a dry yeast that had simply been sprinkled on top of the wort.

 

[chickypad]

You should be fine with the 170 oven. Mine also only goes to 170, I turn it off when I'm doughing in and I've never seen a rise in temp more than a degree - most times there's really no movement. I've done probably 50-60 3 gal batches this way. If mashing low like 148-150 I turn it off a little sooner. This makes sense when you think about it, you've got a relatively large mass with the mash and the maximum difference in air temp is only 15-20 deg, which starts slowly cooling down when you shut it off. Much better IME than having your mash sit outside at more like a 90* difference with room temp and trying to insulate that for an hour without adding heat.
(hope you don't mind me commenting even though I'm a girl )

 

[carloscede2]

You should be fine with the 170 oven. Mine also only goes to 170, I turn it off when I'm doughing in and I've never seen a rise in temp more than a degree - most times there's really no movement. I've done probably 50-60 3 gal batches this way. If mashing low like 148-150 I turn it off a little sooner. This makes sense when you think about it, you've got a relatively large mass with the mash and the maximum difference in air temp is only 15-20 deg, which starts slowly cooling down when you shut it off. Much better IME than having your mash sit outside at more like a 90* difference with room temp and trying to insulate that for an hour without adding heat.
(hope you don't mind me commenting even though I'm a girl )

Lol why would I mind? Thanks for your advice, what do ypu think of the recipe?

 

[carloscede2]

Sounds fine to me, except maybe I would target 152-153 mash temp, this is more in the middle and give you more room to potentially slip up or down.

Not a big deal either way.

About the temperature, this is just what I read in How to Brew. Because this is my first all grain, I only used standard stuff that me mentioned: 1.5 water/grist ratio and 155 f.

 

[WWJPD]

I agree with @chickypad's advice for the oven. I've done BIAB in my oven this way and it has worked great for me.

Be warned with fermenting Nottingham in your bedroom that it does take off and is a pretty vigorous fermentation. Either leave plenty of headspace or have a blowoff tube. The last thing you want is your airlock to blow all over the ceiling.

 

[wilserbrewer]

155 is fine. I was just suggesting a mash temp more "in the middle" so you would have more room for error and mistakes, that's all...

 

[carloscede2]

I agree with @chickypad's advice for the oven. I've done BIAB in my oven this way and it has worked great for me.

Be warned with fermenting Nottingham in your bedroom that it does take off and is a pretty vigorous fermentation. Either leave plenty of headspace or have a blowoff tube. The last thing you want is your airlock to blow all over the ceiling.

So I have a 6 gallons glass carboy that I will use to ferment this recipe, is that enough to comfortably hold 3 gallons? The primary is busy fermenting other stuff lol. One more thing, so what should I do with the temperature? Kinda sucks cause I live in an apartment with limited homebrewing resources

 

[carloscede2]

The process of the yeast metabolizing the sugar is an exothermic reaction, meaning it produces heat.

Here's a thread that highlights the difference between ambient air temps and actual beer temps:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=553916

As far as the oven, is that the lowest reading? Or actually as low as it will go? I know on most of the ones I've dealt with, the lowest reading and the spot that it actually turns the oven on are often incongruent. If it were me, I would test the temperature about every 20 mins or so during the mash just to be sure. But I usually also stir mine every 20 mins just to try to help make sure I get full conversion.

The oven only marks 170 as the lowest temp, Ill measure it one day but it should be fine.
So I read your thread, it is interesting. What should I do? Get a sticky thermometer to follow up the temperature inside? I dont really have a colder place to put it in unless I put it outside but its -44 celsius lol

 

[wilserbrewer]

If it's truly -44c out, I would have to imagine that the coolest place you have indoors will suffice. Pitch yeast at the bottom cooler end say 60-62f.

 

[carloscede2]

If it's truly -44c out, I would have to imagine that the coolest place you have indoors will suffice. Pitch yeast at the bottom cooler end say 60-62f.

Some days is truly -44. Today is not too bad actually, -28.
I'll try to make my bedroom as cold as possible for that day then. Thanks for the advice!

 

[joshesmusica]

Yeah an ambient temp around 60-62 should be fine. Although it will need to be at that temp for at least the first 5 days or so. Since you're using glass, basically when you see the krausen starting to drop, that's when it's actually recommended to let it slowly warm up to room temps.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Although it will need to be at that temp for at least the first 5 days or so. Since you're using glass, basically when you see the krausen starting to drop.

I alway thought the reproduction phase, or everything prior to high kreusen was most critical?

Once your at full speed the profile is pretty much set.

My thinking is if you pitch cool, and have reasonable ambient you typically do pretty well?

There is an overlap in the phases so I guess it's not crystal clear.

 

[joshesmusica]

I alway thought the reproduction phase, or everything prior to high kreusen was most critical?

Once your at full speed the profile is pretty much set.

My thinking is if you pitch cool, and have reasonable ambient you typically do pretty well?

There is an overlap in the phases so I guess it's not crystal clear.

I'm not really sure. I mean especially after seeing a lot of the brulosophy temp experiments, it sure makes one question the norm for sure.

From "Yeast:"

"Other than these precursors, yeast produce minimal flavor compounds during the lag phase. The yeast produce minimal ethanol at this stage, so ester formation is not a concern. Yeast do not create esters until they first make an appreciable amount of alcohols."

"This is the beginning of the exponential, or logarithmic, phase of yeast growth. During this phase, the cell count increases rapidly, and the yeast produce ethanol and flavor compounds."

It seems they're saying the majority of the flavor compounds are developed during the exponential growth phase and therefore it's the part that is most important for temp control. In fact, in a slightly under-pitched wort, they recommend starting the lag phase high (70-72F), and then lowering it to the desired ferment temp for the exponential growth phase, for both lagers and ales.

 

[chickypad]

Lol why would I mind? Thanks for your advice, what do ypu think of the recipe?

Looks good to me. Vienna/Saaz makes a nice SMaSM which isn't too far off from your recipe. I've done it at more of a session strength, not sure what IBU's you've got there but yours will probably be maltier at that gravity and with the munich.

 

[carloscede2]

Looks good to me. Vienna/Saaz makes a nice SMaSM which isn't too far off from your recipe. I've done it at more of a session strength, not sure what IBU's you've got there but yours will probably be maltier at that gravity and with the munich.

25 ibus according to an app that I downloaded and 6.2% abv. I might water it down to 5.5% by adding 0.5 gallon. It seems to me that 6.2 is a bit strong

 

[D7Brewing]

I live in a small apartment. It stays pretty warm even in the winter. I put my 3 gallon carboy in a cooler with a frozen water bottle. Works great. I change the bottle about twice a day and it keeps the temps around 65F.

View attachment 1455928767449.jpg

 

[carloscede2]

I live in a small apartment. It stays pretty warm even in the winter. I put my 3 gallon carboy in a cooler with a frozen water bottle. Works great. I change the bottle about twice a day and it keeps the temps around 65F.

Thats great! But thats out of my budget for now. Im planning to move to a house and when I make some money Im planning to buy a fridge just for beer where I can ferment/lager them.

 

[schiersteinbrewing]

Check out this thread for a cheap way to control fermentation temps

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=199965

I used a swamp cooler for awhile until I scored a free fridge. Still use a swamp cooler from time to time when the fermentation fridge is full. Add a cheap aquarium heater to the water if you need to ferment at a warmer temp for say a Saison. More on that one from. Brewing TV episode 37 http://brewingtv.com/episodes/2011/5/19/brewing-tv-episode-37-happiness-is-a-warm-carboy.html

 

[RM-MN]

Thats great! But thats out of my budget for now. Im planning to move to a house and when I make some money Im planning to buy a fridge just for beer where I can ferment/lager them.

If you can't even afford a cooler, quit making beer and get to making money. You wouldn't really even need a cooler, just a cardboard box with a blanket draped over it for insulation would help a lot. It might take a couple of frozen bottles of water and they might need to be replaced 3 times a day.

 

[carloscede2]

If you can't even afford a cooler, quit making beer and get to making money. You wouldn't really even need a cooler, just a cardboard box with a blanket draped over it for insulation would help a lot. It might take a couple of frozen bottles of water and they might need to be replaced 3 times a day.

I dont think that to quit making beer is the answer to make money is the answer. Kind of a dick comment honestly but Im a student with limited time and resources so I try to work out problems with the things that are within my range. I didnt even know the idea of a swamp cooler until I saw that other post and it seems like a great idea to mantain temperature

 

[RM-MN]

I dont think that to quit making beer is the answer to make money is the answer. Kind of a dick comment honestly but Im a student with limited time and resources so I try to work out problems with the things that are within my range. I didnt even know the idea of a swamp cooler until I saw that other post and it seems like a great idea to mantain temperature

I'm sorry that I came across as a dick but the fact it there are people who spend money that they can't afford for things that they don't need all the time and some of these people end up sleeping on the street. Beer is not a necessity, food is. When someone says they can't afford something that is inexpensive but are making beer it makes me think that they are just next to being a homeless alcoholic that will spend money on booze when they have so many other needs. You did notice that I made a suggestion for a really, really cheap solution to the more expensive cooler didn't you.:rockin:

 

[thunderwagn]

 

[wilserbrewer]

If I lived somewhere that the temps ranged from -44C to -28C on a warm day, I wouldn't buy a cooler either, I'd buy a friggin heater lol.

I just can't believe that there's not somewhere in the igloo that the temps would be favorable for fermentation?

 

[carloscede2]

I'm sorry that I came across as a dick but the fact it there are people who spend money that they can't afford for things that they don't need all the time and some of these people end up sleeping on the street. Beer is not a necessity, food is. When someone says they can't afford something that is inexpensive but are making beer it makes me think that they are just next to being a homeless alcoholic that will spend money on booze when they have so many other needs. You did notice that I made a suggestion for a really, really cheap solution to the more expensive cooler didn't you.:rockin:

Well exactly, I dont think buying a cooler is necessary to make beer, you can do fine without it and yes there are more important things, thats why I prefer buying other stuff than a cooler. I actually started homebrewing to save money, I know you dont save money in the States but in Canada, where a case of 24 is 47$, you do save tons of money, at least to my point of view and its worked out for me honestly, 30$ yields 64 beers that I bring to parties so I have never felt the necessity of spending money in booze again.

 

[carloscede2]

If I lived somewhere that the temps ranged from -44C to -28C on a warm day, I wouldn't buy a cooler either, I'd buy a friggin heater lol.

I just can't believe that there's not somewhere in the igloo that the temps would be favorable for fermentation?

Apartments get very hot even at that temperature, and by favorable I always assumed that 18-20 degrees was good enough for fermentation so I dont know what favorable means anymore lol.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Ok, 18-20 degrees is good for the actual wort temp during fermentation. But as discussed above the process will generate some heat.

I have found the best way to combat this without using a fermentation chamber is to start the wort on the cooler end say 60f. This will slow down the fermentation some and lessen the overall heat spike. If you start at 68-70, the yeast will act much more aggressive and spike the temp much higher.

So best solution is to control temps actively.

Second best if you don't have that ability IMO is to start cool to try and avoid a rapid production of heat from the yeast.

Perhaps a cool spot in your apt near a window, shielding your beer from sunlight of course.

 

[seabrew8]

I ferment notty at ambient 19C for 4 or 5 days and then i usually put it at a more comfortable temp of 21C.

I really don't taste any off flavours but i don't think my taste buds are so sharp has some folks.

Work with what you got..we don't live in a perfect world.

 

[joshesmusica]

Absolutely work with what you got. But often times the ones who are making the simple mistakes when it comes to homebrewing, even after they get some good advice (like the good advice given in this thread), are usually the ones who come back later and ask why their beer has a strange off-flavor.

Absolute most important things for the homebrewer:

1) sanitation
2) pitch the right amount of healthy yeast
3) temperature control

Without those you can likely be lucky enough to end up with good beer, but you are taking your chances and can end up with subpar beer on occasion. With those you can make good beer every time.

 

[carloscede2]

Guys, Im really proud of myself today, this is by far the best beer thatIve made and it tastes great with just a week in the bottle. Cant believe it tastes like the crafted beer that you get in the liqueur stores and fitted to my taste.

View attachment 1457820699495.jpg

 

[thunderwagn]

Congrats! Looks like a tasty beverage