Another new guy with a question

[pcbandit]

I've only made one extract batch and can't help but wanting to jump into all grain. I have a 5 gallon water cooler I plan on using as a mash tun with a bag inside. I'm having a hard time figuring how much water to use for the mash and sparge. I split a 5 gallon batch in half in case It doesn't turn out so well. here is the recipe
4.5lb 2row
.25lb crystal 15
.5oz willamette 60 min.

 

[ColoHox]

The general rule is 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain.

I normally use ~1.3qt/lb. From the recipe you provided, it looks like you will need about 1.5-2gal of mash water and between 2-3 gallons of sparge water.

Toss your numbers into this calculator, or this one, for more accurate volumes.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

The general rule is 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain.

I normally use ~1.3qt/lb. From the recipe you provided, it looks like you will need about 1.5-2gal of mash water and between 2-3 gallons of sparge water.

Toss your numbers into this calculator, or this one, for more accurate volumes.

Can't say I agree with this, most likely it's a traditional brewer that got to this thread via the new threads at the right. Typically most BIAB is done with full volume mashes, or near full volume mashes.

My suggestion would be to use as much water as you can fit given your grains. To that end, I have a biab calculator at the blog in my link via calculators at the top of the page.

Alternatively, you can reach directly via pricelessbrewing.github.io/BiabCalc

Using batch size of 2.75G (accouting for trub loss in fermenter of ~.25G) and 4.75G of grain, typical biab asorpotion rates (.08 gal/lb) and about a 1G boil off rate, you'll have a mash volume of about 4.43 gallons which will fit just fine. This doesn't account for mash tun deadspace though, so just dump the restof the wort in after the mash tun drains.

 

[ColoHox]

Good call pricelessbrewing. Pcbandit asked about mash/sparge volumes and I missed the BIAB part.

 

[pcbandit]

Can't say I agree with this, most likely it's a traditional brewer that got to this thread via the new threads at the right. Typically most BIAB is done with full volume mashes, or near full volume mashes.

My suggestion would be to use as much water as you can fit given your grains. To that end, I have a biab calculator at the blog in my link via calculators at the top of the page.

Alternatively, you can reach directly via pricelessbrewing.github.io/BiabCalc

Using batch size of 2.75G (accouting for trub loss in fermenter of ~.25G) and 4.75G of grain, typical biab asorpotion rates (.08 gal/lb) and about a 1G boil off rate, you'll have a mash volume of about 4.43 gallons which will fit just fine. This doesn't account for mash tun deadspace though, so just dump the restof the wort in after the mash tun drains.

thanks that helps alot! Why doest the bag make so much of a difference if you are using a mash tun?

 

[pricelessbrewing]

thanks that helps alot! Why doest the bag make so much of a difference if you are using a mash tun?

Mostly the difference is due to the method of filtering, and which thing is moving.

In a typical mash tun, the filtering system is rather coarse in comparison to the voile mesh filter and so you can't crush as finely as you can in BIAB. Moreover the filtering system relies on the grain bed to filter and lauter the wort. Lastly the thing moving is the wort falling through the grain bed. If it moves too quickly, too slowly, if it's too thick or if it's too thing, bad things happen (stuck sparges)

In BIAB, the filtering system is very fine, and you can use anything crushed as fine as flour, although some claim ill effects I haven't seen any evidence of it from those who do use a fine crush merely those who don't do so claiming to avoid it due to ill effects which they never tested. That's a whole other thread though. This fine filtering system, and the fact the grain is the thing being removed, allows you do crush as fine as you want, and use any mash thickness you want. Just keep your PH in range and you're good to go.

 

[pcbandit]

Mostly the difference is due to the method of filtering, and which thing is moving.

In a typical mash tun, the filtering system is rather coarse in comparison to the voile mesh filter and so you can't crush as finely as you can in BIAB. Moreover the filtering system relies on the grain bed to filter and lauter the wort. Lastly the thing moving is the wort falling through the grain bed. If it moves too quickly, too slowly, if it's too thick or if it's too thing, bad things happen (stuck sparges)

In BIAB, the filtering system is very fine, and you can use anything crushed as fine as flour, although some claim ill effects I haven't seen any evidence of it from those who do use a fine crush merely those who don't do so claiming to avoid it due to ill effects which they never tested. That's a whole other thread though. This fine filtering system, and the fact the grain is the thing being removed, allows you do crush as fine as you want, and use any mash thickness you want. Just keep your PH in range and you're good to go.

thanks again! Im going to give it a go tomorrow hopefully everything goes ok