Anyone use rice hulls and re-circ w/BIAB?

[raysmithtx]

I use e-BIAB and try to recirculate during the mash because I can hold the mash temp. at exactly the temp I want. The problem is that about 70% of the time I end up with the bag getting clogged and as a result the bag will not drain fast enough to let the pump run. I have to completely shut off the pump, stir like crazy and let the bag drain back into the kettle.

I'm wondering if anyone has tried using rice hulls with BIAB. That might allow the bag to drain. Before I go out and buy some rice hulls for my weekend brewing session I'm wondering if I need to be talked off the ledge.

 

[h22lude]

Do you mill your own grain or have it milled for you? Recirculating BIAB doesn't need to fine cruch that regular BIAB does. You can mill it at a normal crush. That will help a lot

 

[jwalkermed]

I recirculate and pulverize my grain. Haven't had any "stuck" sparges. I do run the pump pretty slow though. If I can keep the bag off the dip tube all is well.

 

[andrewmaixner]

rice hulls are dirt cheap (10lb/$10?), can't hurt to try. I just started using them in my batch sparge, and I think they significantly increased the speed of emptying my batches, and I plan to continue.

 

[raysmithtx]

Do you mill your own grain or have it milled for you? Recirculating BIAB doesn't need to fine cruch that regular BIAB does. You can mill it at a normal crush. That will help a lot

Yep, I double crush my grains so that may be part of the problem. I'll try a single crush for the next batch. Thanks.

I recirculate and pulverize my grain. Haven't had any "stuck" sparges. I do run the pump pretty slow though. If I can keep the bag off the dip tube all is well.

I use a Classic Bayou and put the bag inside the stainless basket and I have legs attached to that to keep it off my element so I don't think that's part of the problem.

 

[doug293cz]

Do you have a valve on your pump output that you can use to throttle the flow? Lower flow could allow the bag flow to keep up with the pump flow. Throttling with a BK valve is a bad idea since it can cause the pump to cavitate, which will eventually damage the impeller.

Brew on

 

[wxman73]

The purpose of rice hulls is to prevent a stuck sparge right? It doesnt add anything else does it? To me they are not necessary. But I've only been brewing for 2 years. I am Still learning

 

[doug293cz]

The purpose of rice hulls is to prevent a stuck sparge right? It doesnt add anything else does it? To me they are not necessary. But I've only been brewing for 2 years. I am Still learning

Rice hulls add nothing to the beer. They only help to keep the grain bed from compacting too much.

Brew on

 

[h22lude]

The purpose of rice hulls is to prevent a stuck sparge right? It doesnt add anything else does it? To me they are not necessary. But I've only been brewing for 2 years. I am Still learning

They don't add to flavor, sugar content, color, etc. They aren't necessary if you don't get stuck sparges but if you do, this is what they are for. Even if you don't get stuck sparges normally, sometimes it is better to use them to be safe (for beers with high amounts of wheat or flaked barley that have high protein).

 

[raysmithtx]

I tried using .5 lb of rice hulls this weekend and had no problem at all. I ran my pump wide open throughout the entire mash. It was a pale ale so the grain bill and OG weren't too high but I am encouraged at this point. I'll try to post back here after I brew a higher gravity batch.

 

[leesmith]

Raysmithtx,

This guy had a similar problem and solved it a different way:

https://stainlessbrewer.wordpress.com/2014/02/09/ditching-the-bag-in-biab/

Also, I've read somewhere in a thread here that somebody was using a Wilserbrewer type bag with a basket insert and it was clogging. When they changed to a paint strainer type bag it didn't clog. The reason was the mesh of the paint strainer bag had bigger holes in the weave. The stainless turkey fryer basket holes weren't enough to allow proper flow through the smaller weave of the other bag. You could try to brew without the basket and see what happens. No disrespect to Wilserbrewer.

 

[markgalli]

I recently used the Wilserbrewer bags with a turkey fryer basket, with a .39 crush and it was backing up. Then I added 1# of rice hulls in the middle of the mash, and it began drain properly with pump running pretty high. I need that pump to recirculate at a high volume to control the temp precisely (elec. brew). When it works like this, it's awesome.

Next batch I'm going to try a .42 crush (I get amazing efficiencies for BIAB, so that has not been a problem) and 1# of rice hulls. I do wonder, as above, whether the turkey fryer holes are big enough. I'm tempted to buy the SS basket. Then again, it's $150. A fifty pound sack of rice hulls is $39, and the bag $20! And will last me about 4 years....

 

[leesmith]

I agree that the cost of the basket is steep...but it sure does look nifty.

I actually brew without the steamer basket in my setup...the bag hasn't burned or scorched on the element or prevented recirculating due to not draining fast enough...I do have to stir and watch it as it can get sucked into the ball valve port during recirculating but that is prevented by pulling the bag up a little while stirring.