Been a while since I brewed and forgot more than I should have.

[mjmac85]

So it has been about 2 years since I have had a chance to brew. Have been moving and busy with work. Now since I am finally moved I got lucky and found some friends who are looking to get into brewing. Now I'm the "experienced one" that is in charge of introducing new people into the process. I had just started to get into BIAB before my break so I was not that used to the whole process to start. Some of the equipment has been updated since my last brew day putting a lot of new things into the process for me. I have forgotten a lot of the details along the way and could use some pointers/advice.

My main goal is to have a fun smooth brew day that is enjoyable. The beer takes care of itself. I am using beersmith to help with the planning and adding notes on the order of steps. Found what looks like a great simple recipe for a good first brew day from brewsmith cloud.

Vessel: Keggle with a dip tube and inline thermometer (Have not used this yet)

(Not my recipe)

Recipe: Independence BIAB
Brewer:
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Amber Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 8.77 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.77 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.05 gal
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated Color: 10.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 19.4 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 82.9 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4 lbs Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 1 38.1 %
4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 38.1 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 14.3 %
1 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 4 9.5 %
0.50 oz Perle [8.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 5 14.6 IBUs
0.50 oz Perle [8.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 6 4.8 IBUs
1.0 pkg East Coast Ale (White Labs #WLP008) [35. Yeast 7 -
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 10.0 Days Hop 8 0.0 IBUs

Mash
Saccharification add water at 157.8f step temperature 152.1 Step time 60 min
Mash out heat to 168f over 7 min Step temperature 168.0 Step time 10 min


Questions:
Do I understand this correctly?

Bring the water to 157.8 f. Then flame out and add the water. The temp will drop to about 152.1 f. Wrap in towels/blankets to keep the temperature. Start the timer. With 10 minutes left bring the heat up to 168 f over 7 minutes. Once the time runs out drain the grains. Proceed to hop additions.

 

[Hello]

Bring the water to 157.8 f. Then flame out and add the water. The temp will drop to about 152.1 f. Wrap in towels/blankets to keep the temperature. Start the timer. With 10 minutes left bring the heat up to 168 f over 7 minutes. Once the time runs out drain the grains. Proceed to hop additions.

Well, welcome back!

Beer Smith, if that is what you're using, bases your initial water temp (I'm using my own layman's terms) on your equipment profile. If you're just using something basic then that is totally okay.

The thought is that yes, bring your water up to 157.8 or 158 basically. Drop the grain bag in, drop the grains in and stir the grain like it owes you money. Pay attention to the thermometer and anything else that could grab and snag the bag. Just a tip. Once you have stirred the temp of the water+ grain should neutralize at 152. The .1 is negligible. This sounds like what, a medium bodied mash temp? I'm guessing right now.

If your water is too warm, you need to add some cool water and stir stir stir. Add a quart at a time, at best. Too cold, add hot water. I usually add water that is at least 180F a quart at a time. I try not to add too much but the hope is a quart will get things up to temp. You have to stir your grain and be careful that you avoid dough balls. Take a temp, hopefully it's spot on or close enough, and then put the lid on and the blankets if you use those, and walk away.

Mash out, yes, raise the temp for the desired time and then lift the bag out and take a gravity reading with a refractometer if you have one. I do that because by then I need to commit to just leaving it, adding water, or maybe even DME. I don't know if that is a popular correction method but it is mine.

BTW, First Wort Hopping (FWH) with BIAB to me was always a little questionable. Meaning I never looked or found my answer. I guessed that if I wanted to FWH, I took my grain bag out and tossed in my hops then when I hit the boil I tossed in the hops based on the schedule I had planned. No doubt if I do a search I can find my FWH and BIAB answer, but I thought I'd interject my own weirdness here.

Good luck!

 

[mjmac85]

Pay attention to the thermometer and anything else that could grab and snag the bag.

I would have ended up with a busted bag if you did not mention this. This is why brewing with new gear is always a fun time. Thanks.

The thought is that yes, bring your water up to 157.8 or 158 basically. Drop the grain bag in, drop the grains in and stir the grain like it owes you money. Pay attention to the thermometer and anything else that could grab and snag the bag. Just a tip. Once you have stirred the temp of the water+ grain should neutralize at 152. The .1 is negligible.

The timer starts when the grains hit the water. Then when am I out of the danger zone for dough balls with stirring?

This sounds like what, a medium bodied mash temp? I'm guessing right now.

I don't know. I had just moved up from extract to BIAB and still had a lot of learning to do.

 

[Hello]

I would have ended up with a busted bag if you did not mention this. This is why brewing with new gear is always a fun time. Thanks.



The timer starts when the grains hit the water. Then when am I out of the danger zone for dough balls with stirring?



I don't know. I had just moved up from extract to BIAB and still had a lot of learning to do.

Your dough ball experience will end when you've stirred the grain enough. You'll know when enough is enough. Use a decent mash paddle with holes so grain and dough balls and push through. You're going to be okay as far as I can tell.

 

[LovesIPA]

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 8.77 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.77 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.05 gal
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG

I know everyone's equipment is different, but ending up with 6.77 gallons in the kettle post-boil and somehow having only 5.5 gallons make it into the fermenter is an awful lot of waste. I set my profile up so that I end up with about 5.4 gallons in the kettle, all of which goes into the fermenter, and I end up with slightly less than 5 gallons after kegging. This is perfect as I don't want to overfill kegs.

 

[mjmac85]

The equipment setting for Beer Smith is not calibrated in anyway. I took the BIAB and Keg premade profiles and roughly mashed them together for a very rough outline. When I end up with extra I won't worry. This is going to be a setup for some of the basic settings. If you have any advice on good ways to calibrate the numbers I would love to hear them!!!

 

[mjmac85]

Your dough ball experience will end when you've stirred the grain enough. You'll know when enough is enough. Use a decent mash paddle with holes so grain and dough balls and push through. You're going to be okay as far as I can tell.

I was planning on buying a new mash paddle for this. Do the holes really make a difference? http://www.mdhb.com/product_info.php?products_id=1867 was what I was going to grab. I wanted the longer one sine I have a larger vessel. I do remember using the generic starter kit white plastic one was a joke when I used it in the keggle. I thought the holes are put in it to reduce resistance with the water.

 

[Hello]

You're probably right but I like seeing the grain go through the holes and catching the balls.