BIAB Brewing (with pics)

[Mysticmead]

My question is for those that use a 7.5 gal kettle, what is your method to get the necessary pre-boil volume? Say the recipe is 12 lbs of grain and you lose 1 gal to grain absorption. With a 7.5 gal kettle I can only mash with ~5 gal of water - which will leave me ~2 gal short. Which method do you use?

A. Mash-out at 170F. Top off to pre-boil volume
B. Skip Mash-Out. Sparge with volume of water to reach pre-boil volume
C. Mash-out and Sparge
D. Other?

first.. you'd lose .72 gallons.. less if you squeeze the crap out of that bag..
second.. sparge with 170F water.. either by pouring through grains and then squeezing.. or dunk sparging... followed by squeezing

 

[slcdawg]

first.. you'd lose .72 gallons.. less if you squeeze the crap out of that bag..
second.. sparge with 170F water.. either by pouring through grains and then squeezing.. or dunk sparging... followed by squeezing

Thanks. So, do you mash-out and sparge? Or, just sparge?

 

[MMJfan]

My question is for those that use a 7.5 gal kettle, what is your method to get the necessary pre-boil volume? Say the recipe is 12 lbs of grain and you lose 1 gal to grain absorption. With a 7.5 gal kettle I can only mash with ~5 gal of water - which will leave me ~2 gal short. Which method do you use?

A. Mash-out at 170F. Top off to pre-boil volume
B. Skip Mash-Out. Sparge with volume of water to reach pre-boil volume
C. Mash-out and Sparge
D. Other?

Currently I do C. I have 2 kettles (7.5 gal. and 5 gal.) I mash and mashout in the large kettle and sparge in the small kettle. I then squeeze the bag in a bucket with a colander and combine all of the liquid to get my desired pre-boil volume.

Also, I can start with about 6 gal. of water for a grain bill between 12-14 lbs. in my 7.5 gal. kettle. Makes for a tight fit, but it's doable.

One question I have been wondering though regarding my method is, if I'm doing a sparge, do I need to do a mashout as well? I've been thinking doing both a mashout and then a sparge seems a little redundant and I could probably just skip the mashout and go straight from the mash to the sparge?

 

[Mysticmead]

Thanks. So, do you mash-out and sparge? Or, just sparge?

I mash out and use a keggle

 

[solbes]

Do you do a mash-out at 170F for 10 minutes as part of your process? And then just top off with water to get the right pre-boil volume?

I do a mashout to 170, and then pseudo drip sparge from a second small kettle (holds maybe 1.7 gal). This option C on your last post of pg 111. If I'm still low on volume I will usually just top up to my pre-boil volume ( less than a 1/2 gallon). I don't hold at mashout temps, but it does take 10-15 minutes to get there from my propane burner.

And I squeeze the heck out of the bag after sparge (in basket) using a saucepan lid. No tannins.

 

[slcdawg]

I don't hold at mashout temps, but it does take 10-15 minutes to get there from my propane burner.

Very helpful - thank you! For the Mash-out, do you turn your burner on to get to 170F and then you're done with that step (since it takes 10-15 min to get there)? Or, 10 minutes once at 170F?

Sorry for all the questions - think I'm just about there.

 

[solbes]

After the mash is done, I turn the burner on and leave it on until post boil flame out. I raise the grain in the basket from the rope/pulley once the mash gets to 170F. Then I start my drip sparge after the grain is suspended. I also add any first wort hops at this time. The sparging takes place while my wort in the kettle is heating towards the boil. Usually sparge is complete with grain bag squeezed by the time the wort is up to 200 F or so. Only another 5-10 minutes until boiling.

Theres alot of efficiencies with BIAB (less equipment costs and less cleaning required). But my favorite is the time savings of the sparging. There is no time used at all for me as the wort has to come to a boil anyway. And it can still get you within 10% efficiency of some of the best fly sparge setups I've seen.

 

[slcdawg]

Very cool! It does seem simple. Doing my first mini mash this wkd. Hope to try AG BIAB soon.

 

[somedudefromguam]

I am just switching to BIAB. Do I have to worry about over sparging? astringency?

 

[solbes]

Partial mashes are awesome for the first couple of BIAB's. Yes your still doing all the work of a AG, but its a little more forgiving of mistakes since a significant portion of the malt is extract. I did 4 of them, but would have been ready after 2.

Some new things with going all grain that may affect astringency. Like your water. I would say if your water has the correct alkalinity and mineral content to mash with your specific grain bill, that won't be a problem. I have very alkaline water that buffers, so I cut it with 50-85% Reverse Osmosis water from the grocery store (more RO for light beers, less for dark). I use small additions of 88% Lactic Acid to drop my mash (and sparge) to the proper pH (usually less than 2 mL). You can download the free MS Excell Water Calculator 3 from this site, add your water profile from city website, and add your grain malt recipe to get in the ballpark.

And you don't want to over heat your mashout or your sparge water. If I mash out to 170F, I bring my sparge up to maybe 174 or so. By the time I drip it all the way through its considerably cooler. Not a worry on cooler, it just may not extract sugar as easily. I don't think you can oversparge, but someone might have a better answer for that. Good luck to both of you!

 

[somedudefromguam]

I am planning on mashing in with 5 gallons, then sparge with 4-5 gallons of 170 hot liquor. When I say sparge, I mean pour the hot liquor quickly over the mash and collect the remaining sugars. I actually will top the kettle to 12 gallons total, so can I continue to sparge? Is this over sparging? I definitely use more hot liquor when I use a mash tun and don't consider it over sparging...

 

[Mysticmead]

I am just switching to BIAB. Do I have to worry about over sparging? astringency?

if doing a full volume BIAB there is no sparging. if not doing full volume, you'd only be sparging (dunking into a smaller pot or pouring directly over grains) with a small amount of water. Not nearly enough to over sparge. no worries about tannins either from squeezing the bag, that's yet another myth busted by BIAB

 

[solbes]

I am planning on mashing in with 5 gallons, then sparge with 4-5 gallons of 170 hot liquor. When I say sparge, I mean pour the hot liquor quickly over the mash and collect the remaining sugars. I actually will top the kettle to 12 gallons total, so can I continue to sparge? Is this over sparging? I definitely use more hot liquor when I use a mash tun and don't consider it over sparging...

I take it you have a 10 gallon brew planned. 5 gallons does not sound like a large enough grist ratio (qts liquor water/lb of grain). Unless this is a low gravity bitter or something. I would just mash at a higher grist ratio and either skip the sparge, or do a dunk/drip type sparge.

 

[marshallwms]

That makes sense. So, I should be squeezing specialty grains as well (for extract brewing)?

A caution here. Most extract and partial mash kits have explicit instructions to NOT squeeze the grains. They have calculated the efficiencies and resulting flavor profiles assuming you do not squeeze. If you DO squeeze, you will get "higher", stronger adjunct grain effects / flavoring above what the recipe is designed for. This will effect the flavor profile of the beer.

While I used to squeeze the specialty grains, I stopped after getting some flavor profiles I didn't like that much. But for all grain BIAB, I drip sparge and squeeze a lot because all the grain is involved and there will be no flavor profile changes. It also raises my efficiency. I also mashout at 170F, and ask my LHBS to double crush even though he says it will not make a difference.

Enjoy BIAB. It is a great way to get started with all grain. I have done a few 5 gallon batches in a keggle, and just did a 2.5 gallon batch in the keggle (overkill but I don't have a 7 - 10 gallon pot) and the small batch was SO easy!

 

[wilserbrewer]

I am planning on mashing in with 5 gallons, then sparge with 4-5 gallons of 170 hot liquor. When I say sparge, I mean pour the hot liquor quickly over the mash and collect the remaining sugars. I actually will top the kettle to 12 gallons total, so can I continue to sparge? Is this over sparging? I definitely use more hot liquor when I use a mash tun and don't consider it over sparging...

Unless you can do an efficient sparge or "rinse" of the grain, I would mash with as much strike water as your pot will allow...running hot liquor over the grains should merely be for topping up the kettle slightly...if you have a small kettle than perhaps dunk the bag in another vessel....even a cold sparge will help if thats all you can do...topping with water is a last resort IMO>

 

[wobdee]

New Member long time brewer here. This BIAB is very interesting, I read most of this thread but still have some questions.

I do 2.5 gl batches of extract, use to brew 5gl AG but like the idea of smaller more frequent brewing so I switched. If I go BIAB with a 2.5gl system how long should I mash for? Seems most do 60-90 minutes for 5gl batch, would cutting the time in half make sense with smaller batches? I'd like to keep the overall brew day shorter if possible. Thanks

 

[mb82]

You will keep the same mash time. I know some say the mash is done for them in 45 minutes, personally the little extra time is ok for me since I do other things while mashing.

 

[wobdee]

I use to do an iodine test and it usually converted in 20-30 minutes but I would let it go for awhile longer anyway. Does this test work for a BIAB?

 

[SiriusStarr]

I use to do an iodine test and it usually converted in 20-30 minutes but I would let it go for awhile longer anyway. Does this test work for a BIAB?

No reason it shouldn't; you're just measuring starch content, and the enzymatic reactions don't occur any differently in BIAB.

 

[wobdee]

Ok, another question. I use to recirculate in my old 3 tier system just before sparging til the wort ran clear and it also helped the grain bed settle. I saw some people have installed pumps for their BIAB to recirculate, is this more to maintain mash temps or deos it have to do with clearing the wort?

What about just using a fine screen coffee filter before going into the primary fermenter?

 

[somedudefromguam]

Waaahhh ! First time BIAB- Bad experience... my grain bag was too thick, it turned into a 150 pound water balloon. That sucked, not discouraged though, just need a different bag. Spent two hours sewing the damn thing too...

 

[BPhad]

Waaahhh ! First time BIAB- Bad experience... my grain bag was too thick, it turned into a 150 pound water balloon. That sucked, not discouraged though, just need a different bag. Spent two hours sewing the damn thing too...

I have to recommend buying a bag from wilserbrewer. Mine was less than 20 shipped to my house. Very well made I could not have come near the quality myself.

 

[Antler]

I'd like to share my bag. It's the CustomBIAB pillow case style bag. Very nice handles, has draw string, and they can stitch the name of your brewery (i just have CustomBIAB on mine) to the handles on the bag! I think mine was $27 shipped, from Ireland.

 

[wobdee]

That's a nice looking bag Antler. I need to find something like that over on this side of the pond. How long do these bags last and are they a PITA to clean?

 

[SiriusStarr]

are they a PITA to clean?

FWIW, I run my (homemade) bag through the wash after every batch. It's permanently stained grain colored, but it comes clean other than that (and the color doesn't seem to leech out into anything I'm making or impart any flavors).

 

[Mysticmead]

That's a nice looking bag Antler. I need to find something like that over on this side of the pond. How long do these bags last and are they a PITA to clean?

they ship to the USA and the bags are top notch. They are however not taking orders right now as Mareth (lady who sews the bags) is out on maternity leave.

I have used my bag from them on about 10 batches so far and it looks like new. they're easy to clean. hose it off right after emptying and wash them either in machine or by hand. then hang to dry. simple

 

[Antler]

FWIW, I run my (homemade) bag through the wash after every batch. It's permanently stained grain colored, but it comes clean other than that (and the color doesn't seem to leech out into anything I'm making or impart any flavors).

+1 I just turn it inside out hose it off and toss it in with the laundry. Mine hasn't changed color though it's still white as ever. Don't let shipping hinder you. It was $27 shipping included for me, which I think is an awesome deal.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I just simply hose off my BIAB bags and hang dry...with use they become a nice shade of amber. While my bags can easily hold 30-40 pounds of grain, not sure how they would fare twisted around the auger of the washing machine, but YMMV. Maybe it's just me, never had a desire to "wash" a bag, kinda like a mash tun, rinse it well, keep it reasonably clean and move on...a mash in itself is naturally a microbial party, no need IMHO to scrub the bag, that's what the boil is for! Cheers!

I have to recommend buying a bag from wilserbrewer. Mine was less than 20 shipped to my house. Very well made I could not have come near the quality myself.

Thanks for the compliment...glad you are happy with the bag. I will also throw out a compliment to Mareth for her fine looking bags, and wish her all the best with the coming baby brewer.

 

[SiriusStarr]

twisted around the auger of the washing machine

I should clarify that I have a front-load washer. I would not put a bag through a top-load, for the same fear.

 

[wobdee]

Ok, another question. I use to recirculate in my old 3 tier system just before sparging til the wort ran clear and it also helped the grain bed settle. I saw some people have installed pumps for their BIAB to recirculate, is this more to maintain mash temps or deos it have to do with clearing the wort?

What about just using a fine screen coffee filter before going into the primary fermenter?

bump