BIAB Brewing (with pics)
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doublebogey10
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ChefRex said:
Had me at banana bread. Won me over completely with pretzel buns.
Thanks!
Just stopped by to say, brewed on Sunday and still love BIAB. I think about all sorts of upgrades to my equipement - kegging, lagering fridge, fancy this, fancy that, but I have no interest in going to a 3 vessel brew system!!
PackerfaninSanDiego
Member
made these yesterday
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/spent-grain-make-your-best-friend-cookies-87097/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/spent-grain-make-your-best-friend-cookies-87097/
First brew with big basket. Worked well. Only 59% overall efficiency but that's with no rinse or squeeze which will help. 10.5 gallons to fermentor. 11,000 watts of electric heaters are really nice. 25 gallon pot.
In the Cooking & Pairing subforum under the recipe database and the market. All kinds of good "spent grain" threads.
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
MMJfan
Well-Known Member
Brewed up my biggest grain bill so far doing BIAB over the weekend. Made what I consider to be between an IPA and a IIPA. Had a gain bill of almost 16 lbs. with a target OG of around 1.075. Came in at nearly 1.80. Not bad for using a 7.5 gal kettle! 
wilserbrewer
BIAB Expert Tailor
MMJfan said:Brewed up my biggest grain bill so far doing BIAB over the weekend. Made what I consider to be between an IPA and a IIPA. Had a gain bill of almost 16 lbs. with a target OG of around 1.075. Came in at nearly 1.80. Not bad for using a 7.5 gal kettle!
Nice work! Care to share a few details how you managed this? Finished Batch size? Mash and sparge volumes? I'm impressed!
MMJfan
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I must say, I was a bit impressed with my results as well. I changed things up a bit from my normal brew day. Started out about the same although I mashed in a bit less than 6 gal. of water in my 7.5 gal. kettle instead of my normal 6.5 gal.
I normally do a sparge in a separate 5 gal. kettle filled to about 2.5 gal. But because of the large grain bill, after I sparged in about 2 gal. of water I added that to my 7.5 gal. kettle and put the bag of grains in a bucket with a strainer to drain a bit. I wasn't even close at that point to being where I wanted to be for my pre-boil volume so I decided to heat up another 2 gal. of water to 170F and did a second sparge. I then added the second sparge to my 7.5 gal kettle along with what I collected from what had drained in the bucket and was able to get a pre boil volume at about 7 gal. Everything was normal from that point on.
My recipe did call for a pound of corn sugar at flameout which helped get my OG up as well.
I was kind of nervous as I had no idea how things would turn out and when I saw the hydrometer hit 1.080 I was pleasantly surprised! Hopefully the beer will turn out as good as my results so far. Had to put a blow off tube on it as it was going crazy in the fermenting bucket and as of today, it is still pretty actively fermenting...
gnarlyhopper
Active Member
Hi,
Lots of good tips in this thread...I read 160 pages of it.
Only one time I saw a reference to "splitting" a brew by brewing it twice- two days in a row. Never heard of it, but seems a good idea.
Day 1- do a full brew, down to pitching yeast in fermenter.
Day 2- full brew, but add to brew from day before.
Of course, you will want a repeatable recipe that you like- and two free days in a row.
So I can do a 10-gallon batch without all the equipment? I plan on going BIAB, but have the Bayou Classic 44 quart stainless stockpot. I should be able to go full amount for water, and
still use one vessel by splitting the recipe in two for 10 gallons, or combine two 5 gallon recipes.
At the end of brewing on day two, it seems that I am adding 1/2 of the wort to 5 gallons of yeast starter that is already conditioned to fermenting the recipe. Like pitching a
huge starter.
On the subject of possibly melting, scorching or burning a bag- it's not like homebrewers never drink a couple homebrews or 20 during a brewing session. If plastic comes in
contact with the pot while being heated, it will melt. I know. I was doing an extract brew and melted part of the bottom of a tub that was completely submerged in water to get the
extract out. Melted a big hole.
I'm going to order a stainless cooling rack for the pot. Then distractions won't have a chance to melt the bag.
It seems that the best bet for a bag is right here through wilserbrewer. Reasonable prices and shipping. He has hop socks, too.
I am essentially starting over. After learning what BIAB actually is I find it fascinatingly simple. I just ordered a couple bags from wilserbrewer. But lots of other stuff to get,
after bottling homebrews we decided to go for kegging, and all the stuff that goes along with it. So we are still a couple of months away from actually getting back to brewing.
Really looking forward to it!
-gnarlyhopper
Lots of good tips in this thread...I read 160 pages of it.
Only one time I saw a reference to "splitting" a brew by brewing it twice- two days in a row. Never heard of it, but seems a good idea.
Day 1- do a full brew, down to pitching yeast in fermenter.
Day 2- full brew, but add to brew from day before.
Of course, you will want a repeatable recipe that you like- and two free days in a row.
So I can do a 10-gallon batch without all the equipment? I plan on going BIAB, but have the Bayou Classic 44 quart stainless stockpot. I should be able to go full amount for water, and
still use one vessel by splitting the recipe in two for 10 gallons, or combine two 5 gallon recipes.
At the end of brewing on day two, it seems that I am adding 1/2 of the wort to 5 gallons of yeast starter that is already conditioned to fermenting the recipe. Like pitching a
huge starter.
On the subject of possibly melting, scorching or burning a bag- it's not like homebrewers never drink a couple homebrews or 20 during a brewing session. If plastic comes in
contact with the pot while being heated, it will melt. I know. I was doing an extract brew and melted part of the bottom of a tub that was completely submerged in water to get the
extract out. Melted a big hole.
I'm going to order a stainless cooling rack for the pot. Then distractions won't have a chance to melt the bag.
It seems that the best bet for a bag is right here through wilserbrewer. Reasonable prices and shipping. He has hop socks, too.
I am essentially starting over. After learning what BIAB actually is I find it fascinatingly simple. I just ordered a couple bags from wilserbrewer. But lots of other stuff to get,
after bottling homebrews we decided to go for kegging, and all the stuff that goes along with it. So we are still a couple of months away from actually getting back to brewing.
Really looking forward to it!
-gnarlyhopper
I don't quite get when you say splitting up the 10 gal batch. You are just doing two 5 gal batches back to back days. I'd make separate starters and ferment separately. You're just doing 2 batches of the same recipe. No need to make it complicated.
gnarlyhopper
Active Member
mtnagel,
I couldn't brew a 10-gallon batch all at once. I can get a larger fermentation bucket, but not another stockpot! Right now I am thinking "lawnmower beer", something that will be tapped often.
I see I am getting a little edgy. I need to brew pretty soon!
ChrisL,
When bottling days started to get longer, and more and more room was dedicated to bottles, and occasional flat uncarbed bottles appeared, it was time to change. The CO2 should help minimize all the problems.
Cheers!
-gnarlyhopper
I couldn't brew a 10-gallon batch all at once. I can get a larger fermentation bucket, but not another stockpot! Right now I am thinking "lawnmower beer", something that will be tapped often.
I see I am getting a little edgy. I need to brew pretty soon!
ChrisL,
When bottling days started to get longer, and more and more room was dedicated to bottles, and occasional flat uncarbed bottles appeared, it was time to change. The CO2 should help minimize all the problems.
Cheers!
-gnarlyhopper
wilserbrewer
BIAB Expert Tailor
Doing two successive brews and one fermentation is known as a Texas two step, I have done it and it works! JMO but doing two seperate starters and two seperate batches is complicated in my world! Do keep an eye on fermentation temps, with a larger batch size comes more heat generated from fermentation.
Gnarly,
You are going to love kegging! Perfect carbonation at the touch of a dial, no more sanitizing bottles....priceless!
TangoHotel
Well-Known Member
I made the move to BIAB amoth ago when I reformulated my IPA from extraxt to all grain. I can't believe the difference! This thread was very helpful!
MMJfan
Well-Known Member
This is how it was for me as well. I thought the beer I was making using extracts were good. That is until I made my first AG doing BIAB...
TangoHotel
Well-Known Member
I pulled a sample on friday after a week in the bottle (I'm so impatient it isn't even funny). I had the sample when I was botling and thought "when this is cold and carbed, its going to be great." I had it cold and the carb was coming through, and immediately sent out a batch text to all my IPA drinking friends about it. Nedless to say this stuff won't last long. I think I should get to brewing a second and third batch soon!
Sorry, but still not getting it. So you are fermenting the 2 batches in 1 container that is 10 gal+?
I've done 10 gal batches (partial boil extracts) with one starter before and fermented in 2 six gal buckets. Now that I'm doing full boil BIAB AG, I still don't see why it's so bad to just make 2 batches and ferment separately. So what is the advantage to this method?
I just tasted my very first BIAB AG beer and it was awesome. If this is a sign of things to come, I can't wait to do more BIAB!This is how it was for me as well. I thought the beer I was making using extracts were good. That is until I made my first AG doing BIAB...
TangoHotel
Well-Known Member
Now I need to reformulate all my extract recipes...oh well.
Or just start from scratch 
TangoHotel
Well-Known Member
It's a lot easier than you think
I have 2 kids under the age of 4. Easy tasks are now hard tasks. Thankfully, they are eating their breakfast now.
TangoHotel
Well-Known Member
Or just start from scratch
This is probably what I'll do. My extract brews were nothing special to begin with. I can part with them and have no qualms. Dancing Hoppipotimus v2.0 is proof that a complete reformulation is totally worth it!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/dancing-hoppipotimus-v2-0-a-411709/
MMJfan
Well-Known Member
Brewed up my biggest grain bill so far doing BIAB over the weekend. Made what I consider to be between an IPA and a IIPA. Had a gain bill of almost 16 lbs. with a target OG of around 1.075. Came in at nearly 1.80. Not bad for using a 7.5 gal kettle!
Took my first hydrometer reading since brew day today and it clocked in at 1.010! :rockin: That's an ABV of almost 9! Sample tasted great too! Big beers can be had using smaller kettles!
Dry hopping today and hopefully bottling sometime next week!
gnarlyhopper
Active Member
mtnagel,
Right off the top- yes, all into one fermenter.
This of course would be for a recipe you can repeat successfully, and you need more of it. My example being a "lawnmower" beer. I basically want it to be ready all at once, and I need enough. The advantage, IMHO, would be adding the second day's batch to what should be a very healthy yeast colony you have carefully cultivated during the previous 24 hours with the first wort. It is sort of like adding wort to a starter, but this starter has been conditioned to do it's thing best with the exact conditions you wish to ferment at- wort gravity, adjuncts, it will all be there. I'm not ready to brew, but maybe someone can try a mini stovetop experiment and see if this idea works.
The yeast you breed from day one will be accustomed to it's job by the time
you add the wort on day two. It will all ferment out eventually and the hydrometer will let you know when it's done. For me it all goes to kegs on CO2, and hopefully blending two worts will minimize mistakes.
Here's to complicating the simple.
-gnarlyhopper
Right off the top- yes, all into one fermenter.
This of course would be for a recipe you can repeat successfully, and you need more of it. My example being a "lawnmower" beer. I basically want it to be ready all at once, and I need enough. The advantage, IMHO, would be adding the second day's batch to what should be a very healthy yeast colony you have carefully cultivated during the previous 24 hours with the first wort. It is sort of like adding wort to a starter, but this starter has been conditioned to do it's thing best with the exact conditions you wish to ferment at- wort gravity, adjuncts, it will all be there. I'm not ready to brew, but maybe someone can try a mini stovetop experiment and see if this idea works.
The yeast you breed from day one will be accustomed to it's job by the time
you add the wort on day two. It will all ferment out eventually and the hydrometer will let you know when it's done. For me it all goes to kegs on CO2, and hopefully blending two worts will minimize mistakes.
Here's to complicating the simple.
-gnarlyhopper
Interesting approach. Sounds good. Cheers!
user 78027
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How long does it take you to drink 10 gallons? All this does is make it so you can wait twice as long before you have to make it again.
If it takes too long you might get out of practice
Thats what is so good about Beer DIY
you can do it however you want. Awesome process :rockin:Forrest-hunters
Well-Known Member
So how many people are using recirculating pumps when doing BIAB? I just pulled the trigger on a spike brewing 15 gallon pot and thinking about a small pump to recirculate to make sure there are no dead spots in the wort. I had him make my pot with the thermometer 1.5" off the bottom instead of 4". This way I can put something down there keep the bag off the bottom of the pot.
wilserbrewer
BIAB Expert Tailor
What are these "dead spots" you refer to? IMHO people recirculate with BIAB because they like to build a "system". A $4 spoon will mix the mash well!
If you recirculate with a pump, you will most likely need to add heat AND temperature control.
I would suggest a few batches the simple way with just insulating the kettle with coats or blankets during the mash, it works well and is very easy!
If you recirculate with a pump, you will most likely need to add heat AND temperature control.
I would suggest a few batches the simple way with just insulating the kettle with coats or blankets during the mash, it works well and is very easy!
Forrest-hunters
Well-Known Member
wilser,
I was just thinking below the cake cooling rack or whatever I put in the bottom to lift up the bag would not be in contact with the grains and that the pump would help move the wort around to even it out and extract the sugars. I have done about 10 the regular way and was just thinking this may be interesting to play with. I just bought this new pot and will not be sparging anymore for 5 gallon batches and doing little for 10 gallon batches hopefully. Just trying to make sure everything comes incontact with the grains and help hold temps better through out the mash and mash out.
I was just thinking below the cake cooling rack or whatever I put in the bottom to lift up the bag would not be in contact with the grains and that the pump would help move the wort around to even it out and extract the sugars. I have done about 10 the regular way and was just thinking this may be interesting to play with. I just bought this new pot and will not be sparging anymore for 5 gallon batches and doing little for 10 gallon batches hopefully. Just trying to make sure everything comes incontact with the grains and help hold temps better through out the mash and mash out.
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