BIAB False bottom deadspace?

[tjz827]

Hey guys,

I just recently converted my ten gallon kettle to use as an electric BIAB setup. I picked up one of Bobby’s false bottoms to use with a bag so it’s not resting on the element. I am adjusting my equipment profile in Beersmith but have a question about the mash deadspace. Since this is literally just a stand and not like your typical false bottom in your cooler mash tun, is it really considered dead space underneath it at all?

 

[myndflyte]

I wouldn't count it as dead space since you aren't moving it from a mash tun to a pot and leaving wort behind. I'd just take into account what you plan on leaving behind when you transfer it to the fermentor.

 

[mongoose33]

The only concern I've ever had with an arrangement like that is whether the liquid below the false bottom is going to participate in the mash. Unless you're actively lifting the bag to drain it and mix the liquid below with what drains out, or you're recirculating, that seems a lot of liquid to not be amongst the grist.

 

[tjz827]

The only concern I've ever had with an arrangement like that is whether the liquid below the false bottom is going to participate in the mash. Unless you're actively lifting the bag to drain it and mix the liquid below with what drains out, or you're recirculating, that seems a lot of liquid to not be amongst the grist.

Definitely doing a recirculating mash with a lid sprayer attachment so I shouldn’t have to worry about that. Thanks for the response.

 

[Phildo253]

I have almost the exact same setup. it took me a minute to wrap my head around the dead space issue, but once I started recirculating, I realized that there is no dead space (except what your pickup tube can't reach). The main issue that I ran into was that there are 3.5 gallons under the false bottom in my kettle, and I use an immersion chiller. Because half the water would be below where the immersion chiller is sitting, I still have to use recirculation during the chilling phase and i had to re-coil the chiller to make advantage of as much space as possible in the pot, since originally most of it was above the water, which isn't doing much good. After making these changes to my process everything works fine.

 

[mj1angier]

Definitely doing a recirculating mash with a lid sprayer attachment so I shouldn’t have to worry about that. Thanks for the response.

I have the same set up and recirculate during mash and do not count a deadspace.

 

[4of7]

Mash tun on the left with false bottom and two biab..where is the dead space?There is none when i use it for recur

 

[Horsepuncher]

Just curious on how all of this has been working out. I just got a similar set up. Blichmann 10g with boil coil along with Bobby’s false bottom. I just did my first run through with just water and am kind of tripping out on half of the water being below the false bottom. Has your system been working out ok, any lessons you could share?

 

[Goowa]

Just curious on how all of this has been working out. I just got a similar set up. Blichmann 10g with boil coil along with Bobby’s false bottom. I just did my first run through with just water and am kind of tripping out on half of the water being below the false bottom. Has your system been working out ok, any lessons you could share?

I did my first run in a similar setup a week ago. 15 gallon ssbrewtech kettle with half of the mash water below the false bottom. I did recirculate the mash the entire time. I was messing around with temperature so I went about 90 minutes. Starch test came up negative at 90. I was shooting for 1.043 on 4.5# of wheat and 4.5# of 2-row, and I hit 1.042.

Being my first run at biab, I estimated too much total water, so I was over my pre boil volume by about a half a gallon.

tl;dr
similar setup worked fine for me

 

[wilserbrewer]

Just curious on how all of this has been working out. I just got a similar set up. Blichmann 10g with boil coil along with Bobby’s false bottom. I just did my first run through with just water and am kind of tripping out on half of the water being below the false bottom. Has your system been working out ok, any lessons you could share?

Boil coil is such low density wattage I doubt it would scorch using bag full volume...or could just shut off heat and insulate.
Ymmv

 

[matt_m]

That's not a Boil Coil but a straight element.

 

[Goowa]

I have almost the exact same setup. it took me a minute to wrap my head around the dead space issue, but once I started recirculating, I realized that there is no dead space (except what your pickup tube can't reach). The main issue that I ran into was that there are 3.5 gallons under the false bottom in my kettle, and I use an immersion chiller. Because half the water would be below where the immersion chiller is sitting, I still have to use recirculation during the chilling phase and i had to re-coil the chiller to make advantage of as much space as possible in the pot, since originally most of it was above the water, which isn't doing much good. After making these changes to my process everything works fine.

I use a coat hanger and pull the false bottom after the mash.

 

[matt_m]

Just slightly more high tech I took a harbor freight screwdriver and bent the tip into a hook.

 

[Bobby_M]

The FB can stay in. It works fine and doesn't even impede the whirlpool

 

[Phildo253]

I use a coat hanger and pull the false bottom after the mash.

I am still using an immersion chiller and don't want it sitting on the element, so I still leave the false bottom in. I have been debating switching to a CFC or plate chiller to speed things up a bit though. In that case, I would probably do the same.