BIAB, my second batch...

[zacster]

I just started my second BIAB and I'll do a blow by blow account of what happens, goof ups, what works, etc...

So far the first lesson from my first BIAB is to start EARLY. It takes a long time to get 7 gallons of water up to 157.4 F for mash in. It's 10:36 as I write this and I'm at 120. I started at about 9:40. I'm doing stove top on a high output burner, but nowhere near as high as a propane burner outside. On my first BIAB I wasn't done until about 7 o'clock, and I started around noon.

I'm also doing this solo today. My first I had a friend, but he was visibly bored by the process, except for the RDWHAHB part. I did that on the Sunday between the last playoff and the Super Bowl, so there wasn't even any football to put on.

I've got some work to do today, so that'll keep my busy.

 

[usfmikeb]

You seriously need to get an outdoor burner! Good luck!

 

[HOPCousin]

I would suggest smaller batches. bring it down to 2 or three gallons and will go alot faster and have less to wrestle with. Brew in a bag is really meant for smaller batches than 5 gallon ones which are much easier with a mash ton. Check out Beer Craft-Six packs from scratch. It's designed around small Brew in a bag all grain brewing for the stove top. You will find it very helpful for what your doing.

 

[zacster]

I didn't have any particular issue with a 5 gallon batch last time. Other than the heating times, all other times will be the same, so I wouldn't want to reduce the size. That's about an hour over what ends up being a 5-6 hour day. And it isn't like a propane outdoor burner doesn't take ANY time. I've been considering a burner, maybe that'll be next years beermaking gift.

Anyway, mash-in brought my temp down from 157 only to 155. I added a little cold water to get it down to 154, and it'll drop to around 151-152 over the 75 minutes it needs for mash. This is supposed to be a dry stout. Maybe I should have gone even lower? Too late now. And as for that Dublin water in my sig, well that would require a lot of trips as the TSA only allows 3oz at a time. Wasn't the NYC system built by the Irish?

I just checked the temp again and it's at 152. Perfect.

 

[usfmikeb]

For a dry stout, I'd be mashing around 148...

 

[zacster]

It didn't stay at 152, at 149 now.

 

[bschoenb]

have less to wrestle with. Brew in a bag is really meant for smaller batches than 5 gallon ones which are much easier with a mash ton.

Ah, nooooooooooo!

 

[zacster]

Raised to 168 for Mash out. This time I didn't overshoot like I did last time.

Hop addition question: It calls for 2oz Kent Goldings for 60 mins with no other additions. Does this sound right, or should I space it differently? I've seen other recipes that do basically the same.

 

[zacster]

Gravity after mash out came to 1.041 for 6.6 gallons. I let the sample cool this time to get a more accurate gravity reading. That's high for both, giving 89% efficiency. That can't be right, or could it?

 

[zacster]

And my last post, post-boil gravity is 1.046. I have almost 6 gallons in the fermenter. The one last mistake I made was I forgot to release the smack-pack until I was about half-way done. It still had 3 hours to swell. Seems to be OK.

This beer is most definitely black, as it should be.