BIAB/no sparge Tannins/bits

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cheezydemon3

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Ok I am interested, but when I sparge, I get fewer and fewer bits of sediment as I go.

Do bags really filter out the tiny bits?

Does "no sparge" somehow get them out?

Are the bits not actually a problem?

I recirculate until I get virtually no sediment.
 
It is kind of hard to tell, but I do believe I get less trub and clearer wort when brewing with my cooler MLT than with BIAB. However, with BIAB everything settles out in the primary or cold keg and the beer does not seem to suffer in the least. Conditioning to clear may take a little more time, but in the end I'm not sure I could tell the difference b/w using a MLT and BIAB tastewise or visually.
 
If you get a fine enough bag, you won't get many "bits", but your wort will be more cloudy than with a sparge. Though if you get a good hot break, and good cold break, it will all fall out. I used to just dump it all in the fermenter, but I've started whirlpooling in the BK last several batches and letting it set for 5-10 mins after cooling. I leave a good bit behind in my BK, but can't really tell you much difference in the final beer
 
i filter my BIAB liquor before it goes into the boil pot. i use a fine hand-held strainer (walmart, $7) into my funnel which has an even finer-mesh strainer. a slight pain but it does a good job. the stuff i filter out is quite fine, "malt dust" really. my bag does a solid job of holding stuff in, i've done batches without the filtering and everything settled out fine.
 
is the threat of "Tannins" over-rated?
likely. if i really wanted to know, i'd split my liquor in half, filter one half and not the other, boil them separately, ferment separately, and see if there is a discernible difference. or another option would be to split the grist and mashout with one half at 180*F or higher, since that is also supposed to extract tannins (assuming the pH is right, too). unfortunately i don't really care enough to find out.

i kinda like filtering my BIAB output, another opportunity to lay some TLC on my beer-to-be :mug:

i brew rarely enough that i get into the process. if i was in a rush i'd happily skip the filtering.
 
I've wondered about this as well. I worry I'm getting bits of husk that might contribute tannins when boiled. Some of them seem to be not-so-tiny. But so far I haven't noticed any tannins and the few beers I've submitted to BJCP judging haven't been marked for it.
 
WELL!

That would be news. I don't really give a flip either, and probably re-circulate all 5 gallons extra 2-3 times with no more efficiency, but just to get the bits out.
 
Wow I never thought of that. Of course. Decoction brewers purposely boil thick mashes with no issues. Mind totally at ease. Thanks.
 
i filter my BIAB liquor before it goes into the boil pot. i use a fine hand-held strainer (walmart, $7) into my funnel which has an even finer-mesh strainer. a slight pain but it does a good job. the stuff i filter out is quite fine, "malt dust" really. my bag does a solid job of holding stuff in, i've done batches without the filtering and everything settled out fine.

If all that fine stuff filters out, how do you keep it from clogging your filter? I pour my wort into the fermenter through a paint strainer bag, but it does clog.
 
If all that fine stuff filters out, how do you keep it from clogging your filter? I pour my wort into the fermenter through a paint strainer bag, but it does clog.
oh it clogs. i have to stop pouring a few times during the filtering process, use a spoon to suspend/push aside the solids, dump them out, and start pouring again. i typically have to stop 5-7 times during a 5-gal batch.

like i said, it's a slight pain but i don't really mind. i've also said that this is probably an example of me going overboard. the stuff will settle out, and i doubt that the pH of my wort is so far off that tannin extraction is a threat.
 
Hey guys, I was using paint strainer bags as my BIAB and was getting alot of this trub, but now I made my own bags out of this very fine voile and I have seen a drastic reduction in the bits of junk at the bottom of my kettle now. I am still getting 75-80% efficiency too. Just kegged a 6% Pale Ale I made last month.
 
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