BIAB vs mash tun

[m_stodd]

Efficiency is a chemistry problem: how much sugar can you get in your solution? In either case, we want to saturate water with sugar, and things that can raise the point at which a solution is saturated are temperature, pressure, and contamination. We only really have control over the first one, so it's really just getting the temperature of the sugar/water as high as possible without being too high. After that, stirring helps sugar find unsaturated pockets of water.

The difference between BIAB and a mash tun IMO is that the grain bed in the mash tun can act as a filter and you can vorlof to get a clearer wort.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution#Solubility

 

[241]

I consistently get 75-79% efficiency on BIAB. Like others have mentioned it really depends on your methods

 

[BlackGoat]

I sparge using a 5-gallon bucket with a bunch of 3/16" holes in the bottom nested inside a 6.5 gallon ale pail bucket. I pull the grain bag from the kettle, hold it over the kettle for a couple of minutes to let most of the wort drain from the bag, then set the bag of grain in the drain bucket with the bag draped over the sides. Pour unheated, filtered sparge water over the grains and let it drain through the drain bucket into the catch bucket. Let it drain for 5 minutes or so, then compress the grain with a metal pot lid that is a little smaller than the inside diameter of the bucket to get as much wort as possible from the grains. Pull the drain bucket and dump the sparged wort into the kettle. Piece of cake.

Haven't seen this method described anywhere before...outstanding thank you. Seems to be a great way to squeeze the bag without having to it with your hands. Also, FYI, the immaturist in me can hardly talk about BIAB methods without laughing like beavis and butthead.

 

[paraordnance]

interesting approaches with the unheated sparges, thanks for sharing. Can you tell me exactly how you guys are sparging using this method, are you ladling/slow pouring the water over the bag, or dunking it? Something else?

I don't even bother with another vessel/bucket. All I do is lift the bag from the kettle/MLT, set it over the top of kettle on oven rack (I BIAB with steamer basket) or lift the basket lined with bag with the ratchet and then pour 1-2 gal of cool RO water over the top. I'm not worrying much about the speed I'm sparging with. 1-2 minutes or just dump it all, doesn't make a difference. Water will slowly find its way to the kettle within 5-10 minutes via gravity. After that I squeeze the living life out of the bag. And since my sparge water is room temperature my hands thank me for that.
I tried to dunk bag in separate vessel in a past but I found that doing so usually leads to slight sticky spills on my deck which is not acceptable anymore.

 

[BlackGoat]

I've only been squeezing until I'm bored/distracted/tired and certainly not squeezing the life out of it. Starting to think this is the source of my lower efficiency. New approach tonight!

 

[gwapogorilla]

I sparge using a 5-gallon bucket with a bunch of 3/16" holes in the bottom nested inside a 6.5 gallon ale pail bucket. I pull the grain bag from the kettle, hold it over the kettle for a couple of minutes to let most of the wort drain from the bag, then set the bag of grain in the drain bucket with the bag draped over the sides. Pour unheated, filtered sparge water over the grains and let it drain through the drain bucket into the catch bucket. Let it drain for 5 minutes or so, then compress the grain with a metal pot lid that is a little smaller than the inside diameter of the bucket to get as much wort as possible from the grains. Pull the drain bucket and dump the sparged wort into the kettle. Piece of cake.

This is very similar to what i do...at least until I get a false bottom for my cooler.

 

[kevreh]

Man, you 60%ers gotta be doing something wrong. I do BIAB with a mash out and hot water "sparge" and I average 75% efficiency *as calculated by* my expected OG divided by/into my actual OG.

Last night I expected 1.063 and ended up at 1.060 because I didn't mash out and my volume was high, else I would have been over, most likely. That's 72% efficiency according to iBrewMaster.

Old thread and all, but how much water do you usually mash with vs. sparge with? Last night I hit 75% eff., a full 10% higher then what I've been getting. One thing I did different is mashed with 5gal water, and cold water dunk (ok room temp) with 2.5gal water. Then squeezed the bag.

 

[kevreh]

I sparge using a 5-gallon bucket with a bunch of 3/16" holes in the bottom nested inside a 6.5 gallon ale pail bucket. I pull the grain bag from the kettle, hold it over the kettle for a couple of minutes to let most of the wort drain from the bag, then set the bag of grain in the drain bucket with the bag draped over the sides. Pour unheated, filtered sparge water over the grains and let it drain through the drain bucket into the catch bucket. Let it drain for 5 minutes or so, then compress the grain with a metal pot lid that is a little smaller than the inside diameter of the bucket to get as much wort as possible from the grains. Pull the drain bucket and dump the sparged wort into the kettle. Piece of cake.

THIS is the method I need to try. I've been trying to figure out ways to compress the grain bag without making a mess. I currently put a stainless steel pot rack on top of my bucket and pour/squeeze. Its hard to prevent wort from oozing over the sides, and the pot rack is really coarse, so the pressure on the grains isn't consistant. Is it important to slowly pour (or trickle) the water over the grains, so it makes contact with as many grains as possible?

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Earsling]

THIS is the method I need to try. I've been trying to figure out ways to compress the grain bag without making a mess. I currently put a stainless steel pot rack on top of my bucket and pour/squeeze. Its hard to prevent wort from oozing over the sides, and the pot rack is really course. Is it important to slowly pour the water over the grains slowly and trying to trickle it over as much grain as you can?

Thanks for the tip!

This is basically what I do. I have a small grate that fits perfectly over my pot, and I just lift the bag and set it there to drain. I then ladle sparge water over and through the bag distributing it evenly until I get close to my starting boil volume, then I squeeze. It's a bit warm and can occasionally drip but my efficiency has been consistently 75-80%.

 

[LLBeanJ]

What I've been doing lately is putting all of my brewing water in my kettle to treat it with brewing salts and a campden tab. Then, before doughing in, I pull out and set aside about 1.75 gals for the sparge. Why 1.75g you ask? Because it fits nicely in my spare 2g stock pot. When the time comes to sparge, I slowly pour about 1/2 of the sparge water over the grain, which usually completely covers the grain and let it drain for a few minutes, then add the remaining sparge water.

Recently, I increased my grain absorption rate in Beersmith so that I don't have to bother with squeezing the bag anymore. I still don't think there is anything wrong with squeezing, but I noticed it was putting stress on the bag, so I thought it might be better to forego squeezing. I use a little more water, but I hit my pre-boil volume with gravity draining alone. I haven't noticed any decrease in efficiency, which has settled in at about 82-83% for most brews, by not squeezing.

 

[kevreh]

What I've been doing lately is putting all of my brewing water in my kettle to treat it with brewing salts and a campden tab. Then, before doughing in, I pull out and set aside about 1.75 gals for the sparge. Why 1.75g you ask? Because it fits nicely in my spare 2g stock pot. When the time comes to sparge, I slowly pour about 1/2 of the sparge water over the grain, which usually completely covers the grain and let it drain for a few minutes, then add the remaining sparge water.

Recently, I increased my grain absorption rate in Beersmith so that I don't have to bother with squeezing the bag anymore. I still don't think there is anything wrong with squeezing, but I noticed it was putting stress on the bag, so I thought it might be better to forego squeezing. I use a little more water, but I hit my pre-boil volume with gravity draining alone. I haven't noticed any decrease in efficiency, which has settled in at about 82-83% for most brews, by not squeezing.

Out of curiosity, and to compare to what I do, how much water do you typically have in your kettle, and for what size batches? I'm learning Beersmith so skipped all the volume calcs. I know from previous batches, to get 5.5gals in the fermenter I typically start with 7.5gals of water.

If I could get 80+% and not squeeze I would be a happy camper.

 

[LLBeanJ]

My batches are typically 5.0g into the fermenter. Water for a 5.0g batch w/ 60m boil would be 6.65g + .586 fl oz water/oz of grain. So, a 5g batch, 10 lbs grain, 60m boil = 7.38g total water. My boiloff is calculated at 1.5g/hr. I have no deadspace loss for mash tun or boil kettle and I assume .5g loss to fermenter trub, which yields 4.5g for kegging/bottling.

 

[kevreh]

My batches are typically 5.0g into the fermenter. Water for a 5.0g batch w/ 60m boil would be 6.65g + .586 fl oz water/oz of grain. So, a 5g batch, 10 lbs grain, 60m boil = 7.38g total water. My boiloff is calculated at 1.5g/hr. I have no deadspace loss for mash tun or boil kettle and I assume .5g loss to fermenter trub, which yields 4.5g for kegging/bottling.

Thanks for that info. Sounds pretty close to my numbers. That boiloff seems high, must be pretty turbulent!

 

[LLBeanJ]

It is high. I believe it is due to my kettle geometry, which is a bit wider than it is tall. I'm going to be replacing my kettle very shortly with one that is tall and narrow. Hopefully, that will reduce the boiloff and, in turn, reduce my required mash/pre-boil volumes.