BIAB VS Partial Mash

[Newsman]

What's the difference between BIAB and partial mash? I'm assuming that in BIAB, one dumps all the grains and adjuncts into a giant mesh bag and steeps them and I know what a partial mash is. I'm just confused as to what one would have to do differently as a partial mash if one is looking at a recipe that is billed as a "BIAB" recipe.

 

[FlyDoctor]

Partial mash uses a mixture of mashing a portion of the total fermentables, mixed with some extract to generate the final wort. BIAB is a completely all grain method of generating wort in which all of the grain (base plus specialty) are mashed in a bag in the boil kettle that is then removed, rather than mashing in a vessel that is then drained to the boil kettle.

I don't see any advantage - besides BK size perhaps - of doing a partial mash compared with BIAB

 

[Newsman]

Partial mash uses a mixture of mashing a portion of the total fermentables, mixed with some extract to generate the final wort. BIAB is a completely all grain method of generating wort in which all of the grain (base plus specialty) are mashed in a bag in the boil kettle that is then removed, rather than mashing in a vessel that is then drained to the boil kettle.

I don't see any advantage - besides BK size perhaps - of doing a partial mash compared with BIAB

Thanks, FlyDoctor. I kinda figured it was something like that. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[JR_Brewer]

BIAB and Partial Mash are not mutually exclusive.

Partial Mash refers to the type of malt you are using. There's Extract (with or without Steeping Grains), All Grain, and Partial Mash. Partial Mash of course uses a combination of malted grain (which is mashed) and malt extract (usually added during the boil).

BIAB is a method of Mashing. It is used in liue of a mash tun. In BIAB you put anything needing to be Mashed in a bag in the kettle (often the same kettle you are going to use for the boil). This technique can be used for an All Grain or a Partial Mash batch.

So it is quite possible to do a BIAB Partial Mash.

• Extract - No Mash Required
• Partial Mash - Mash using a Mash Tun or using BIAB
• All Grain - Mash using a Mash Tun or using BIAB

As far as a "BIAB recipe," honestly there's no such thing. Any recipe that can be done as BIAB could be done using a Mash Tun.

 

[freisste]

BIAB and Partial Mash are not mutually exclusive. Partial Mash refers to the type of malt you are using. There's Extract (with or without Steeping Grains), All Grain, and Partial Mash. Partial Mash of course uses a combination of malted grain (which is mashed) and malt extract (usually added during the boil). BIAB is a method of Mashing. It is used in liue of a mash tun. In BIAB you put anything needing to be Mashed in a bag in the kettle (often the same kettle you are going to use for the boil). This technique can be used for an All Grain or a Partial Mash batch. So it is quite possible to do a BIAB Partial Mash. [*]Extract - No Mash Required [*]Partial Mash - Mash using a Mash Tun or using BIAB [*]All Grain - Mash using a Mash Tun or using BIAB As far as a "BIAB recipe," honestly there's no such thing. Any recipe that can be done as BIAB could be done using a Mash Tun.

Very well said.

 

[unionrdr]

BIAB is not mutually exclusive to AG brewing. I do Partial Boil/Partial Mash Brew In A Bag. I use the same 5 gallon (20qt) SS stock pot I started with. It was a part of a 4 kettle SS nested set with lids & steamer trays. All polished stainless for like $25 at Giant Eagle a couple years ago.
Anyway,I put a cake cooling rack in the bottom of the kettle to keep the nylon paint strainer bag from burning on the bottom. I typically mash 5-6lbs of grains (base grains,specialty,crystal,etc) in 2 gallons of local spring water @ 152-156F wrapped up in my quilted winter hunting coat to hold temp over the 1 hour mash. Then heat sparge water in a smaller kettle,1.5 gallons,to sparge with. This gives me 3.5 gallons or a lil more for my boil volume. Bring to a boil & do hop additions,chill to 75F or so,& top off with very cold spring water that's ben in the fridge a day or two before brewday to top off with. usually to 5 gallons,but I do brew a 6G batch occassionally. This gets it down to 64-65F typicaly. I rehydrate dry yeast most of the time as well in my flask. 400mL of water for that.

 

[evrose]

BIAB and Partial Mash are not mutually exclusive.

Partial Mash refers to the type of malt you are using. There's Extract (with or without Steeping Grains), All Grain, and Partial Mash. Partial Mash of course uses a combination of malted grain (which is mashed) and malt extract (usually added during the boil).

BIAB is a method of Mashing. It is used in liue of a mash tun. In BIAB you put anything needing to be Mashed in a bag in the kettle (often the same kettle you are going to use for the boil). This technique can be used for an All Grain or a Partial Mash batch.

So it is quite possible to do a BIAB Partial Mash.

• Extract - No Mash Required
• Partial Mash - Mash using a Mash Tun or using BIAB
• All Grain - Mash using a Mash Tun or using BIAB

As far as a "BIAB recipe," honestly there's no such thing. Any recipe that can be done as BIAB could be done using a Mash Tun.

I do partial mash/BIAB brews all the time. My turkey fryer that I BIAB in can realistically only hold about 11lbs of grain for a 5 gal batch (OG of about 1.055). Any recipe that needs more grain is too much for me to mash, so I add some DME to make up the difference.

 

[unionrdr]

I use 3lbs of plain DME's most of the time myself to get the OG where it needs to be. What kind depends on the style I'm brewing. With 3lbs of DME or other extract & 5-6 pounds of grains,I get as much as 1.074 og's,usually 1.05X to 1.060. Not hard to do in my 5G kettle.

 

[TheZymurgist]

Partial mash uses a mixture of mashing a portion of the total fermentables, mixed with some extract to generate the final wort. BIAB is a completely all grain method of generating wort in which all of the grain (base plus specialty) are mashed in a bag in the boil kettle that is then removed, rather than mashing in a vessel that is then drained to the boil kettle.

I don't see any advantage - besides BK size perhaps - of doing a partial mash compared with BIAB

I would say the cost of extract would be an advantage of all grain vs. partial mash. Malt extract is more expensive than malted grain. As far as the quality of the final product, many have won awards using extract, so I certainly wouldn't steer people away from it.

 

[Queequeg]

BIAB is just the method of mashing. Partial mash simply means you subsitute some of your base grain with extract.

I BIAB and partial mash. My grains are mashed by the BIAB method (expect I do not use full boil volume and I sparge with the pre boil top up) then I add the extract 10mins at the end of the boil.

The amount of extract depends on your boiler size, my is 5 Gallon, so my brew is 4/5ths all grain. If you had a smaller brew pot you will be forced to do a smaller pre boil volume and hence more extract.

Partial mash is simply for folks that don't have a big enough pot for all grain batch and BIAB is for people how don't want to use or don't have an lauter tun.

BIAB all grain uses a pre boil volume for a 5 gallons batch, so thats 5 gallons plus boil off and trub loss water.

 

[Newsman]

Thanks, everyone. I think I got it. I was just confused... Saw a recipe I want to try and it said it was done as a BIAB. I have a MLT (converted 10 Gallon igloo cooler) so I'll probably give that a try.

 

[JR_Brewer]

Good luck!