Can't contain my excitement!!!

[shrews824]

Rabbit hole of equipment indeed....I had a serious fit of purchase exhaustion not too recently. Was just buying "stuff" and just finally said enough. Brew already!! Sounds like you've got a lot of it sorted already if you're going so far as to memorizing what numbers to hit and when.

I'm maybe...15 brews in..?? I haven't done a yeast starter yet for the same reason, seems rather intimidating. I have started rehydrating my dry yeast though, seems like a good baby step. That and quite frankly, I still feel like I'm making mistakes and haven't refined my workflow yet so I'm attempting to establish some consistency before introducing new variables.

Just remember to have fun and yea...pics!!

Appreciate it. Yep, I'm wanting to buy everything I see!!! I'm trying to convince myself that I don't need a Ferrari when I just received my learners permit. Know what I'm sayin'??? I have only rehydrated one dry yeast packet. Seemed to work out fine. I feel the exact same way as you. I want to work on specifics first and get those dialed in to a consist level before tackling the next phase.

 

[Knightshade]

Appreciate it. Yep, I'm wanting to buy everything I see!!! I'm trying to convince myself that I don't need a Ferrari when I just received my learners permit. Know what I'm sayin'??? I have only rehydrated one dry yeast packet. Seemed to work out fine. I feel the exact same way as you. I want to work on specifics first and get those dialed in to a consist level before tackling the next phase.

Yeah..lots of shiny bits! I never did extract and went straight to all grain. Still learning, still having fun and everything I've produced so far has been beer. Quality has definitely varied and I did end up dumping my first ever 5G batch. The whole positive thinking thing of it being better if I gave it more time didn't pan out. LOTS of mistakes w/that one in multiple phases, but I learned a lot from that one too. So all good!!

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

My first BIAB grain delivery is scheduled for tomorrow so I’m going to piggyback on your thread. Done 7 extracts so far and am psyched for this weekend. It’s a 2.5g Zombie Dust clone. Plan is to do 2-3g batches going forward; like you I’m the only one drinking it and I like a lot of variety. I’ve done 5 yeast starters so far and am now yeast harvesting. I’m on my 3rd generation of Wyeast Pacman 1764 and second generation of Wyeast 3068 (I love Hefe’s). It’s really not that hard so I encourage you to dive right in. Looking forward to hearing your results and thanks to everyone for all the tips!

 

[shrews824]

Yeah..lots of shiny bits! I never did extract and went straight to all grain. Still learning, still having fun and everything I've produced so far has been beer. Quality has definitely varied and I did end up dumping my first ever 5G batch. The whole positive thinking thing of it being better if I gave it more time didn't pan out. LOTS of mistakes w/that one in multiple phases, but I learned a lot from that one too. So all good!!

Sure. Mine have been decent so far. Nothing that I would dump nor have they been anything to really brag about either. All I know is that they were more enjoyable and had more flavor than any of the macros out there. I've made a mistake or two, but to me that's all in the learning process.

My first BIAB grain delivery is scheduled for tomorrow so I’m going to piggyback on your thread. Done 7 extracts so far and am psyched for this weekend. It’s a 2.5g Zombie Dust clone. Plan is to do 2-3g batches going forward; like you I’m the only one drinking it and I like a lot of variety. I’ve done 5 yeast starters so far and am now yeast harvesting. I’m on my 3rd generation of Wyeast Pacman 1764 and second generation of Wyeast 3068 (I love Hefe’s). It’s really not that hard so I encourage you to dive right in. Looking forward to hearing your results and thanks to everyone for all the tips!

Awesome. I would like to explore creating a yeast starter. Too many people speak highly of it so there has to be something to it. I'm looking forward to hearing your results as well. We can tackle this new challenge together!!!!

 

[LittleRiver]

... I've been thinking of which way I want to go with insulating my pot....

In most situations it doesn't take much insulation to get good results. I have a $15 kids sleeping bag that fits perfectly over my kettle & burner. The zipper makes it quite easy to install/remove. With it I typically hold temps within 1 degF for a full hour. Only in the dead of winter will it drop more than that.



Notice that my burner is inside the insulation. Its warm mass helps keep the temp stable.

... if I have to I'll just goose that heat a bit to keep it where it needs to be...

If you do that, use very gentle heat and stir constantly. Otherwise you risk scorching the bag. If you leave your insulation closed for the whole mash you shouldn't need to add heat at all.

If you find that your mash temp does drop a few degrees over the hour, don't sweat it. There is evidence that it will not make any difference in the finished beer.

... I'm hoping that I can purchase a few things that are useful for me...

The two purchases that should get the highest priority are fermentation temperature control and a grain mill, in that order.

 

[ABV Motleybrew]

Well, I plan on sticking with it so a mill may be in my near future. I definitely like the idea of more options. Not that I want to brew 100 different styles or anything, but it will be nice to know that I can do that if I want.

That's a good point, I dont have my own mill but the malt supplier i use have a 'fine cush' option which is ideal for BIAB, my efficiency went from 60% to 80% + when I switched to fine crush.

 

[shrews824]

In most situations it doesn't take much insulation to get good results. I have a $15 kids sleeping bag that fits perfectly over my kettle & burner. The zipper makes it quite easy to install/remove. With it I typically hold temps within 1 degF for a full hour. Only in the dead of winter will it drop more than that.

View attachment 698691 View attachment 698692

Notice that my burner is inside the insulation. Its warm mass helps keep the temp stable.



If you do that, use very gentle heat and stir constantly. Otherwise you risk scorching the bag. If you leave your insulation closed for the whole mash you shouldn't need to add heat at all.

If you find that your mash temp does drop a few degrees over the hour, don't sweat it. There is evidence that it will not make any difference in the finished beer.



The two purchases that should get the highest priority are fermentation temperature control and a grain mill, in that order.

The child sleeping bag is a great idea. Man, that thing fits over your pot perfectly, doesn't it? Thanks for the article on mash temp as well. That makes me feel a little better about it. I'm still going to try to see how closely I can maintain temp. just to prove to myself that I can do it. And yeah, I've thought about the bag scorching on the bottom if I add heat. I'm just going to do my best to continually stir and get an even heat distribution if I need to do that. Also, I think the fermentation temperature control will be the first thing I try to tackle. I think I mentioned above somewhere that I have a fridge coming to me so hopefully I can rig that up so that I can have a bit more control over the fermentation temp. I know it won't be perfect, but maybe it can get me in the ballpark so I may be able to try some lagering. Appreciate the tips!!!

That's a good point, I dont have my own mill but the malt supplier i use have a 'fine cush' option which is ideal for BIAB, my efficiency went from 60% to 80% + when I switched to fine crush.

Sure, sure. To be honest I'm not sure what kind of mill my homebrew shop has. I just had them crush the grains and mail them to me. I plan on stopping by next week so I can ask more specific questions about their mill and how they crush, etc. I also need to study up on efficiency. That's something that I'll probably dive into after doing a batch or two.

 

[ILovePils]

I've been saving for BIAB equipment and buying piecemeal. I can't wait to get started, and every piece of equipment I buy feels more satisfying than the last! Cheers and good luck!

 

[shrews824]

I've been saving for BIAB equipment and buying piecemeal. I can't wait to get started, and every piece of equipment I buy feels more satisfying than the last! Cheers and good luck!

Much obliged. Good luck to you as well.

 

[RevDroz]

I am gonna revive this post because I am fixin to do my first biab. I have been brewing extracts for about 18 months now and have brewed easy, intermediate, and advanced all with decent results. I bought an Amber as my first ag kit. This post just lit a fire under me and now I want to do it.

Thanks to everyone for all the information and positive feedback.

 

[KDogg]

Awesome, good luck. I am where you are but am still in research and equipment acquisition phase at this point. Go do it! I may be closer behind you in timing.

 

[shrews824]

I am gonna revive this post because I am fixin to do my first biab. I have been brewing extracts for about 18 months now and have brewed easy, intermediate, and advanced all with decent results. I bought an Amber as my first ag kit. This post just lit a fire under me and now I want to do it.

Thanks to everyone for all the information and positive feedback.

Awesome, good luck. I am where you are but am still in research and equipment acquisition phase at this point. Go do it! I may be closer behind you in timing.

Good luck guys. You'll do great and have a blast. I've now done about 31/32 all-grain BIAB's since I started. I have no intention of slowing down either.

 

[porterguy]

Enjoy! At least for me, all-grain BIAB is the perfect place to be. Less capital investment in equipment, less storage space needed (I have limited space), makes me feel more involved than I think I would feel if I had a fancier setup. Good times!

 

[cmac62]

Awesome, good luck. I am where you are but am still in research and equipment acquisition phase at this point. Go do it! I may be closer behind you in timing.

Kdogg, all you need is a pot and a bag, the paint strainers work (I hear, I currently use an Anvil Foundry 10.5 all in one). So get some grain and brew!!!

 

[bracconiere]

I have no intention of slowing down either.

30 batches in a year!

 

[KDogg]

Kdogg, all you need is a pot and a bag, the paint strainers work... So get some grain and brew!!!

Done!
Citra SMASH IPA from byo.com recipe. Maris Otter pale ale malt and 3oz of Citra including dry hop should be a good one to start with! Home brew supply store hooked me up with the bag and grains, and the rest is.. Well, in the fermentor bubbling now!

Thanks for the push, well worth the long brew day. I just wish I have a better way to chill my 5G full wort in the rain outside without having to waste so much water!

 

[shrews824]

Done!
Citra SMASH IPA from byo.com recipe. Maris Otter pale ale malt and 3oz of Citra including dry hop should be a good one to start with! Home brew supply store hooked me up with the bag and grains, and the rest is.. Well, in the fermentor bubbling now!

Thanks for the push, well worth the long brew day. I just wish I have a better way to chill my 5G full wort in the rain outside without having to waste so much water!

Awesome!!!!

 

[d_k_8]

I just wish I have a better way to chill my 5G full wort in the rain outside without having to waste so much water!

if you don't mind waiting, you can do no-chill. I let the wort chill overnight in the fermenter and pitch the yeast the next day.

 

[KDogg]

if you don't mind waiting, you can do no-chill. I let the wort chill overnight in the fermenter and pitch the yeast the next day.

Interesting, so lid on, room temp inside or?

 

[RM-MN]

Interesting, so lid on, room temp inside or?

Lid on to keep bacteria and insects out. Where do you have a safe place for this? I might put mine in the basement instead of outside to keep bears and raccoons from trying to drink it at this time of year. Winter it might go outside if it isn't too cold.

 

[d_k_8]

Interesting, so lid on, room temp inside or?

yes, lid on and airlock in place. I ferment in my basement so I just set it up down there (I don’t yet have any other temp control other than my fairly consistently temped basement), pop the lid in the morning, give it a good few shakes and/or stirs, then pitch. I also hated the amount of water it felt like I was wasting (and my municipal water bills ain’t cheap!).

 

[RufusBrewer]

I have been advised to not use an airlock when doing a no chill beer. At least not an airlock filled with liquid in it. As the wort cools, it can suck the liquid into your beer. Better to use a material that can breathe and pass air in both directions. Like cotton.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Dude I'm so envious, the first batch is so sweet. I'm looking forward to bringing someone new into brewing so I can experience it with them all over again. Happy trails!

 

[Jayjay1976]

I have been advised to not use an airlock when doing a no chill beer. At least not an airlock filled with liquid in it. As the wort cools, it can suck the liquid into your beer. Better to use a material that can breathe and pass air in both directions. Like cotton.

Well first of all, the rate of suckback will be slow enough that a double-bubble airlock will not spit sanitizer into the batch. But the bubbles of air can still carry mold spores, etc. I'd suggest stuffing a sanitizer-soaked cotton ball in the top of the airlock under the cap.

 

[bracconiere]

Dude I'm so envious, the first batch is so sweet. I'm looking forward to bringing someone new into brewing so I can experience it with them all over again. Happy trails!

gotta teach them old, or young. if their 21-28, they will just like BMC....or heaven forbid, be drinking $20 4-packs of 'cool' craft beer, while they can't even pay the bills....

 

[Jayjay1976]

gotta teach them old, or young. if their 21-28, they will just like BMC....or heaven forbid, be drinking $20 4-packs of 'cool' craft beer, while they can't even pay the bills....

Au contraire Mon Frere, lots of millennials geek out on brewing talk. I kinda wish the marketing in HB industry was a bit more contemporary. Ads showing beer dorks in ball caps giving the finger to each other are sadly off the mark. Toxic masculinity doesn't make good beer, passionate enthusiasts do. Attitude and ego are weird distractions. Millennials buy authenticity and honesty.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Banner at the top of page:
Ss Brew Tech, "engineering better beer" over a crappy cad rendering. How about a photo of the conical instead of it floating in space? Maybe it's in a farmhouse brewery setting, or even in a Joe schmo suburban garage brewery. Sheesh.

Also, 'engineered beer'?
My litmus test for evaluating marketing messaging: would it sell cheese or lingerie? In this case, nope.

 

[d_k_8]

I have been advised to not use an airlock when doing a no chill beer. At least not an airlock filled with liquid in it. As the wort cools, it can suck the liquid into your beer. Better to use a material that can breathe and pass air in both directions. Like cotton.

never had that be an issue, maybe because it is chilling at a much slower rate than cold crashing (definitely loosen airlock)?