Doing 1 gallon BIAB's

[C-Rider]

The 2 gallon buckets I have actually hold more than 2 1/2 gallons so you can ferment pretty close to 2 gallons of beer and still have plenty of head space as long as it's not a real big beer. I think I did 2 gallons once but have tried to stick with 1.8 or less.

I try to get 1.9 g in my 2 g buckets.

 

[C-Rider]

I've done some experimentation with conversion time and using iodine to test for starch shows full conversion in less than 2 minutes. I still mash for 30 because I've heard that the beta amylase takes longer than the alpha amylase and I can't find info on just how much longer. My beers usually ferment out to a lower than predicted FG so maybe I should be cutting the time more yet. I've heard from one other brewer that does a 20 minute mash and claims that that is sufficient so maybe the next batch I will try that. I hate having my brews turn out drier than expected as they are now.

I double crush my grains at the LHBS, but no way could I do a 30 min mash and get anywhere near the predicted OG. I have been taking readings every 15 min when I stir and I get a steady increase in SG all the way to 75 min. You must be really mashing powder for a 30 min mash.

 

[RM-MN]

I double crush my grains at the LHBS, but no way could I do a 30 min mash and get anywhere near the predicted OG. I have been taking readings every 15 min when I stir and I get a steady increase in SG all the way to 75 min. You must be really mashing powder for a 30 min mash.

Yes, I do mill the grains really fine. Think of this on the flip side though. If you are still converting and extracting sugars at 75 minutes with a double crush, what is that doing to the people with a conventional mash tun that are only doing a single crush and mashing for 60.

 

[smyrnaquince]

AFA buckets -

Where are you all finding 4gal buckets? None of the homestores around me have anything in that size (Lowes/HD/Menards/Ace/FF). I know that US Plastics has some 3.5gal buckets that are basically a cut down 5gal, but same diameter.

I go to the Culinary Department of the local Voc-Tech school. They have 4 gallon food-grade buckets and lids that were used for frostings and fillings.