Easy Stovetop All-Grain Brewing (with pics)

[fatguy-littlecoat]

i just followed this method and got 80% efficiency. previously i was pouring the sparge water over the grains and getting like 65%... im a happy camper now! just did a two hearted clone with yeast i harvested from a six pack..

oh i forgot to mention i trap my bag in my overhead microwave and let it drain into my boil pot for a little, then i move the boil pot to the burner to start my boil and put a pyrex cup underneath the bag and i usually collect 2 cups more after awhile, then i add that to the boil.

 

[agenthucky]

I thought he meant he only holds the grains for 45 seconds to drain it and that's it. I could be wrong though.

That's what I thought as well, but when DB commented I went back and he states waiting the 45 seconds before mash. Stirring for 45 seconds?

I think the original comment was to let as much of the grain loose liquid weight as possible. I normally let it draing for a few seconds and discard it. Perhaps I won't next time. I was told to watch out for tannins when grabbing as much of that grain liquid as I can. It was to my understanding that any tannins that would be presnt would be in the grain, and can be squeezed out. Not reference to back that up though.

 

[DeathBrewer]

That's very debatable...I personally don't think it's necessary...just pour some extra water over the top if you want to get the last bit out.

 

[agenthucky]

That's very debatable...I personally don't think it's necessary...just pour some extra water over the top if you want to get the last bit out.

I agree, I was talking about after sparge rinsing the grain, that I didn't think squeezing the grains was necessary, and could possibly lead to tannin extraction

 

[jpc]

I agree, I was talking about after sparge rinsing the grain, that I didn't think squeezing the grains was necessary, and could possibly lead to tannin extraction

pH leads to tannin extraction, not squeezing the bag.

 

[jjones17]

I'm assuming you mean 45 minutes here, or I am reading this wrong.

No mang, seriously 45 seconds. I drain for a maximum of 45 seconds using the method you quote on this thread (Grrrrrrrrreat photo instructions BTW, you kickass).

I got 80-85% efficiency since I started stirring very well, and I drain my bag for between 30 & 45 SECONDS

 

[DeathBrewer]

Cheers to that!

 

[iijakii]

I think I'm going to try this come Saturday or Sunday -- thanks for the guide

Hope my AG adventure turns out as well as my PM, wonder if it really does make that much difference.

 

[Grimster]

I think I'm going to try this come Saturday or Sunday -- thanks for the guide

Hope my AG adventure turns out as well as my PM, wonder if it really does make that much difference.

My only AG so far is already a memory and it's a legend in my own mind I was drinking a Yeti tonight and was thinking to myself "self, that imperial stout you made was really more fun to drink than this".

I have a real hard time hitting a boil on my stove so until I get a better setup (electric brew kettle in the works) I'm sticking with extract + specialty grains. I have the same recipe stout in extract with grains form in the kitchen now and I think I'll brew it this weekend. It's too bad I don't have any of my AG stouts left to compare it to

 

[Cheaton]

Grains are mashing! Woooo!

 

[Cheaton]

Did this method today. Nailed my OG. Now to wait 6 weeks for the finished product!

 

[Twofox]

I did a 2.5 and 5 gal batch of the same recipe using this method. Target gravity 1.056 and both times ended up at 1.046 SG.

This last time I used about 1.14 qt/lb for the mash (10.5 lbs grain, and 3 gals water) since I'd never done a 5 gal AG with my 5gal stainless pot. Sparge water volume was the same. mash temp was 155 and sparge strike was 190 dropped to 170 once the grain was in and stirred.

I'm thinking it's the amount of mash water that's the issue with hitting TG?

 

[Cheaton]

Maybe your mash temp is too high? I targeted 154 and nailed 154, it had dropped to 152 by the end, but I opened and stirred about 4-5 times.

 

[Twofox]

Maybe your mash temp is too high? I targeted 154 and nailed 154, it had dropped to 152 by the end, but I opened and stirred about 4-5 times.

I suppose that's possible, from what I've read mash goes up to 159 or so? Also, it was 155 for 30 mins, then the last 30 I couldn't get it over about 150. Dunno if that matters.

 

[LVBen]

I did a 2.5 and 5 gal batch of the same recipe using this method. Target gravity 1.056 and both times ended up at 1.046 SG.

This last time I used about 1.14 qt/lb for the mash (10.5 lbs grain, and 3 gals water) since I'd never done a 5 gal AG with my 5gal stainless pot. Sparge water volume was the same. mash temp was 155 and sparge strike was 190 dropped to 170 once the grain was in and stirred.

I'm thinking it's the amount of mash water that's the issue with hitting TG?

You could try using 1.33 qt/lb or even 1.5 qt/lb if you have a large percentage of base malt. Make sure you are correcting your specific gravity if you are measuring at over 70F.

 

[Cheaton]

I did mine at 1.33 qt/lb

 

[Twofox]

It's looking like it's the amount of water I used. 1.14 qt/gal is a bit low. If I goto 3.5 gals mas, that is 1.33 qt/gal.

 

[DeathBrewer]

definitely too low at 1.14 qt/lb. I used to do 1.25, but I never go below 1.5 now.

 

[wiescins]

Great thread, inspired my first post. I'm planning on using this method for a partial mash this weekend. My question is around the amount of water used. The recipe has 3lbs of grain and 6.6lbs of extract for a 4gal batch. Using the formula's above i would need less than 1gal water. I'm not sure that will be enough to submerge all the grains. I'm planning on using 1.5gal water. Are there any issues with using 2x water? Also, what type of temp adjustments should I make with the higher water ratio?

 

[DeathBrewer]

That'll be fine, but 2qt/lb is pretty much tops.

Use this calculator to determine your strike water temp for mash-in:

http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

You'll need to take the temperature of the grain.

 

[Twofox]

You'll need to take the temperature of the grain.

Just don't use an **** thermometer...




(sorry couldn't help myself)

Edit: Fixed

 

[DeathBrewer]

Yes, you may have to hold it down

 

[neomantra]

Looking for some help with doing a big beer using this method. I wanted to throw together something like the Stone Anniversary Ale clones discussed here.

For my equipment setup, I have one 5 gallon pot, one 9 gallon pot (w/ spigot), and one 10 gallon pot that I use as my main boiling kettle.

The way I see it I have 2 options. One would be to mash twice in the 5 gallon pot, using half the grain bill each time and then combine into the kettle. Alternatively I think I could use two grain bags and throw all the malt in the 9 gallon pot. I'm not sure how well I'd be able to avoid dough balls in the lower bag if I did that though. Or maybe there are other options? Any opinions/advice?

Separate from this, how do you guys do your water calculations in more complicated scenarios like this? Would http://www.brew365.com/mash_sparge_water_calculator.php give accurate water totals for the BIAB method if I treat the "sparge water" amount as the amount of water I'd need in my boiling kettle for dunking the grains in after the mash?

 

[Twofox]

Looking for some help with doing a big beer using this method. I wanted to throw together something like the Stone Anniversary Ale clones discussed here.

For my equipment setup, I have one 5 gallon pot, one 9 gallon pot (w/ spigot), and one 10 gallon pot that I use as my main boiling kettle.

The way I see it I have 2 options. One would be to mash twice in the 5 gallon pot, using half the grain bill each time and then combine into the kettle. Alternatively I think I could use two grain bags and throw all the malt in the 9 gallon pot. I'm not sure how well I'd be able to avoid dough balls in the lower bag if I did that though. Or maybe there are other options? Any opinions/advice?

Separate from this, how do you guys do your water calculations in more complicated scenarios like this? Would http://www.brew365.com/mash_sparge_water_calculator.php give accurate water totals for the BIAB method if I treat the "sparge water" amount as the amount of water I'd need in my boiling kettle for dunking the grains in after the mash?

If you can find a bigger bag for that 9 gallon pot, that would be the way to go. Since it has a spigot, can you add a bazooka screen to it? Then you wouldn't need a bag at all and you could bulk sparge there too.

For the water amount? Mash 1.25-2 qt/# of grain, and for sparge it's something like .5 gallon / # of grain? I don't remember the sparge amount off the top of my head.

 

[DeathBrewer]

Sparge amount is generally whatever remaining water you need to make a full boil. In this case, it's however much water you can use with whatever pots you have.

I would not recommend cramming grain into smaller bags. You won't get a lot of flow-through and you'll get really poor efficiency.

That Stone Anniversary Ale is a very large beer and cannot really be made with this method. I would recommend a partial mash recipe, replacing some of the 2-row with light DME so that you don't have to mash that many pounds. It'll be just as good.

Always remember that, with this method OR with no-sparge brewing, you will get very poor efficiency if you try to use too much grain. It's not worth it. If you are making a larger beer, mash in the 5 gallon pot with however much grain you can. I would recommend a going no more than 4.1 gallons total and I would recommend a water/grain ratio of 1.50qt/lb, so you really don't want to use more than 9 lbs of grain or it gets sketchy.

With a lower ratio at 1.25qt/lb, you can fit up to 10.5 lbs of grain, but I would go with the more comfortable version, especially when it is so easy to just replace the 2-row with extract. The beer will be just as good...you are still using a large portion of grain and there is nothing wrong with extract.

Also, using the calculator you posted will work but your absorption rate is MUCH lower with this method than with regular mashing, so expect about half the absorption you usually get.

 

[agenthucky]

especially when it is so easy to just replace the 2-row with extract. The beer will be just as good...you are still using a large portion of grain and there is nothing wrong with extract.

Agreed, the downfall to brewing all extract is that you cannot get a lot of different malt characteristics because the majority are made from 2-row, and you cannot control the mash conditions. In addition to this, liquid extracts darken and the freshness is questioned. I wouldn't worry about this with DME though. In your position though, just substitute out some of the 2-row, you'll still have the same profile for the beer.

This method can even save you a few bucks on hops (which can go towards drugs [mentioned in the linked post about the stone clone]). If you choose to add the malt extract in the last 10 minutes, you'll get better isomerization of the bittering hops.

 

[neomantra]

Good call, thanks for the tips.

 

[hroth521]

Thanks DB -
I posted my stove top all grain american wheat here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/stovetop-all-grain-american-wheat-ale-189774/

This turned out delicious. Never would have considered it if I hadn't seen your post.

Howard

 

[jigidyjim]

Ok, I gave this a second try after a pretty bad first experience. This time went much better, and I got somewhere around 65-70% efficiency. Thanks for putting this thread together!

 

[Naked_Eskimo]

Death, I'm looking into doing this stovetop AG method but on a smaller 2.5 gallon scale:

Have one question: After mashing in, what do you think will be the difference between
1) transferring the grain bag to a different kettle with 185F sparge water to get the grain to the desired 170F (as you describe), or
2) just adding a few quarts of boiling water directly onto the mash to get it to 170F (step infusion?)

Do you think there will be a difference in efficiency of the extraction?