Evaporation Rate

[smyrnaquince]

I do stovetop 2.5-gallon BIAB. My evaporation rate is around 1 gal/hr. I think a more typical rate is around 0.8 gal/hr. Should I dial back the heat or just adjust my recipes for more initial water?

I've not been too happy with the taste of my brews. Could too high heat be contributing? The temp can't get above 212F (boiling temp), so I'm not sure the higher heat could make a difference.

 

[duboman]

If you experience less boil off then use that but the evaporation rate is not what's really affecting the final product assuming you are meeting your final volume numbers without having to add water or ending with a lot less wort than anticipated.

If you tell us what the problem is with your beer we can help figure out what's going wrong

 

[smyrnaquince]

Thanks.

I think I figured it out (my quality issue). I pour the chilled work from the kettle into the fermenter, figuring that it helps aerate the wort. I have the fermenter lined with a strainer bag (BIAB bag) to catch the break material.

I believe that my mistake is to squeeze the bag to get more wort out of it. I suspect I am squeezing out some things that would better be left behind in the pot.

What would the beer taste like if some of the hot/cold break material were getting into the fermenter?

 

[stamandster]

I believe that my mistake is to squeeze the bag to get more wort out of it. I suspect I am squeezing out some things that would better be left behind in the pot.

Squeezing is not going to put bad things into your brew

 

[duboman]

Thanks.

I think I figured it out (my quality issue). I pour the chilled work from the kettle into the fermenter, figuring that it helps aerate the wort. I have the fermenter lined with a strainer bag (BIAB bag) to catch the break material.

I believe that my mistake is to squeeze the bag to get more wort out of it. I suspect I am squeezing out some things that would better be left behind in the pot.

What would the beer taste like if some of the hot/cold break material were getting into the fermenter?

In reality, squeezing the bag should not be an issue and many that BIAB do just that.

Tannin extraction could be an issue if your pH is high AND you sparge with water hotter than 170.

Tannin extraction can result in astringency which translates to a puckering type taste and is typically more common in beer that has darker specialty grains.

 

[smyrnaquince]

Just to be clear, I am not talking about squeezing the bag of mashed grains.

*After* the boil, I have been chilling the wort, then dumping the wort and break material into a bag in the fermenter. *That* is the bag that I am squeezing and wondering about.

Yes, I BIAB and I do a mashout step with water at 170-172 F. I suspect that I should keep this to 170 F or maybe 168 F. Maybe I've been getting tannins with too hot a mashout?

I can't really describe the off taste (Sharp? Bitter? Astringent?), but I notice it on my lighter brews (Hefewiezen, APA). The stout seemed to be OK.

 

[duboman]

Tannin extraction is not just temp but coupled with too high a PH.

I would not squeeze the bag of break material, just let it drain and pull it out. Not sure that would cause your off flavor but its something to start with in diagnosing

 

[DPBISME]

Just to be clear, I am not talking about squeezing the bag of mashed grains.

*After* the boil, I have been chilling the wort, then dumping the wort and break material into a bag in the fermenter. *That* is the bag that I am squeezing and wondering about.

Yes, I BIAB and I do a mashout step with water at 170-172 F. I suspect that I should keep this to 170 F or maybe 168 F. Maybe I've been getting tannins with too hot a mashout?

I can't really describe the off taste (Sharp? Bitter? Astringent?), but I notice it on my lighter brews (Hefewiezen, APA). The stout seemed to be OK.

I do my mashout at 168 or 170... thought recently I have seen a couple recipes that say 176, which seems hight to me.

If you have been soaking your bag in some StarSan while you a boiling it should be fine.

You boil should be a Rolling Boil unless you plan for a long boil and still want a pale beer.

It could be your Hops... If you are breing a lighter beer but using Stout/IPA level or type of hops you will get a pretty Bitter Brew... if it is low gravity.

OR

Maybe you are getting tannins... I would review your recipes and mash out at a lower temp.

 

[smyrnaquince]

Thanks, all!