First BiaB and it went well....mostly

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TallahasseeBrew

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Did my first BiaB, and first all grain for that matter today. By listening to people on here, and talking the owner of my LHBS, the batch came out spot on. I was really worried because my pre boil gravity was 1.030, but then I remembered hydrometers need to be cool, let it cool and it jumped to 1.050, and post boil was 1.066, and the reciepie kit said 1.060 to 1.070. My only mistake was starting with 7.5 gallons of water instead of 8, as I only got 5 gallons in the fermentor instead of 5.5 like I wanted.

All in all, I think it all went well, and I can't wait to enjoy this new IPA. Wish I knew the grain bill, it's the only thing I dont like about my LHBS, they have great kits, but don't tell the grain bill, probably to keep it a secret. Suppose I should just ask.

So, thanks to all the BiaB brewers here, you all convinced me to take the plunge, and i'm glad I did.
 
You know you can just dilute to get it up to 5.5, just like extract right?

Of course it will have a small effect on your hop utilization, but not in any significant degree, since you boiled it in a larger volume than you netted and are only adding a half-gallon... Though no issue if you don't mind it being a little bit stronger and maltier than the recipe called for. Neither should hurt.

Do they make their own kits or is it one thats manufactured by another company? I'm sure if you just asked, they'd tell you the grain bill, but that's very odd that they wouldn't have the ingredients listed, since part of what they're supposed to be doing is helping you learn. Takes the fun out of it if you never progress to being able to build your own recipes.

I am about to do my first BiaB too, and am pretty excited to get all-grain results without all the extra equipment and time.
 
I'm sure I could ask, but im not really at a point yet where I could do any good with the info yet anyway. I think next im gonna do some SMaSH brews so I can get a feel for certain grains and hops.

I thought about adding extra water, but decided since the gravity was good, to just leave it alone.

all in all, I don't know why i didn't start with this method, I felt, even though it was a longer brew day, that it was easier than extract brewing, and it should get easier, most of this was also a test run of my equipment, it's only my 2nd full volume outdoor brew
 
OK so I checked on my first BiaB that I brewed on the 13th, and it didn't have evidence of much krausen and it's down from 1.066 SG to 1.020. Question is, is 9 days too early to be concerned with it? With my extract brews the krausen was usually pretty big and it would be done fermenting in 5 to 7 days.

I pitched a properly rehydrated (as per the package) pack of nottingham dry yeast.
 
I probably did, just usually there's a ring on the bucket, but I suppose it could have fallen down. This is also the first time I used my fermentation fridge, perhaps the lower temperature slows the yeast slightly.

but yeah, at this point i'll just let it ride and check on it every few days. On the plus side, it smells good, and looks good, my extracts have never had such good color.
 
Whats the batch lifespan of a BIAB bag?

With proper use and care, a polyester voile bag will last a very long time! I have reports of people with well over a hundred batches over several years and the bag is in fine condition. The only real weakness is open flame, exposed to extreme heat the bag will not last a second, so be careful near a burner.

I would not advise machine washing a bag, although some prefer to do this. A hot water rinse is fine IMO to get the bag reasonably clean...bags are used preboil, they only need to be as clean as the grain, which is not clean or sanitary, hence why we boil.

cheers!
wilser

edit...150 batches see below
These bags are just an awesome deal for the price. However, sometimes I like to buy new shi* and this effing bag won't break, rip or shred.. Lol ohhhhhh... I've tried. More than 150 batches on the damn thing and for the life of me I can't tell I used it yet!

Gotta admit! Best bang for my buck in brewing!

Cheers!
 
I probably did, just usually there's a ring on the bucket, but I suppose it could have fallen down. This is also the first time I used my fermentation fridge, perhaps the lower temperature slows the yeast slightly.

but yeah, at this point i'll just let it ride and check on it every few days. On the plus side, it smells good, and looks good, my extracts have never had such good color.

The lower fermentation temperature can slow the yeast a lot, depending on what temperature you used. I've never had a large krausen nor a blow off because of temperature control during the fermentation. My airlock usually bubbles about once per second showing that the ferment is slow.
 
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