First BIAB, need help ASAP!

[BryceL]

So I just completed my fist all grain BIAB. I did a 2.5 gallon test batch of a stout. It went pretty good, however I screwed up my volume calcs somewhere along the way. After sparging it appeared that I was below my target volume (3 gallons) so I topped it off with water to reach what I thought was 3 gallons. After I realized that the stick I used to measure my volume with was off...turns out I added too much water. Long story short, I had to boil an 1.75 hours to get my volume back down. When I transferred to my fermenter, it appears that I only have 1.5 gallons and my OG is too high. I was shooting for 1.065 but have a wort with an OG of 1.085. My question is can I top off my fermenter with boiled/cooled water to reach my target OG, and if so is there a calculator somewhere to help me figure how much water I need to add? I haven't pitched my yeast yet so if I could get some suggestions ASAP, that would be great!! Thanks!!

 

[C-Rider]

So I just completed my fist all grain BIAB. I did a 2.5 gallon test batch of a stout. It went pretty good, however I screwed up my volume calcs somewhere along the way. After sparging it appeared that I was below my target volume (3 gallons) so I topped it off with water to reach what I thought was 3 gallons. After I realized that the stick I used to measure my volume with was off...turns out I added too much water. Long story short, I had to boil an 1.75 hours to get my volume back down. When I transferred to my fermenter, it appears that I only have 1.5 gallons and my OG is too high. I was shooting for 1.065 but have a wort with an OG of 1.085. My question is can I top off my fermenter with boiled/cooled water to reach my target OG, and if so is there a calculator somewhere to help me figure how much water I need to add? I haven't pitched my yeast yet so if I could get some suggestions ASAP, that would be great!! Thanks!!

i'LL BE DOINGING my first next week and it's a 1 gallon BIAB. I to will have trouble calculating water amts.
Since Extract brewers always add tap water to top off the 5 gal in the fermenter I see no reason you can't do the same for a BIAB.

 

[BryceL]

Yeah that what I figured. I just need some help calculating how much water to top off with to hit my estimated OG. I think I found what I'm looking for but was hoping someone had a link or calculation that I could double check it with. Right now I've got 1.58 gallons of wort at 1.085. If I add 0.465 gallons of water I think that will bring me up to 2.1 gallons at my estimated 1.065

 

[HItransplant]

Yeah that what I figured. I just need some help calculating how much water to top off with to hit my estimated OG. I think I found what I'm looking for but was hoping someone had a link or calculation that I could double check it with. Right now I've got 1.58 gallons of wort at 1.085. If I add 0.465 gallons of water I think that will bring me up to 2.1 gallons at my estimated 1.065

Here's what I'd do...

Multiply gravity times volume of each addition then divide by total volume.

So, Gravity of water is 1... Give take.
1000 x .465 = 465

Gravity of your wort is 1.085 at 1.58-- lose decimal and multiply = 1085 x 1.58 = 1714

1714 + 465 = 2179 divide that by total vol of 2.046 = 1068, or 1.068

 

[kapbrew13]

Wont help you now but when I do 5 gallon batches, I use 4 gallon to mash, squeeze, 3 gallon to mash out, and squeeze for about a 11lb grain bill. Squeezing your sack is ok.

 

[BryceL]

Thanks guys! I'll keep these tips in mind and go ahead and top up this batch. We'll see how it goes, just letting my water cool back down and I'll mix it in and take another gravity reading...

 

[BryceL]

Well I topped it off and it brought the gravity down to 1.069. Not to much higher than my estimated OG so I'm happy with that. Thanks again guys!

 

[mhenry41h]

Squeezing your sack is ok.

Ha!

 

[Xcorpia]

ha!

+1

 

[HItransplant]

Wont help you now but when I do 5 gallon batches, I use 4 gallon to mash, squeeze, 3 gallon to mash out, and squeeze for about a 11lb grain bill. Squeezing your sack is ok.

Yes, squeeze your sack...

But, squeezing after mash isn't super important as long as you squeeze after sparge.

It'll take a while to figure out your volumes.. I was under est vol until I started squeezing my sack regularly, then I found I was able to get more than est vol...now I feel like I have it pretty dialed. Remember, the brewing software is based off trad mashing techniques, not biab...and they certainly don't take sack squeezing into acct.

Oh, and take lots of notes until you figure out your system.

Have fun

 

[mhenry41h]

Just make sure you don't submerge your sack in molten wort before exposing and squeezing it! ok, I'm done.

 

[BryceL]

Haha. Thanks again guys. Im going to make up a new marking stick for my kettle today so I dont have this problem again. Good news is the stout is bubbling away nicely today!

 

[BryceL]

Just an update on this brew--
I pulled a sample last night and I nailed my estimated FG of 1.021. I tasted the sample and was amazed! This already tastes great...really smooth, clean, and lots of flavor going on! It's not even done yet but I think this is my best brew to date, I'm almost hesitant to mess with it by putting the coffee and chipotle in it. I think I'll just go ahead and do it since this was a small test batch, but I plan on re-brewing this one for sure. This was my first shot at creating my own stout recipe so I'm super excited!