First BIAB with free grains recommendations?

[DeanRIowa]

I normally do extracts and would like to try brewing in a bag and I have been offered some free grains(2 years old, tightly covered) 2 Row Pale and a German Pilsner. Any recipe recommendations?

Notes:

• I would like to make 5 gallons
• I have not done a lager yet, but maybe could do a california common
• I am not into big hops flavors as of yet
• I was planning on buying a brew bag(Amazon), speciality grains, hops and yeast for my first BIAB.
• My friend was going to make a German Alt with the grains to verify the quality of the grains.

Thank you for the ideas.

Dean

 

[kh54s10]

Taste the grains first to make sure they haven't gone stale... Then, depending on the amount of 2 row or Pilsner, you could do a SMaSH. - single malt and single hop. Just pick a hop that you think you would like. Then use a recipe building program like Brewers Friend to see the hop contributions and go for it!!

 

[wilserbrewer]

Did you read the reviews on Amazon?
Not too stellar...perhaps just my biased opinion

 

[kh54s10]

Did you read the reviews on Amazon?
Not too stellar...perhaps just my biased opinion

Not too biased when you make one of the best products on the market. Not based on personal experience, but on social ratings...
If I were to do BIAB, wilserbrewer bags would be at the top of the list.

 

[Brewers Hardware]

Even though the grains are a little old, it would at least be good practice with a new brewing method. How many pounds of grain are you able to get?

Did you read the reviews on Amazon?
Not too stellar...perhaps just my biased opinion

Wilserbrewer makes a great quality bag! I started out using the Home Depot paint strainer bags, and those work pretty well, but being able to use a bag that actually fits the kettle perfectly is fantastic!

 

[DeanRIowa]

Did you read the reviews on Amazon?
Not too stellar...perhaps just my biased opinion

I found at least two bags one bag not rated good and one I am looking at had good rating 4 1/2 stars wth 180+ reviews:
Extra Large (26" x 22") Reusable Drawstring Straining Brew in a Bag by The Weekend Brewer

Even though the grains are a little old, it would at least be good practice with a new brewing method. How many pounds of grain are you able to get?

What is needed for a 5 gallon batch, he has quite a bit of each.

thanks,
Dean

 

[jimmyjusa]

That extra large one is ok, held my grains fine but it stretchy like paint strainers. I used it on my first brew and popped seems when i squeezed the grains. Went to a wilser custom bag after that and the quality difference is very apparent. I think the finer mesh plus it not being stretchy means less particulates in the wort

 

[Brewers Hardware]

What is needed for a 5 gallon batch, he has quite a bit of each.

thanks,
Dean

Depends on the style, but somewhere around 10-15 pounds total for the entire grain bill should be good.

 

[kevin58]

Tightly covered or not I personally would just throw away those grains. Since they are free you are not losing anything.

 

[balrog]

The suggestion to taste is good one. But what is he looking for in taste that is "bad" or "good"? I've often wondered that. Wet cardboard? Rancid monkey intestines? Somewhere in between?

Were the grains milled or whole? It would make a whole lot of diff in how long to expect them to last, covered or not; O2 and humidity are not your friends there.

I'd make a 10#, milled-to-dust, BIAB, Pilsner/Saaz SMaSH as suggested. But just go for it, I say.