First BIAB

[WeimBrew]

I all just wanted to share my great experience with my first all grain batch. I did a Boulevard Tank 7 clone.

My basic recipe was 70% pale malt, 20% wheat malt, and 10% corn flakes. I used Magnum, Simcoe, Centennial, and Amarillo.

I did BIAB because I didn't have a mash tun built yet. I used two 5 gallon paint strainer bags since the grain bill was so large, I didn't want to get any dough balls so that's why I used two as one would have been very hard to stir.

My efficiency was good, not great, at 75% which I was happy with for my first attempt. I boiled for an hour and pitched Wyeast 3724. My OG was 1.080.

Woke up this morning to find a pile of foam on top of my airlock so I pulled that out and installed a blowoff tube.

I am very excited about this beer if you can't tell. Thanks to everyone on this forum for all the help. Without your posts I would have not known where to start.

 

[bschoenb]

Congrates; it's a very simple way to do all grain with a little less equipment/time. And, as you can see..lot's of ways to make beer.

And as far as effeciency; 75 is perfect! I shoot for 75 as my main goal in No-sparge BIAB brewing.

 

[wilserbrewer]

good idea using bags two bags!

 

[WeimBrew]

Thanks. It ended up working really well.

 

[zacster]

Congrats. I did my second today, a dry stout, and everything went well.

 

[SaevaVeritas]

What was the total number of pounds on the grain bill?

 

[WeimBrew]

16.5 lbs.

 

[cincydave]

Wiembrew... Could you elaborate on the two bags. Was this done in two separate kettles, or two bags in one kettle or what? I just did my first BIAB and trying to understand. How big was your kettle/kettles

 

[BradleyBrew]

wow... thats a lot of grain. I have a 5 gallon igloo water cooler with a ball valve for a mash tun and my max is 12lbs. Anymore it just weighs to much and is to cumbersome to negotiate.

 

[WeimBrew]

I used the two bags in one kettle. I have a 12 gallon kettle. My bags did not fit around the top of my kettle so placed a dowel through them and hung from the top of my kettle. All the grains would have fit into one but I was worried it would spill into my mash.

 

[WeimBrew]

It was a ton of grain and I have to admit I was a little worried when I started. I am going to get a 10 gallon igloo cooler to convert into a mash tun but had the itch to brew yesterday and I wanted to go AG.

 

[bschoenb]

1.080 is a big beer; requires allot of grain. My 6 1/2 gallon post boil 5-5.5% beers require between 11-13 lbs @ 72% effeciency

 

[cincydave]

I used the two bags in one kettle. I have a 12 gallon kettle. My bags did not fit around the top of my kettle so placed a dowel through them and hung from the top of my kettle. All the grains would have fit into one but I was worried it would spill into my mash.

OK, now I see. I'm using a 7.5 gall turkey fryer and the bags fit around teh top perfectly. Hence my confusion on the two bags. Thanks for explaining

 

[WeimBrew]

No problem.

 

[zacster]

I can barely stretch my bag across my 10 gallon Blichmann, and then I use binder clips to hold it. I also put a metal bowl over the thermometer probe so the bag won't catch on it, even though the bowl falls off anyway. I won't bother with that next time.

 

[jaynik]

Congrats on your success! Sounds like you did great.

I didn't measure efficiency, but I tried BIAB last night and like it. If this produces good beer, I like the process even more than extract. It only added an hour or so to my brew day. I did find out that I need a bigger brew bag. I'll give Wilser's a try I think.

 

[WeimBrew]

What size bag did you use? Mine were 5 gallon bags and I was happy with them. I'll probably do a couple more BIAB batches before I make a mash tun. Let me know how the new bag works.

 

[Euphist]

I got 2 yards of voille at Walmart for $5 and made my own bag. Just measure around the top of your kettle and add a couple inches for seam allowance. I made mine with a flat bottom, but there's no reason why you couldn't just make an oversize pillow case. Anyone with a sewing machine should be able to whip it up for you in no time.

 

[SaevaVeritas]

Did you find the fabric with the curtains? Was there enough to make two?

I am looking at different fabric stores but $5 seems like a good deal!

 

[Euphist]

Our store has a sewing and fabric department in front of electronics