Full volume mashing

[SmokeyRydr]

I'm an extract brewer dabbling in all-grain.

In looking at BIAB technique, help me understand why I can't do a full volume mash in my tun. Maybe even whirlpooling/sparing during or after...

It just seems a lot simpler to do full volume mashing. What am I missing here?

 

[Nathan Hassey]

The BIAB in its simplest form is a full volume mash 1 vessel method. At least that's what it was in the beginning. People have changed it to meet their own needs but it mostly is a full volume mash method. The only downfall is having a tun if enough to have all the water and grain at the same time.

 

[Redtab78]

http://braukaiser.com/documents/effect_of_water_and_grist_on_mash_pH.pdf

 

[SmokeyRydr]

The BIAB in its simplest form is a full volume mash 1 vessel method. At least that's what it was in the beginning. People have changed it to meet their own needs but it mostly is a full volume mash method. The only downfall is having a tun if enough to have all the water and grain at the same time.

So if my tun has enough volume, a simple technique would be to do a full volume mash, transfer to kettle, raise to 170°, then begin the boil?

That would see to be an easy way to Jumpstart my AG brewing since I acquired a good 10g mash tun. Then maybe work up to sparging

 

[ESBrewer]

You can do a full volume mash either using a large infusion mash tun ('no sparge brewing'), in some heat controlled tun or in the brew kettle directly by putting the grain in a mesh bag (=BIAB) that is removed before you boil. While you do no sparge, it means that some sugars remain in the grain and you will be slightly less economic (low efficiency). You can compensate by using more grain and you can even dilute with some brewing water to adjust wort gravity. The beer is going to be perfect. Letting the temperature settle at 170F is optional if you immediately proceed to boiling step. The idea in this 'mash out' is mainly to inactivate enzymes and thus stabilize the result of the mash (sometimes also lower the viscosity of the mash for sparging), but in real world things won't change too much if you proceed straight to the boil.

If you prefer to sparge, doing a batch sparge is the easiest way and won't be that much different compared to no sparge. By sparging you will reach higher efficiency (more wort from the same amount of grain) and a smaller mash tun will be enough.

 

[RM-MN]

One of the big advantages of BIAB is the ability to use a finer crust which raises the mash efficiency and then can offset the sugars left behind with no-sparge. Another advantage is the ability to do the mash right in the boil pot so you don't have another vessel to clean.

Sparging will nearly always increase the efficiency by collecting more sugars. With BIAB you have choices of pour over or dunk sparging if you do the mash in the boil pot or a conventional batch or fly sparge if the mash is done in a cooler. If your grain is milled fine you won't need a 170 hold as the conversion will be complete and you can stop the enzyme activity by going straight to boil. Some of us have done an overnight mash and still do not find excessive enzyme activity because the enzymes are denatured quickly at mash temps. In other words, the conversion happens and the enzymes quit working.

 

[Nick667]

I am in New Zealand so use metric. I mash with 30 litres and grain in a bag. I get very good temp control because there is so much volume that the temp in the submerged grain 'ball' will stay constant for an hour or more to within a degree or so. After mash I mash out by raising temp and stirring or agitating the bag and give it 10 mins. at mash out temp. Sparge with a pizza tray on top of the grain which I raise to just under the surface and trickle sparge temp water through the pizza tray holes while raising the bag a bit at a time and holding it there with clothes pegs around the rim. When finished I lift the bag and rest it on an oven tray on top of the pot to drain.
I am getting efficiency in the 75 - 82 range and some really good beers, to the point that I am getting asked for more by some.
I really hope this helps a little.
All the best form the bottom.
Nick.

 

[Nick667]

P.S. one thing I forgot to mention is that the grain absorbs quite a lot of water so you are going to have to top it up no matter what. I suppose it depends what software you are using.

 

[schematix]

Full volume mashing is extremely easy. So easy in fact i packed up my 1 of my vessels and downsized from 3V sparge to 2V no sparge with RIMS.

There are only 2 negatives I've found
1. Obviously you need a tun large enough to hold all the grain and all the water. For 5 gallon brewing you'll need at least a 10 gallon MLT. 12-15 would be better.
2. Getting above 1.060 starts to get really inefficient because the liquid that does remain in the grain (about 0.1 gal/lb) is very sugar rich. It's horrendously inefficient above 1.070.

From a simplicity point of view its a winner though.

 

[SmokeyRydr]

Thanks for all the feedback. It's all really helpful. This is an awesome community.

I'm thinking that for low gravity worts, maybe do full volume, but for higher gravities do a simple batch sparge.