Grain crushing for BIAB vs AG?

[khkman22]

I am trying to decide if I want to move to all grain using the more traditional method and a 50 quart cooler or all grain as BIAB. I have read that a finer crush is desired for BIAB because of increased efficiency and the smaller crush is still filtered by the bag. I emailed Austin Homebrew to see if they could double mill my grains for BIAB if I requested and they said it just depends on their workload and how busy they are, but it couldn't be guaranteed.

My question is, if I decide to go to BIAB and AHS is not able to double mill the grains, how big of a deal is this efficiency wise? I only have a 7.5-8 gallon pot, so I will probably do a sparge of some sort as opposed to a one-step mash to make sure I have room when mashing if I choose the BIAB method. Maybe that would help offset any efficiency loss by the larger grain crush?

 

[BigFloyd]

I am trying to decide if I want to move to all grain using the more traditional method and a 50 quart cooler or all grain as BIAB. I have read that a finer crush is desired for BIAB because of increased efficiency and the smaller crush is still filtered by the bag. I emailed Austin Homebrew to see if they could double mill my grains for BIAB if I requested and they said it just depends on their workload and how busy they are, but it couldn't be guaranteed.

My question is, if I decide to go to BIAB and AHS is not able to double mill the grains, how big of a deal is this efficiency wise? I only have a 7.5-8 gallon pot, so I will probably do a sparge of some sort as opposed to a one-step mash to make sure I have room when mashing if I choose the BIAB method. Maybe that would help offset any efficiency loss by the larger grain crush?

It depends on their mill gap.

 

[seckert]

I do BIAB and when i go to the LHBS i ask for them to double crush my grains, however there have been times i have forgotten to ask or have bought a stuff online. I really havent noticed a big difference between single vs double crush. I do pull bag out of pot and run "sparge" water through it effectively rinsing the grains so maybe thats why.

 

[Jayhem]

When I used to BIAB all the time I would get a lot of finner particles of grain getting through my grain bag so I had to switch to water conditioning my grain before milling to minimize it. Now that I use a mash tun I have perfectly clear wort after a couple passes with vorlauf.

 

[Foosier]

If you decide to BIAB and the crush is not good, you can always run it through a food processor to really break it up more. (just pulse the grain a few times.) This is not the best method as it creates a lot of flour, but a good voile bag will catch most of that and it works when you are in a pinch.

 

[tooblue02]

Efficiency will be tough without your own mill or without double crushing, I noticed a big difference between the two. If you are serious about BIAB then your own mill is invaluable.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[khkman22]

Thanks for the replies. I checked my pot and it's a full 8 gallons, which helps with the boil. My 5 gallon paint strainers also barely fit around the edge so I don't know that I have to buy anything for a BIAB setup. I think I'm going to go that route and hope my sparging helps, along with squeezing the grains fairly well. If they can double crush the grains, that'll be icing on the top for now. I may look into a mill at some point, but I have quite a few things I could upgrade before I buy that.

 

[vNmd]

Almost all of my kits come from AHS (I do BIAB). I always ask to double mill even though I doubt they do. I usually get 80%ish efficiency and almost always hit the OG & FG of their recipies. I have thought about getting my own mill but so far there hasn't been a need.

 

[Epimetheus]

My 5 gallon paint strainers also barely fit around the edge so I don't know that I have to buy anything for a BIAB setup.

What size batch for the 5 gallon strainer bag? I used a 5 gal strainer bag and it was kinda snug for 5 gallon batches in my 8 gallon pot. The grain was a tight ball in it.

Increasing the size of the bag will improve efficiency. It improves flow and gets the enzymes in contact with all the starches. The system is much easier to manage if the bag is big enough to fit the whole pot into it, with about 2 to 4 inches larger diameter and height. I sewed a bag from voile curtain ($5 at the big box store) that is 2 inches wider and taller than my pot. It is not quite enough. Next one will be 4 inches wider to fit over the handles, and 4 inches taller, with 3/4 inch nylon webbing handles and reinforcement.

 

[RM-MN]

What size batch for the 5 gallon strainer bag? I used a 5 gal strainer bag and it was kinda snug for 5 gallon batches in my 8 gallon pot. The grain was a tight ball in it.

Increasing the size of the bag will improve efficiency. It improves flow and gets the enzymes in contact with all the starches. The system is much easier to manage if the bag is big enough to fit the whole pot into it, with about 2 to 4 inches larger diameter and height. I sewed a bag from voile curtain ($5 at the big box store) that is 2 inches wider and taller than my pot. It is not quite enough. Next one will be 4 inches wider to fit over the handles, and 4 inches taller, with 3/4 inch nylon webbing handles and reinforcement.

How much grain did you have in it? The biggest beer I have made in my 7.5 gallon turkey fryer had an OG of 1.072 and I didn't feel like the grain was cramped in a paint strainer bag. I hadn't intended to get such a high OG but my efficiency was much above what I had expected.

 

[khkman22]

How much grain did you have in it? The biggest beer I have made in my 7.5 gallon turkey fryer had an OG of 1.072 and I didn't feel like the grain was cramped in a paint strainer bag. I hadn't intended to get such a high OG but my efficiency was much above what I had expected.

I think I will try my paint strainers for my first batch and see how it goes. I'll have around 12.5 lbs of grain for an IPA in it. I'm looking to upgrade my pot at some point, so I'll try to hold off on a wilserbrewer bag until I know what size I need.

 

[browder]

I never have grain double crushed doing BIAB and never have any issues-bucket is always topped off heavy in fact I'm usually a couple points higher than suggested OG but if I'm a couple points low I don't sweat it either--I remember having problems when first getting started but I got told to have a jar of honey to fix low gravity with haven't had to use any in awhile--far as crushed grain I order through More Beer-Northern & Brewmasters Warehouse

 

[MotorcycleMatt]

buy a cheap corona mill and mill it yourself. takes the guessing out of it.