Grain Measurements Specifically for No Sparging Methods

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Ringo311

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I have a few general questions, based around BIAB no sparging brewing.

In gerenal, how close do the grain measurements need to be for beer recipes and how much impact to taste does changing a recipe a few ounces here and there?

Is there a calculator or general rule for how much extra grain to use when not sparging?

Thanks!
 
You don't add extra grain just because you don't sparge. What you should be doing is establishing a consistent process, measuring your actual mash efficiency, and then applying that critical variable to your recipes so that you hit your desired gravity targets.

One thing I find that helps this a lot is to convert recipe grain weights into percentages. In fact it's annoying to me that so many recipes still use weight alone ("I usually add no more than a half pound of that malt..."). Such references are useless because they assume that everyone has the same batch size and efficiency, which couldn't be further from the truth.

It's the proportion of malts in a recipe that matters the most. Keep those consistent regardless of the total grist weight, and you'll be matching the recipe to your system and process.

I convert all lb weights to kg, and measure grain in kg using a scale that resolves to the nearest gram. So that's pretty darn accurate. I think you'd have to know a recipe really well to be able to discern the difference in an ounce or two. It's the proportions that are more important, as stated above.
 
All depends on your system. I use to have to add some extra base malt when I bought my grains crushed. Now with a grain mill and crushing my own grains I increase my volume of water and make more beer instead of reducing grains. Both instances I use the same exact no sparge process, only thing changed was the crush. So no, there is no general rule.
 
Typical BIAB no sparge mash efficiency for a typical 1.060 recipe is 68-74%. Recipes are standardized at 70%, but not all recipes are set to that, and a 1.090 will inherently have a lower mash efficiency, that thus will require additional planning.

For some guidelines and estimates, you can find the graphs dougcz's posted in numerous threads, as well as my mash calculator which uses the same mash efficiency formulas. (link in sig)

All systems and process' will affect your efficiency, each recipe is different. There's not really any way to predict it for your very first brew, just aim in the middle and hope for the best. Get a couple brews in, take detailed measurements, and you'll start hitting your OG every time. The key is measuring, recording, and analyzing. Not every brewer cares enough to do that, but if you do, and follow the efficiency article in my blog, you'll rarely miss your target OG.
 
Just so you don't have to go searching, here's the chart that @pricelessbrewing referred to:

No Sparge vs Sparge big beers ratio.png

This is for lauter efficiency of no-sparge and equal runnings volume single batch sparge for several different grain absorption rates. A traditional MLT will have a grain absorption of about 0.12 gal/lb. No squeeze BIAB will give you about 0.09 - 0.10 gal/lb, and squeezing about 0.06 - 0.08 gal/lb. Mash efficiency is equal to conversion efficiency times lauter efficiency. If your conversion efficiency is ~100% then mash efficiency = lauter efficiency, otherwise mash efficiency is lower. Note that the X axis is Total grain weight divided by pre-boil volume, so it works for any batch size. You can increase lauter efficiency a little by going to a higher pre-boil volume and boiling off more to get the same post-boil volume.

Brew on :mug:
 
I have a few general questions, based around BIAB no sparging brewing.

In gerenal, how close do the grain measurements need to be for beer recipes and how much impact to taste does changing a recipe a few ounces here and there?

Is there a calculator or general rule for how much extra grain to use when not sparging?

Thanks!

In general the grain weights are pretty critical. Adding 4 ounces of roasted barley to an amber ale turns it into a stout. Use the recipe for the beer you want to make. BIAB doesn't change the basic recipe and neither does no-sparge. The efficiency you get will depend more on the milling of the grain than the method of mashing you use. Mill the grain as fine as you can and your efficiency will be great.
 
I think efficiency is also controlled by these two factors. I usually get between 75 and 84 percent. My calculator is set for 78. I NEVER sparge.
1-Ability to squeeze the hell out of the bag w/out wort uzing out the sides and being lost. I do 2 gallon batches and use as much as 6 lbs of grain in bigger beers. I set the grain bag in a collendar on top of my 5 gal round cooler and press very hard w/a coffee cup in each hand (since the grain is HOT). I find w/less grain there is less chance of wort dribbling out the side holes and running down the outside of the cooler.
2-As mentioned above mill the grain into flour if you can. This will improve your efficiency.
 
Thanks for the replies. Instead of starting a new thread, I have a couple other questions in the same realm.

What is the relationship between grain amounts vs OG vs volume of water?

At a consistent mash temp temperature, as grain amounts go up does OG go up or does it depend on the volume of water used?
 
Thanks for the replies. Instead of starting a new thread, I have a couple other questions in the same realm.

What is the relationship between grain amounts vs OG vs volume of water?

At a consistent mash temp temperature, as grain amounts go up does OG go up or does it depend on the volume of water used?

There is a fixed amount of sugar available in a fixed amount of grain. But the sugar starts out as starch, which must be converted into sugar. The percentage of starch that you convert into sugar is your conversion efficiency, which can reach 100%, but is often less. The biggest factors affecting conversion efficiency are mash time, mash temp, and crush fineness. Mash thickness and pH are secondary factors in conversion efficiency.

The SG in the mash will depend on the conversion efficiency and the grain to water ratio. The more water, the lower the SG. The lower the conversion efficiency, the lower the SG.

The next factor is lauter efficiency. This is the percentage of the sugar actually created in the mash that makes it into your boil kettle. Lauter efficiency is alway less than 100%, because you just can't rinse all of the sugar out of the grains (without using an infinite amount of water.) Lauter efficiency drops as the grain bill weight increases for a fixed batch size. This is because more grain will retain a larger fraction of the wort volume, and the retained wort contains a significant amount of the created sugar. Sparging methods have the largest effect on the lauter efficiency, with no-sparge having the lowest efficiency, batch sparging higher efficiency (with more sparge steps giving incremental improvements), and continuous (or fly) sparging having the potential for greatest lauter efficiency. However, a poorly conducted fly sparge can have terrible efficiency. Lauter efficiency is also greatly affected by the grain absorption rate. Lowering the absorption rate (by squeezing for example) will increase the lauter efficiency. Undrainable wort volume in the MLT will also lower lauter efficiency.

Your mash (or pre-boil) efficiency is equal to conversion efficiency times lauter efficiency. If your conversion efficiency is essentially 100% then mash efficiency equals lauter efficiency.

So, there is no simple relationship between grain bill weight, water amount, and OG, unless you know your typical conversion efficiency, and lauter efficiency, and these are different for everybody's processes.

It is possible to measure both conversion efficiency and lauter efficiency, and it's possible to simulate lauter efficiency for no-sparge and batch sparge processes (fly sparging is way complicated.) The chart below shows how lauter efficiency is affected by sparge process, grain absorption rate, and grain to total brewing water ratio.

No Sparge vs Sparge big beers ratio.png

Brew on :mug:
 
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