Help with first BIAB: Sorachi Ace SMASH

[ThatVideoKid]

So, I just moved up to BIAB from extract with grains. For my first brew I wanted to do something incredibly simple and a SMASH Pale Ale sounded like a great idea. I just aquired an 11g pot so I assume you can BIAB at least 12lbs.

One note: I have no idea what I'm doing with hop amounts as far as the later additions go, so let me know if I'm way off for a pale ale!

Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons
Boil Size: 6.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.048
Efficiency: 70% (Estimated since first BIAB)

Original Gravity: 1.057
Final Gravity: 1.013
ABV: 5.66%
IBU: 33.74
SRM: 6.02

FERMENTABLES:
12 lb - American - Pale Ale (100%)

HOPS:
0.5 oz - Sorachi Ace, Type: Pellet, AA: 11.1, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 19.56
1 oz - Sorachi Ace, Type: Pellet, AA: 11.1, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 14.18
1 oz - Sorachi Ace, Type: Pellet, AA: 11.1, Use: Boil for 0 min

Wyeast - American Ale II 1272(ordering online so I'll order US-05 as a backup)

Low fermentation temp, I can probably hold 60F in the basement in August (go NH!)


I'm thinking mash at 149F in 5 gallons, "sparge" with about 1.5 gallons.

I really want to get the great lemony character from the sorachi ace to be pronounced, but with the malt definitely holding its own, so I'm thinking APA rather than IPA.

Welcoming all advice on just about every part of this, so feel free to chime in!

 

[ThatVideoKid]

So, is there any reason to go with the Briess "Pale Ale" Malt($1.79) over the cheap-o Briess 2-row "Brewers Malt"($1.49). Is there a big difference?

 

[pricelessbrewing]

So, is there any reason to go with the Briess "Pale Ale" Malt($1.79) over the cheap-o Briess 2-row "Brewers Malt"($1.49). Is there a big difference?

I use briess 2 row.

5 ga/ strike water into 12 lb will give you a post mash volume of about 4.05 gallons. Sparging with 1.5 gallons will not give you enough volume to get 5.5 gallons after the boil is chilled.

You want 5 gallons packages, so you need about 5.5 gallons chilled, which is 5.75~ gallons at boil temp.

For more informatio, look into my water volume calculator at pricelessvrewing.github.io/BiabCalc

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Okay, I have markers on both my kettle and my fermenter so I would have figured that out, but thanks for letting me know ahead of time! Wasn't thinking about the grain absorbing water!

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Yup! Just remember that the temp you mark your kettle it is important. 5 gallons at room temp is almost 5.25 at boil temps. There's a few things going on to get a good water volume, and while it is not difficult to calculate by hand, it's easier to enter a couple variables into a calculator, like my own or biabrewing.com and make sure you don't miss an equation or don't think of something we did like hop absorption, thermal expansion,