Mashing with biab using sous vide versus mashing with a bag in a cooler

[Lemmie]

We have been using a sous vide to mash using biab in a 10 gallon brew kettle. We heat up water in the kettle to about 170, clamp in a wire cooling rack to separate the sous vide from the brew bag and add the grain to the bag. We then set the sous vide to the desired mash temperature. To maintain a constant temperature, we stir the grain every 5 minutes or so. To sparge, we lift the bag out of the kettle, squeeze it, set it on a colander, add sparse water and repeat until our required volume is reached. After using this method for three brews, I would like to find an easier way to mash and am thinking using a bag in a picnic cooler would be a lot less work especially for simple infusion mashes. I haven’t tried decoction mash yet, but would probably use the sous vide for that.

 

[RM-MN]

Have you checked how long it takes for your grains to get full conversion? If the conversion is over in 10 minutes (quite possible depending on how well the grains are milled), why worry about keeping the temperature exact? The rest of the time is just extracting color, flavor, and the sugars.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I mash with a bag in a cooler. It works very well for me.

 

[LittleRiver]

It's not one of your choices, but I get great results just insulating the kettle.

 

[Lemmie]

Have you checked how long it takes for your grains to get full conversion? If the conversion is over in 10 minutes (quite possible depending on how well the grains are milled), why worry about keeping the temperature exact? The rest of the time is just extracting color, flavor, and the sugars.

Good point. To be honest we always just went with the recipe which usually calls for 60 minutes. Do you use the iodine test or is there a better way?

 

[Lemmie]

It's not one of your choices, but I get great results just insulating the kettle.

Great idea. I love the youth sleeping bag idea. Double duty for my granddaughters sleeping bag.

 

[LittleRiver]

... love the youth sleeping bag idea. Double duty for my granddaughters sleeping bag.

It works great. What I do is put the lid on the kettle, put on the insulation, and don't open it for the duration of the mash. I use a thermometer with a remote probe, so I can see the temp without removing the insulation. But that's not really necessary, I find it to be so stable that there's no need to check the temp.

If you're using a propane burner, let the sleeping bag also cover the burner. The additional mass will help keep the temp steady.

 

[ebbelwoi]

I do sous vide BIAB on the stovetop, and it works very well for me. I love being able to hold the exact temp as well as do step mashes with it. I also love being able to see the temp on the LED display. I have a rectangular colander that fits perfectly on top of the kettle, and I don't sparge or squeeze, just let drip for 15-20 minutes. I don't go any larger than 4 gallons, though.

 

[madscientist451]

I brew BIAB on an smooth top electric range. When you turn off the burner, the top retains heat for quite a while. I wrap up the kettle in an old sweatshirt and stir every 15 minutes or so. The temperature remains pretty steady. I also BIAB in a cooler and went back to the stovetop method because it saves time.

 

[RM-MN]

Good point. To be honest we always just went with the recipe which usually calls for 60 minutes. Do you use the iodine test or is there a better way?

If you use iodine, make sure you use the grains, not the wort. The other way would be to test the gravity but it requires some vigorous stirring to get the reading correct as there will be stratification.

The 60 minute mash is based on the typical crush from the LHBS. If you mill your own grains and get them well crushed it won't take as long. If you get a poor crush it may take longer than the 60 minutes. 90 to 120 will help in these situations but the best solution is to purchase your own mill.

 

[Lemmie]

In reference to littleriver’s comment in #7 about including the propane burner in the insulation mass to add heat, and madscientist451’s comment about the electric stove adding heat after turning off the burner. I use a propane burner and maybe adding a heavy medal plate on top of the burner might add more heat in case I need it.

 

[LittleRiver]

...maybe adding a heavy metal plate on top of the burner might add more heat in case I need it.

True, that would add thermal mass, which would help offset the problem of excessive heat loss.

But with decent insulation you should not have excessive heat loss, certainly not in the early stages of the mash when conversion is happening.

The metal plate would come with negative side effects, like longer ramp up times and overshoots. The heat in the plate would continue to heat the kettle after the heat source is turned off. You could learn to accommodate that, but it would be trial and error to get it figured out.

I don't think there's enough benefit to the idea to offset the negatives. But that's just an opinion, I have not run any calculations, nor have I experimented with it.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Will your 10 gallon kettle fit in your oven with the oven racks removed?

If it will, perhaps the easiest way to maintain mash temp is by simply placing your kettle mash in a warm oven.

First post said you were looking for an easier way to mash; now you are suggesting possibly putting a heavy steel plate under the kettle lol.

Your doomed to overthink a simple process imo lol. Jk

Just get it done, maintaining perfect mash temps for long periods of time isn’t that important imo.

Many more important things to concern yourself with in brewing, rather than obsessing on mash temps

Get it done!

 

[cswant88]

I mash in a bag with the 10gal rubbermaid beverage cooler from home depot. I usually try to overshoot my strike temp by at least 7 degrees to preheat the tun, close and let it sit for 5 minutes, then open and stir until the water gets down to strike temp. I open and stir thoroughly every 15 minutes, and lose about 5 degrees over the course of an hour on average. I could probably get the temp loss down by stacking a blanket over the lid or something, but I've never been so inclined.

 

[jpakstis]

Just get it done, maintaining perfect mash temps for long periods of time isn’t that important imo.

Back when I used to BIAB (I now BIAC - cooler), my temps would drop down to the 120s by the end of a mash. I still got a good conversion and excellent results!

 

[Lemmie]

Will your 10 gallon kettle fit in your oven with the oven racks removed?

If it will, perhaps the easiest way to maintain mash temp is by simply placing your kettle mash in a warm oven.

First post said you were looking for an easier way to mash; now you are suggesting possibly putting a heavy steel plate under the kettle lol.

Your doomed to overthink a simple process imo lol. Jk

Just get it done, maintaining perfect mash temps for long periods of time isn’t that important imo.

Many more important things to concern yourself with in brewing, rather than obsessing on mash temps

Get it done!

Your comment about the oven made me laugh, thinking about when I started brewing in the 1980s and my first mash was using a 5gallon crock in the oven. I gave up brewing when my kids came along and I didn’t have the time or the money. I got back into it recently when my son got interested. Get it done used to be my motto. Now it’s have some fun. I like overthinking things and I’m enjoying the process more than the product. Recently a batch turned out bad and I actually enjoyed the challenge it presented more than feeling bad about the result. I enjoy science experiments and I’m retired so I have plenty of time for them.

 

[EaseTN]

I like overthinking things and I’m enjoying the process more than the product. Recently a batch turned out bad and I actually enjoyed the challenge it presented more than feeling bad about the result. I enjoy science experiments and I’m retired so I have plenty of time for them.

I also like to overthink stuff and use a sous vide stick to mash and kettle sour. In my quest to completely control as much as possible, it's just an incredible tool. Until you dunk the whole thing underwater and it goes haywire. Pro tip for anyone thinking about sous vide stick brewing, get an ip7 waterproof one.

 

[toddo97]

I also like to overthink stuff and use a sous vide stick to mash and kettle sour. In my quest to completely control as much as possible, it's just an incredible tool. Until you dunk the whole thing underwater and it goes haywire. Pro tip for anyone thinking about sous vide stick brewing, get an ip7 waterproof one.

Any particular brand/model you'd recommend?

 

[EaseTN]

Would depend on budget, if I had ~200 to spend and could manage not to dunk it, I'd get an All-clad one. All-clad is the brand. For around 100, I would do an anova or the ipx7 Kitchenboss one I have now. 50 or so could score an Instant pot branded one which worked great for me on about 10 brews before I killed it. I don't have experience with any other brands.

 

[toddo97]

Thanks--I'll keep an eye out on deals for All-clad or one of the $100 brands you mentioned