I know there are other "my first all grain/biab/etc" posts, but this is mine and I thought I'd share it. I have brewed and enjoyed several extract recipes, so I decided to dip my toes in the all-grain pool with BIAB. The nice folks at Defalcos helped me with a blonde ale recipe, and I used a Wilserbrewer bag, both highly recommended.
Here is my keggle setup, heating the water.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391346.263578.jpg
I then added my bag and grains. We added more grain expecting not so great efficiency, more on that later.
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60 minute mash, with occasional stirring, followed by a 10 minutes mashout at 170.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391435.085876.jpg
Then I drained and squeezed, using a ratchet pulley that came with my wilserbag.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391608.212817.jpg
On to the boil, with a hop bag and improvised holder.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391649.644375.jpg
After a 60 minute boil, I chilled with an immersion chiller/prechiller setup. The tap water in Houston is about 80 now.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391754.251455.jpg
Into the fermenter, pictures of me spilling wort all over the garage floor not included, but 5 gallons made it in.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391803.969255.jpg
After pitching and sealing things up, into the swamp cooler, then lots of cleaning.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391867.957372.jpg
My OG ended up 1.064, target was 1.052 (67% efficiency). We added 2 lbs to the grain bill and double crushed, so we were a little too pessimistic. No biggy, I'd rather be too high than too low, and I'll tweak the next try. Big thanks to all of the people active on HBT, I spent a lot of time browsing your posts to get to this point. It also helps to have an awesome LHBS, Defalcos, just 5 minutes away. We'll see how it turns out in a few weeks!
Here is my keggle setup, heating the water.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391346.263578.jpg
I then added my bag and grains. We added more grain expecting not so great efficiency, more on that later.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391371.119770.jpg
60 minute mash, with occasional stirring, followed by a 10 minutes mashout at 170.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391435.085876.jpg
Then I drained and squeezed, using a ratchet pulley that came with my wilserbag.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391608.212817.jpg
On to the boil, with a hop bag and improvised holder.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391649.644375.jpg
After a 60 minute boil, I chilled with an immersion chiller/prechiller setup. The tap water in Houston is about 80 now.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391754.251455.jpg
Into the fermenter, pictures of me spilling wort all over the garage floor not included, but 5 gallons made it in.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391803.969255.jpg
After pitching and sealing things up, into the swamp cooler, then lots of cleaning.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441391867.957372.jpg
My OG ended up 1.064, target was 1.052 (67% efficiency). We added 2 lbs to the grain bill and double crushed, so we were a little too pessimistic. No biggy, I'd rather be too high than too low, and I'll tweak the next try. Big thanks to all of the people active on HBT, I spent a lot of time browsing your posts to get to this point. It also helps to have an awesome LHBS, Defalcos, just 5 minutes away. We'll see how it turns out in a few weeks!