Need Your Recommendations for BIAB IPA Recipes

[beerisyummy]

During the pandemic SIP I got a grain mill and started getting a much finer crush than double-milling at the LHBS. I'm also a fan of the dunk-sparge technique. My efficiency has been fine, often higher than expected. I generally mash for 60 minutes or more just because. I use filtered municipal water and figure out some style-appropriate adjustments using my municipal water report and software. In this case a scale that can measure your salts in fractions of grams is a definite plus.

 

[Wrathchild]

One thing that freaked me out when I did my first all grain brew was the amount of smudge that goes into the fermenter from the boil kettle. Biab is all I've done and my understanding is the amount of proteins and fatty materials are a little more then multi vessel systems because of no real sparge. I went to a glass carboy and freaked out and dumped probably 2 gallons of perfectly good beer that I mistook for trub. Sometimes my fermenter looks like a solid mass from top to bottom, but it will settle down alot and then the yeast root that stuff up like little hogs! They need that stuff to do their magic! I leave a little less then half a gallon in the kettle but after a few brews you will be able to tell the difference between the protein smudge and the solids and hop trub

 

[TestTickle]

One thing that freaked me out when I did my first all grain brew was the amount of smudge that goes into the fermenter from the boil kettle. Biab is all I've done and my understanding is the amount of proteins and fatty materials are a little more then multi vessel systems because of no real sparge. I went to a glass carboy and freaked out and dumped probably 2 gallons of perfectly good beer that I mistook for trub. Sometimes my fermenter looks like a solid mass from top to bottom, but it will settle down alot and then the yeast root that stuff up like little hogs! They need that stuff to do their magic! I leave a little less then half a gallon in the kettle but after a few brews you will be able to tell the difference between the protein smudge and the solids and hop trub

I remember being a little concerned at first as well. It all mostly settles out in time, but there are things people can do to help the process:

• Whirlfloc/Irish Moss - I use it in just about every beer I brew, regardless of the color (even stouts and porters). It'll help coagulate and drop things in the kettle so that even less is left behind.
• Whirlpool - Giving the wort a nice swirl will help settle the hops into a cone in the middle of the kettle.
• Time - Give the wort at least 15 minutes or more to settle out once it's cooled.
• Hop spiders/hop sacks - They might reduce hop utilization a bit (although I haven't noticed much if any with my hop spider), but it keeps the hops out of the bottom of the kettle, leaving more room for other trub to drop. I think I only use my hop spider on about 25% of my brews now.
• Mesh Strainer - I don't use one very often and depending on how much trub, they can be a pain in the ass, but it'll help filter out hops and trub during transfer to the fermenter
• Cold crashing - I mainly do this with dry hopped beers to drop the hops out of suspension and with less flocculant strains of yeast to help drop yeast out of suspension and create a more compacted cake in the fermenter before packaging. A lot of people will use gelatin finings as well, but I have never bothered.
• More time - Beer in kegs and bottles both will clear up with enough time.

Grain crush can also play a role. If you crush finer (as a lot of people do with BIAB) then you could end up with more stuff in your wort. I personally don't like my crush too fine, but that's my preference. I still have decent efficiency. Honestly though, the extra trub is unlikely to have any major impact in the finished product. A smaller percentage of kettle losses can technically increase your IBU, but with my equipment I have not noticed a big difference.

 

[Wrathchild]

I remember being a little concerned at first as well. It all mostly settles out in time, but there are things people can do to help the process:

• Whirlfloc/Irish Moss - I use it in just about every beer I brew, regardless of the color (even stouts and porters). It'll help coagulate and drop things in the kettle so that even less is left behind.
• Whirlpool - Giving the wort a nice swirl will help settle the hops into a cone in the middle of the kettle.
• Time - Give the wort at least 15 minutes or more to settle out once it's cooled.
• Hop spiders/hop sacks - They might reduce hop utilization a bit (although I haven't noticed much if any with my hop spider), but it keeps the hops out of the bottom of the kettle, leaving more room for other trub to drop. I think I only use my hop spider on about 25% of my brews now.
• Mesh Strainer - I don't use one very often and depending on how much trub, they can be a pain in the ass, but it'll help filter out hops and trub during transfer to the fermenter
• Cold crashing - I mainly do this with dry hopped beers to drop the hops out of suspension and with less flocculant strains of yeast to help drop yeast out of suspension and create a more compacted cake in the fermenter before packaging. A lot of people will use gelatin finings as well, but I have never bothered.
• More time - Beer in kegs and bottles both will clear up with enough time.

Grain crush can also play a role. If you crush finer (as a lot of people do with BIAB) then you could end up with more stuff in your wort. I personally don't like my crush too fine, but that's my preference. I still have decent efficiency. Honestly though, the extra trub is unlikely to have any major impact in the finished product. A smaller percentage of kettle losses can technically increase your IBU, but with my equipment I have not noticed a big difference.

Yeah man I know of these methods and honestly I don't worry about it too much anymore. I just bottled my 15th all grain and the past 4-5 have been super dialed in down to the exact amount of bottles. Some luck there too I would guess. My 2 new hang ups are gonna be cold crashing as I am very very primitive in my gear. I cool the kettle in an ice bath or if it's cold outside I'll let it cool naturally. Ive never had a bug yet. I recently wanted to cold crash outside cause its cold now but I'm learning of suck back and it scared me so I didn't do it. Truth told the beer tastes the same a little cloudy as it does clear, it's just an appearance thing. My 2nd hang up is attenuation. I've got the calculations down and am regularly hitting my SG and OG within an point or two either way. Its my FG that's the problem. I did a beer with verdant Ipa from lallamand and it's only suppose to be about a 73 or 75% attenuation and I ended up with more like 83-85%. I know a higher mash temperature will give me a little less fermentable sugars but once again, I get a little scary doing that. I dont care for super sweet beer and I've messed this up several times in the past by mashing too high and under hopping. Its my fine tuning skills that need work cause I got the process down and understand it a great bit now. I also haven't brewed with enough different style grains to know what they taste like. That's a big key to making your own recipe, the flavor of the grains. Ive also learned higher abv sounds good on paper but not in the glass

 

[thomer]

One thing that freaked me out when I did my first all grain brew was the amount of smudge that goes into the fermenter from the boil kettle.

I remember being a little concerned at first as well. It all mostly settles out in time, but there are things people can do to help the process:

Thanks. The timing of those responses were perfect. While I hit my pH and OG, I was shocked to see that the wort in the carboy has a kind of whitish color to it. I was wondering if I had done something wrong. But maybe as you say, I just need to give it time. Also great suggestions on helping the proces next time.

 

[TestTickle]

Yeah man I know of these methods and honestly I don't worry about it too much anymore. I just bottled my 15th all grain and the past 4-5 have been super dialed in down to the exact amount of bottles. Some luck there too I would guess. My 2 new hang ups are gonna be cold crashing as I am very very primitive in my gear. I cool the kettle in an ice bath or if it's cold outside I'll let it cool naturally. Ive never had a bug yet. I recently wanted to cold crash outside cause its cold now but I'm learning of suck back and it scared me so I didn't do it. Truth told the beer tastes the same a little cloudy as it does clear, it's just an appearance thing. My 2nd hang up is attenuation. I've got the calculations down and am regularly hitting my SG and OG within an point or two either way. Its my FG that's the problem. I did a beer with verdant Ipa from lallamand and it's only suppose to be about a 73 or 75% attenuation and I ended up with more like 83-85%. I know a higher mash temperature will give me a little less fermentable sugars but once again, I get a little scary doing that. I dont care for super sweet beer and I've messed this up several times in the past by mashing too high and under hopping. Its my fine tuning skills that need work cause I got the process down and understand it a great bit now. I also haven't brewed with enough different style grains to know what they taste like. That's a big key to making your own recipe, the flavor of the grains. Ive also learned higher abv sounds good on paper but not in the glass

You are right (IMHO) that clear vs. hazy is mostly an appearance thing. I brew clearer beer now than I did when I first got into all grain, but the quality otherwise is largely the same.

Regarding cold crashing, if you ever do find a need to do it, there are options. If you use an S type airlock, liquid won’t be sucked back, but some amount of O2 can. I’ll be honest, I have done a lot of cold crashing and never had a real issue with oxidation. Could be that the beer didn’t sit around long enough for it to be a problem, but it’s not been a problem. I mostly keg now, but my bottling setup includes a bottling bucket with a spigot and dip tube with a small piece of mesh wrapped over the dip tube to keep hop particles out of the bottles.

There are a few other options for cold crashing that don’t allow O2 to be sucked in…one being a mylar balloon or something similar that is used in place or or in conjunction with an airlock that captures the CO2 during fermentation. Then when you cold crash, CO2 gets sucked back in instead. Someone sells one called the Cold Crash Guardian that includes a bag, a shut off valve and a check valve. I think it’s from Brewhardware.com? I have one and it works well.

Another option is a CO2 harvester which is two Ball jars with special lids and some tubing. This option works, but depending on your setup it can be a pain to move things around because it’s two jars and your fermenter that have to be moved. I have this setup as well, but I found a small wood box that I can hang on my fermenter so I can move everything at once (like in and out of my fermentation fridge).

You can see some options here - 7 Methods For Reducing Cold-Side Oxidation When Brewing Beer

Regarding attenuation, I have not used that particular yeast, but from what I know, it’s not uncommon for it to attenuate in the 80%+ range. Lallemand doesn’t appear to give a range like other manufacturers do (or at least I have not seen it) but rather use low, medium and high to specify attenuation. Are you experiencing higher attenuation for other strains/brands of yeast as well? Most of the yeast I use is within the range they show in their specs, but some yeast is more sensitive or adaptive to its environment than others and can over or under attenuate.

 

[Wrathchild]

Thanks. The timing of those responses were perfect. While I hit my pH and OG, I was shocked to see that the wort in the carboy has a kind of whitish color to it. I was wondering if I had done something wrong. But maybe as you say, I just need to give it time. Also great suggestions on helping the proces next time.

It changes color several times pending on the grain bill! Im super excited for you and I remember the first brew and the anxiety that comes with it. Alot of my lighter or golden colored worts end up looking like a peanut butter milkshake while strong fermentation is happening. Im actually getting back into fermentation in buckets for ease. I love to watch glass carboys work and im a habitual airlock sniffer!!! While your not looking at it make sure to keep it in the dark as dark as you can. From here on out uv light is gonna be a big enemy

 

[TestTickle]

Thanks. The timing of those responses were perfect. While I hit my pH and OG, I was shocked to see that the wort in the carboy has a kind of whitish color to it. I was wondering if I had done something wrong. But maybe as you say, I just need to give it time. Also great suggestions on helping the proces next time.

I can’t stress patience enough for any brewer. I could list quite a few things that improved my beer over the years, but patience has to be at the top of that list.

I won’t lie, I still want to (and often do) sample beer before it’s ready, but now I know that the beer is going to be even better the next time I sample it.

 

[Wrathchild]

You are right (IMHO) that clear vs. hazy is mostly an appearance thing. I brew clearer beer now than I did when I first got into all grain, but the quality otherwise is largely the same.

Regarding cold crashing, if you ever do find a need to do it, there are options. If you use an S type airlock, liquid won’t be sucked back, but some amount of O2 can. I’ll be honest, I have done a lot of cold crashing and never had a real issue with oxidation. Could be that the beer didn’t sit around long enough for it to be a problem, but it’s not been a problem. I mostly keg now, but my bottling setup includes a bottling bucket with a spigot and dip tube with a small piece of mesh wrapped over the dip tube to keep hop particles out of the bottles.

There are a few other options for cold crashing that don’t allow O2 to be sucked in…one being a mylar balloon or something similar that is used in place or or in conjunction with an airlock that captures the CO2 during fermentation. Then when you cold crash, CO2 gets sucked back in instead. Someone sells one called the Cold Crash Guardian that includes a bag, a shut off valve and a check valve. I think it’s from Brewhardware.com? I have one and it works well.

Another option is a CO2 harvester which is two Ball jars with special lids and some tubing. This option works, but depending on your setup it can be a pain to move things around because it’s two jars and your fermenter that have to be moved. I have this setup as well, but I found a small wood box that I can hang on my fermenter so I can move everything at once (like in and out of my fermentation fridge).

You can see some options here - 7 Methods For Reducing Cold-Side Oxidation When Brewing Beer

Regarding attenuation, I have not used that particular yeast, but from what I know, it’s not uncommon for it to attenuate in the 80%+ range. Lallemand doesn’t appear to give a range like other manufacturers do (or at least I have not seen it) but rather use low, medium and high to specify attenuation. Are you experiencing higher attenuation for other strains/brands of yeast as well? Most of the yeast I use is within the range they show in their specs, but some yeast is more sensitive or adaptive to its environment than others and can over or under attenuate.

I've read all those things and methods with balloons and such but like I said man, I'm primitive and don't use co2 at all. Yet. I just had an English ale that was estimated to have an OG of 1.061 and I hit 1.063. I used us04 dry pitch and calculators called for a FG of 1.017 and that would be upper 5s% but it finished at 1.009 so now it's closer to 7%. Tomorrow will be 10 days in the bottle so im gonna pop one and see what we got. Still young but I can't wait! Hope the higher abv doesn't hurt the flavor. It was 8lbs marris otter and 5lbs of redX bittered to about 35 ibu with magnum and finished off at whirlpool with 2oz fuggles. When bottling it had the freshest grain taste I think I've ever tasted at bottling so im still super excited but it overshot the FG. Again. Called for an hour mash at 148 so I started at 150 and lost 6 degrees over an hour but that still didn't leave enough long chain sugars and it attenuated too far. I'll figure it out one day. Biab conversions the way I do it full volume always hit close to 80% so I have no problems in that department

 

[Wrathchild]

I can’t stress patience enough for any brewer. I could list quite a few things that improved my beer over the years, but patience has to be at the top of that list.

I won’t lie, I still want to (and often do) sample beer before it’s ready, but now I know that the beer is going to be even better the next time I sample it.

Guilty too! I may try a neipa for quick drinking but I'm not totally sold on juicy fruity ipas yet. I love bitter west coast piney malty ipas!

 

[TestTickle]

I've read all those things and methods with balloons and such but like I said man, I'm primitive and don't use co2 at all. Yet. I just had an English ale that was estimated to have an OG of 1.061 and I hit 1.063. I used us04 dry pitch and calculators called for a FG of 1.017 and that would be upper 5s% but it finished at 1.009 so now it's closer to 7%. Tomorrow will be 10 days in the bottle so im gonna pop one and see what we got. Still young but I can't wait! Hope the higher abv doesn't hurt the flavor. It was 8lbs marris otter and 5lbs of redX bittered to about 35 ibu with magnum and finished off at whirlpool with 2oz fuggles. When bottling it had the freshest grain taste I think I've ever tasted at bottling so im still super excited but it overshot the FG. Again. Called for an hour mash at 148 so I started at 150 and lost 6 degrees over an hour but that still didn't leave enough long chain sugars and it attenuated too far. I'll figure it out one day. Biab conversions the way I do it full volume always hit close to 80% so I have no problems in that department

S-04 can be funny for me. In IPA’s, it usually finishes fine. In stouts, it almost ALWAYS under attenuates. I kind of gave up on it, but I probably should go back and figure out what’s up.

Out of curiosity, and pardon me if it’s a stupid question, but have you checked your thermometer?

 

[TestTickle]

Guilty too! I may try a neipa for quick drinking but I'm not totally sold on juicy fruity ipas yet. I love bitter west coast piney malty ipas!

Amen, brother. I’m not a big fan of hazy/juicy IPA’s. Don’t get me wrong, I have had a few that I enjoyed, but I’m not into the hype.

I have brewed a few that came out great. As a challenge to myself, I even bottled a couple because so many people insisted that it can’t be done without oxidation, but even after a couple months in the bottle they looked and tasted great.

But yeah, give me a west coast IPA any day. In fact, I just finished a DIPA!

 

[Wrathchild]

S-04 can be funny for me. In IPA’s, it usually finishes fine. In stouts, it almost ALWAYS under attenuates. I kind of gave up on it, but I probably should go back and figure out what’s up.

Out of curiosity, and pardon me if it’s a stupid question, but have you checked your thermometer?

Do you mean the fermentation temperature? If that's what you mean, im always a little high due to no control and I always thought I was good cause I have places in my house that I can get just about mid range of the yeast I'm using but I got a tilt and that tells the tale. Fermentation usually goes a few degrees over recommended temps but nothing extreme. Maybe 5 degrees to the max so there is that and I suppose it could be to blame for over attenuation but I doubt it. Might affect flavor slightly but I've only had one brew I couldn't drink and it was a kolsch attempt. Smelled like a port a potty and was very very sweet even attenuated down to 1.006

 

[Wrathchild]

Amen, brother. I’m not a big fan of hazy/juicy IPA’s. Don’t get me wrong, I have had a few that I enjoyed, but I’m not into the hype.

I have brewed a few that came out great. As a challenge to myself, I even bottled a couple because so many people insisted that it can’t be done without oxidation, but even after a couple months in the bottle they looked and tasted great.

But yeah, give me a west coast IPA any day. In fact, I just finished a DIPA!

Hells yes brother! I see the steelers icon, are you im PA? I'm down in Maryland outside of Baltimore and there is a brewer called monument city and they have a rye ipa that I've been addicted to for the past year and a half. It's called 51 rye and claims to have 51%rye in the bill. Its bitter as hell and piney with oddly a smell and hint of pineapple that I absolutely dig! Its not fruity past the nose and is balanced with rye spice to sweet. If you can ever get ahold of one I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Monument city is out of Baltimore also

 

[TestTickle]

Do you mean the fermentation temperature? If that's what you mean, im always a little high due to no control and I always thought I was good cause I have places in my house that I can get just about mid range of the yeast I'm using but I got a tilt and that tells the tale. Fermentation usually goes a few degrees over recommended temps but nothing extreme. Maybe 5 degrees to the max so there is that and I suppose it could be to blame for over attenuation but I doubt it. Might affect flavor slightly but I've only had one brew I couldn't drink and it was a kolsch attempt. Smelled like a port a potty and was very very sweet even attenuated down to 1.006

I was referring to the mash temp, but your fermentation temps could be the answer to your higher than expected attenuation.

 

[TestTickle]

Hells yes brother! I see the steelers icon, are you im PA? I'm down in Maryland outside of Baltimore and there is a brewer called monument city and they have a rye ipa that I've been addicted to for the past year and a half. It's called 51 rye and claims to have 51%rye in the bill. Its bitter as hell and piney with oddly a smell and hint of pineapple that I absolutely dig! Its not fruity past the nose and is balanced with rye spice to sweet. If you can ever get ahold of one I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Monument city is out of Baltimore also

I’m actually in Northwest Indiana (about an hour from Chicago). I became a Steelers fan back in the 70’s because we didn’t get Chicago TV stations and saw more Steelers games at the time than Bears games. I’m thankful every year that I am bot a Bears fan, lol.

That beer sounds great. I have had a few with more rye than I would ever use, but they have all been really good! Goes to show that following “rules” just holds us back from greatness!

 

[Wrathchild]

I was referring to the mash temp, but your fermentation temps could be the answer to your higher than expected attenuation.

I usually run her up to about 156-157 and add the bag and dough in. I'll stir till 150 or 149 and cap. I'll wrap towels and blankets around it with a bungie strap and soak. I'll stir every 15 mins. I rarely get below 145 in an hour. I've never had to pull the bag and reheat