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[Yeast Farmer]

Hi everybody, I'm just getting back into brewing again after taking almost 10 years off. I brewed several extract kits years ago, thought about getting into all grain but never made the jump. Then moved, and got busy with other projects, and never got the brewing stuff set back up again. But this past year, I started making 1 gallon batches of wine and cider from store-bought juice, and next thing I knew, I was thinking about making beer again. So now I'm getting ready to take the plunge into all grain. I plan to start with BIAB, and then build a cooler mash tun as my meagre budget allows. This looks like a good place to find answers to the various questions I come up with as I'm getting ready for my first all-grain brew.

 

[Kent88]

Welcome!

 

[IslandLizard]

And another welcome!

How large of batches are you planning to brew?

BIAB is a very good process. It really should have been called MAIB, as only the mashing/lautering part is done in a bag. There are some variations on the implementation, e.g., sparge/no-sparge, but everything else is all the same, whether you brew with 1 vessel, 2, or 3.

When I switched to all grain the (rectangular) cooler, (cvpc) "filter," (stainless) bulkhead and valve ran around $45 all in, and an evening to put it all together.

 

[Yeast Farmer]

And another welcome!

How large of batches are you planning to brew?

BIAB is a very good process. It really should have been called MAIB, as only the mashing/lautering part is done in a bag. There are some variations on the implementation, e.g., sparge/no-sparge, but everything else is all the same, whether you brew with 1 vessel, 2, or 3.

When I switched to all grain the (rectangular) cooler, (cvpc) "filter," (stainless) bulkhead and valve ran around $45 all in, and an evening to put it all together.

Thanks, IslandLizard. I'll stick with 5 gallon batches for a while, but after I put together a mash tun, my next move will probably be a bigger kettle for 10 gallon batches. Hopefully I'll be able to get a kegging setup at the same time, because dealing with 10 gallons worth of bottles sounds like a drag, lol.

I'd like to try BIAB at first, just because it's such a minimalist approach to doing all-grain. I'll probably try to boost my efficiency by moving the grain bag to a bucket and doing a half-assed batch sparge. Depending on how it works out, I might stick with BIAB for a while.

 

[DBhomebrew]

I'll probably try to boost my efficiency by moving the grain bag to a bucket and doing a half-assed batch sparge.

That's not half-assed at all. I BIAB with a single dunk sparge. Mash in the kettle, pull the bag, flame on, let it hang over the kettle until the stream becomes a slow drip (~30m). Move it to a bucket, dunk it, open the bag and give a quick thorough mix. Pull it, let it hang until the stream slows enough that I won't make a mess as I shift it to over the kettle again. Pour sparge water into kettle. Continue with the boil. Usually by the time I get to about 30m from the end of the boil the bag has dripped itself out.

My typical batch is ~3.75 gallons at 1.040-45. This type of batch gets ~90% mash efficiency.

I'll pepper in some stronger batches in the 1.060s. Those get ~80% mash efficiency.

Every once in a while I'll do a big beer at ~1.095. At this gravity the kettle maxes out during the mash and brings my final fermenter volume down to 3.6G. This batch will be a little north of 70% efficiency.

My numbers match predictive models built for a single batch sparge. BIAB, converted cooler, shiny stainless. The grain and water don't care.

Depending on how it works out, I might stick with BIAB for a while.

One day I might upgrade to a bigger kettle and bigger bag.

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome back to the hobby, and to the group, from Colorado

I BIAB 90% of the time, love it.

 

[T Murph]

Welcome back Yeast Farmer from FL/Al duel state brewer. I'm back to 5 gal or smaller batches as I don't have enough help drinking more than that before I get tired of it. But if I can offer one piece of advise, go straight to kegging. I haven't bottled a beer since 2000. You'll save yourself a boatload work, frustration and time. Make the investment into kegging and you'll never look back. Except of course unless you want to enter competitions. I don't even do that anymore and I was a certified BJCP Judge. I know what my friends and I like and that's what I brew.

I even take sixtels on the road as I have refrigeration available in both states and my RV.

Happy brewing.

 

[Yeast Farmer]

Welcome back Yeast Farmer from FL/Al duel state brewer. I'm back to 5 gal or smaller batches as I don't have enough help drinking more than that before I get tired of it. But if I can offer one piece of advise, go straight to kegging. I haven't bottled a beer since 2000. You'll save yourself a boatload work, frustration and time. Make the investment into kegging and you'll never look back. Except of course unless you want to enter competitions. I don't even do that anymore and I was a certified BJCP Judge. I know what my friends and I like and that's what I brew.

I even take sixtels on the road as I have refrigeration available in both states and my RV.

Happy brewing.

I was considering jumping straight into kegging, since bottling was really a drag back when I was doing extract brews, but I got overwhelmed by the options available and the cost of the equipment. I bottled my first all-grain batch yesterday, with the help of some new gadgets that I didn't have before: A "vinator" type bottle sanitizer, and a bottle draining rack. They both went a long way towards making bottling faster and easier.

 

[balrog]

Kegging is really nice, but you need the kegs and CO2 and some place/way to chill them.
Bottling is more time consuming but easier to chill a few, and share. And while you can bottle from the keg, it takes a little effort and practice.
Kegs are also fun to put floating dip tubes in and actually ferment in, and under pressure even at the end to self carbonate, so that's something to consider as well.
There's a million ways to do everything and you'll find what's best for you.
Re: original post BIAB and sparge, one more data point, I keep it as simple as possible and BIAB, drip 10-15m while bringing to boil, and call it done, no squeeze, no fuss. And if you do it the same every time, you get your system's expected volumes and efficiencies within a batch or 2 (watch out the first time you do a high wheat beer as efficiency can suffer, and watch out the first time you try to use a lot of oatmeal as draining can be a pain).
But welcome back and have a blast. It's a great hobby.