Newbie wanting to BIAB

[mcfarlandp]

Ok,

I want to give BIAB a try and I want to see if I fully understand some of the basics:

I want to end up with 5 gallons of Beer so, To calculate the full amount of water needed I would start out with 5gal add approx 1.5 gal for grain absorption(assuming 1.25qts/lb) add approx 1 gal for boil off (assuming 15%). So, am I correct in assuming my total pre-boil water will be 7.5 gallons? I understand the absorption and boil off rates may vary, I just used those as starting points. Wondering if I am in the ball park?

 

[jbrookeiv]

Here's a spreadsheet I build to calculate the levels. Download it and plug in your info.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0As9bTChP9niAdGZsZ2hyT0Z0eGZaaEI4c0J0bm1OUnc&hl=en

 

[RM-MN]

When you brew in a bag, at the end of the mash you can squeeze out much of the water the grain absorbed so you won't lose as much that way.

 

[ShakerD]

Ok,

I want to give BIAB a try and I want to see if I fully understand some of the basics:

I want to end up with 5 gallons of Beer so, To calculate the full amount of water needed I would start out with 5gal add approx 1.5 gal for grain absorption(assuming 1.25qts/lb) add approx 1 gal for boil off (assuming 15%). So, am I correct in assuming my total pre-boil water will be 7.5 gallons? I understand the absorption and boil off rates may vary, I just used those as starting points. Wondering if I am in the ball park?

I would say you are close.

The easiest way to end with the correct amount is mark what you want your final volume to be on your stir paddle before you start

and just top up with boiled water right before you chill.

cheers

 

[Seven]

I'm planning a BIAB session soon and I have the same questions about starting water volumes... I'm guessing the grains will absorb a large amount of water so I'll need to compensate for that. But I don't want to start with too much water either because this may have negative effects also?

I'm planning to start with around 7-gals of water for a 5-gal batch. Roughly 1-gal will be lost when the soaked grains are removed from the kettle and another 1-gal will be boiled off during the 60-min boil.

I've never done BIAB though so these are only wild guesses at this point.

 

[Atvar]

Absorption loss will change depending on whether you let the bag drip drain for a while, not at all, or squeeze the heck out of it. With extreme squeezing, I think you can max out around only 0.05 gallons lost per lb of grain.

I've personally been using 7 gallons of water to start, squeezing, and ending up with over 5 gallons in the fermenter and 5-5.25 gallons bottled. I should add, thats for a standard 1.050 O.G. grain bill, give or take.

 

[gunner65]

Here's a spreadsheet I build to calculate the levels. Download it and plug in your info.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0As9bTChP9niAdGZsZ2hyT0Z0eGZaaEI4c0J0bm1OUnc&hl=en

Nice Spreadsheet! Thanks. I have been to lazy to put one together.

 

[kcweazle]

When you brew in a bag, at the end of the mash you can squeeze out much of the water the grain absorbed so you won't lose as much that way.

Isn't there a risk of extracting tannons by squeezing the bag? I know when I have done partial extract recipes with steeping grains they always say not to squeeze the bag after you are done steeping because of the risk of releasing unwanted tannons. I am still fairly new to this as I have only done about 8 partial extract brews and only 1 all-grain. If I am completely wrong on this please let me know.

 

[gunner65]

Isn't there a risk of extracting tannons by squeezing the bag? I know when I have done partial extract recipes with steeping grains they always say not to squeeze the bag after you are done steeping because of the risk of releasing unwanted tannons. I am still fairly new to this as I have only done about 8 partial extract brews and only 1 all-grain. If I am completely wrong on this please let me know.

With BIAB to squeaze or not squeaze has become a great debate, There are those that do and swear by it and those that dont and would not even think about it. I personally let mine drain over the kettle then transfer to a bucket with a colendar to finish draining pushing gently not squeazing. I was happy with results.

 

[ShakerD]

If you like Spreadsheets here is the spreadsheet I use(but didn't author). It allows you to adjust for a number of factors and also includes allowances for trub and other things.

I have the copy I use tweaked so that It matches my set up pretty accurately.

FOLLOW THIS LINK

That being said the easiest most simple way is still to mark a stick and just top up to the exact final volume you want.

Cheers

 

[crassostrea]

Can somebody direct me to where I can purchase a bag for this? I have been looking all over the web and can not find a pre-made bag.

 

[gunner65]

If you like Spreadsheets here is the spreadsheet I use(but didn't author). It allows you to adjust for a number of factors and also includes allowances for trub and other things.

I have the copy I use tweaked so that It matches my set up pretty accurately.

FOLLOW THIS LINK

That being said the easiest most simple way is still to mark a stick and just top up to the exact final volume you want.

Cheers

Thanks I already snagged that one from the BIABinfo site but I wanted a real simple english one for quick calculations. That one I will use to dial in.

 

[gunner65]

Can somebody direct me to where I can purchase a bag for this? I have been looking all over the web and can not find a pre-made bag.

Depends on your pot/batch size. Some people use the 5 gallon paint strainer bags from the hardware store. Austin Homebrew sells several different sizes. I use a keggle so my mother sewed me up a polyester bag made from swiss voile found at any fabric store. There really are no BIAB bags commercially available at this time that I know of.

 

[ShakerD]

Can somebody direct me to where I can purchase a bag for this? I have been looking all over the web and can not find a pre-made bag.

I have used a couple of different bags and Voile or Voille fabric worked the best for me.

I bought this off ebay and got it sown to the size I wanted. You can also get it at Walmart and off Amazon.

Cheers

 

[mtbiker278]

If you're handy you can sew up a bag with out much trouble. I sewed a bag out of a 68 inch curtain from Target for 5 bucks and bought some polyester draw string and thread from the craft store for a couple of bucks. All told it was about 10 bucks and about a half hour of labor. I doubled over the bag so the final dimensions were around 24 inches square when layed flat. Fits my 15 gal kettle just fine. I'm actually in the process of mashing with it now. Seems to be doing ok at the moment.

 

[RM-MN]

Isn't there a risk of extracting tannons by squeezing the bag? I know when I have done partial extract recipes with steeping grains they always say not to squeeze the bag after you are done steeping because of the risk of releasing unwanted tannons. I am still fairly new to this as I have only done about 8 partial extract brews and only 1 all-grain. If I am completely wrong on this please let me know.

From the reading I've been doing you have to have the grain hotter than what you can stand for squeezing and your pH has to be too high (or is it too low), which usually isn't a problem with brew in a bag because you have such a high amount of water for the process.