Next Step In Continued Improvement

[GPP33]

IME the LHBS doesn't set their mill gap with the intent to sell a few more ounces of grain, they set their mill gap to ensure that those using it mitigate the risk of a stuck sparge.

Note that despite it being repeatedly parroted here on HBT, that 4oz - 8oz of added grain per customer due to a .035" crush @ ~$0.10/oz is hardly a profit margin success plan for the LHBS

This is probably more accurate. I have two LHBS and both do a fine job, if I think it’s a little coarse I’ll run it through again. Personally I’m probably 500 batches out before I’d save $100 on a slightly finer crush. Not with it for my situation.

 

[Lefou]

Almost every LHBS has a mill, and they ALL set the gap WAY too wide so they can sell more grain since the poor crush results in poor efficiency, which makes them more money. Short term, use the blender. Long term, get your own mill and set it they way it should be set.

+1 on the blender. It works especially well for wheat.
Wheat doesn't have a husk, so you can literally turn it to flour. Unkilned, low Lovibond wheat malt typically has a high enzyme content so it will contribute to higher mash conversion efficiencies if you get your mash temperature dead-on.
When using wheat in BIAB brews like this , it tends to convert quickly, but get a good "hot break" during the boil and be careful not to use too much wheat in a thick mash - it can thicken the mash and make draining wort troublesome.

 

[Lefou]

Note that despite it being repeatedly parroted here on HBT, that 4oz - 8oz of added grain per customer due to a .035" crush @ ~$0.10/oz is hardly a profit margin success plan for the LHBS

I agree. Cheers

One of the brewshops I frequent typically gave me poorly crushed grains. To put it mildly, my mash efficiency sucked until I figured things out and people here gave me the bright idea to fix the issue - I'm too cheap to get a mill, but I CAN steal and utilize an old beaten up blender we've used for years.
Was the LBHS I mentioned using the same mill to do their customer "onsite brewing" with grain?
Maybe, but their profit margin went up and many of the customers brewing onsite used extract for 15 gallon batches fermented in-house.
Where there's a will, there's always a way. As a low frills seasonal brewer I will snatch pennies if I can.

 

[divrack]

You simply must go full lodo!

 

[Lefou]

LMAO

 

[Transamguy77]

I’m going to eco what Brewtalica said, I started AG with a 7.5 gallon kettle and BIAB also and made 5 gallon batches.

I just started with 5 gallons in the kettle and rinsed with 2 more gallons in a 5 gallon pot the pulled, drained and squeezed then added that to the kettle after some boil off. Worked great.

And as far as temp control I would just get a full size fridge with a temp controller then when your not fermenting you can use it to store your finished beer or turn it into a kegerator at a later time.

I personally feel a wort chiller is a valuable tool in saving time and the added safety of not moving a pot with 5 gallons of boiling liquid on a brew day.

 

[mongoose33]

My favorite approach: continuous quality improvement.

Keep doing it and you'll like where you end up.

 

[Asator]

I’m going to eco what Brewtalica said, I started AG with a 7.5 gallon kettle and BIAB also and made 5 gallon batches.

I just started with 5 gallons in the kettle and rinsed with 2 more gallons in a 5 gallon pot the pulled, drained and squeezed then added that to the kettle after some boil off. Worked great.

So for a five gallon brew, you start with 5 gallons in your large kettle, then heat the two gallons in a second container, then pour over the bag of grains after the you mash for however long at the appropriate temp. Then pull the bag, let it drain/squeeze it into the secondary pot, and add that after the water level will allow it?

I'm sorry if I seem dense!

 

[Brewtallica]

I can't comment on Transamguy77's process put I use this calculator...
https://pricelessbrewing.github.io/BiabCalc/#Advanced
After entering all pertinent data, you can see how much volume you mash before sparge. It's a bit of a learning curve, but it will tell you how hot to get your strike water if you set the desired mash temp. Depending upon how much grain you have, you can adjust the mash thickness to get you mash to fit in your kettle. Then, it will tell you how much sparge water. Once you mess with it and get volumes in range you will heat you sparge water, put the bag in, stir in grains, mash for 1 hr (or however long you want), pull bag, pour sparge water over grains (I set my bag inside a colander that fits on top of my kettle), squeeze and drain into kettle, start the boil and the rest is same as an extract batch. If I do a moderate squeeze I only lose about .08 gal/lbs of grain. You will have to do a test batch to see what your loss rates are. I hope that cleared things up a bit. Cheers

 

[Transamguy77]

So for a five gallon brew, you start with 5 gallons in your large kettle, then heat the two gallons in a second container, then pour over the bag of grains after the you mash for however long at the appropriate temp. Then pull the bag, let it drain/squeeze it into the secondary pot, and add that after the water level will allow it?

I'm sorry if I seem dense!

Yes that’s it for the most part, I would “dunk” sparge in the other 5 gallon pot and then take that runnings and add it back.

There are calculators online but I like to keep things simple and once you are familiar with your system and take good notes you’ll know that with x pound of grain you will add x gallons of water.

I would add back the “runnings” usually after the first hot break because it usually won’t foam up as much as it comes back up to the boil.

 

[PADave]

No matter how you make your wort, weather it be extract, BIAB, traditional mash tun, etc. if you don't have good control of fermentation temps., you are not going to make good beer. Focus on that first. If your basement is 72, your beer is fermenting in the high 70's and that is way too high for most ale yeasts.

 

[Asator]

No matter how you make your wort, weather it be extract, BIAB, traditional mash tun, etc. if you don't have good control of fermentation temps., you are not going to make good beer. Focus on that first. If your basement is 72, your beer is fermenting in the high 70's and that is way too high for most ale yeasts.

On each of the different Wyeast strains I've bought so far, I've used the data from their website. For my Saison, for example, this is what Wyeast provides:
Wyeast #3711
Flocculation: Low
Attenuation: 77-83
Temp Range: 65-77
ABV: 12%

Here's what is listed for the yeast for my wheat beer:
Wyeast #1010
Flocculation: Low
Attenuation: 74-78
Temp Range: 58-74
ABV: 10%

If your basement is 72, your beer is fermenting in the high 70's and that is way too high for most ale yeasts.

Once again, sorry if I'm dense, but if my basement is around 72, which must be high, why is my beer fermenting in the high 70s?

Both of my current yeasts say my ferm temp is within the range provided.

Here is my big question, is the ideal fermentation temperature in the middle of the two temps provided? For my Saison, should it be at 71? For the wheat beer, should it be at 66?

I keep reading that temperature control is the #1 thing I could do to help the quality of my beer. What temp am I shooting for? The middle of the yeast's range? What my kit says? Thanks in advance.

 

[LittleRiver]

if my basement is around 72, which must be high, why is my beer fermenting in the high 70s?

Fermentation is exothermic, it produces heat. This is especially true during the early active stage.

What temp am I shooting for? The middle of the yeast's range?

Initially I go for the lower end of the range. When fermentation has slowed down (usually indicated by the krausen falling into the beer) I ramp the temp up to the upper end of the range, to help the yeast stay active and finish up.

 

[Asator]

Fermentation is exothermic, it produces heat. This is especially true during the early active stage.



Initially I go for the lower end of the range. When fermentation has slowed down (usually indicated by the krausen falling into the beer) I ramp the temp up to the upper end of the range, to help the yeast stay active and finish up.

LittleRiver, you keep coming through for me. Thanks very much