Thick Mash with BIAB

[Hwk-I-St8]

I am planning to brew an ordinary bitter for a local comp where we're limited to sub 3.5% ABV. In reading about the style and brewing tips, one recommendation to help get more body in this relatively light beer was to mash thick. If I'm brewing BIAB, the only way I can think of to do that is to mash with less than full volume and then sparge.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Heat full volume in my kettle to strike temp, then drain off all but the desired volume for the mash. I have a 5 gallon round drink cooler, I'd probably drain into that.

Then dough in, mash as usual, and lift bag out. Then I could dunk sparge in the cooler, lift the bag out of that and drain that into the kettle for the boil.

Thoughts? Is is worth it? I already plan to mash at a higher temp (probably around 156-157)...would that and a mash out step with full volume suffice?

 

[wilserbrewer]

While mash temp and mash thickness are relevant here, I think grain selection and yeast choice should be the focal point. Jmo

And while you can certainly heat your full volume of water and save some for the sparge, some find it much easier to just cold sparge .... works well

Upside of hot sparging is it will take less time to heat to boil, other than that not much difference, and cold sparging is easy lazy man way

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I have floor malted Maris otter. I have to heat the water eventually regardless, so not sure which is easier.

Going to add 1/2lbs of dextrine too.

 

[madscientist451]

I am planning to brew an ordinary bitter for a local comp where we're limited to sub 3.5% ABV. In reading about the style and brewing tips, one recommendation to help get more body in this relatively light beer was to mash thick.

Where did that recommendation come from? If you want more body in your beer, mash thickness isn't the first thing I would think of.
Try using some oat or rye malt?
Here's a 1943 mild recipe that used some oats:
(source: https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum/threads/oats-in-an-ordinary-bitter.7588/)
mild malt 4.25 lb (sub with pale malt)
amber malt 0.67 lb
crystal malt 60 L 0.50 lb
flaked oats 0.75 lb
malted oats 0.25 lb
No. 3 invert sugar 0.50 lb (sub with Golden Syrup or pale malt)
caramel 0.06 lb (ignore)
Fuggles 60 mins 0.75 oz
Fuggles 30 mins 0.50 oz
Goldings 15 mins 0.50 oz
OG 1031.4
FG 1008
ABV 3.10
IBU 24
SRM 13 (colour will be paler if not using No.3 invert or caremel colouring)
Mash at 150º F

 

[McKnuckle]

Ordinary bitter under 3.5% is a classic British style. So why not brew it like a British brewery, not like an American homebrewer?

Torrified wheat in the grist, along with some U.K. crystal malt. Gypsum in the mash water to achieve SO4 > 100 ppm. A single infusion mash near 150°F (yep, not a high temp). Generous English whirlpool hops. Moderate attenuation with a yeast that produces malty character like WY1469.

I think these will make a more representative bitter than hacks like maltodextrin to boost body. You just don’t need it.

Check out the epic thread on English recipes and brewing techniques here on HBT.

 

[bgmac]

Mash thickness does not change body. Its all about mash temp. Your intended mash temp will give the beer more body since there will be more long chain unfermentable sugars since its on the higher side. The dextrin will also add body. You might end up with a beer that leaves a sticky sugar feel on your lips.

Best sparge method would be to save some of the volume on the side and heat it up to 168ish. Find a way to suspend the bag over the boil kettle like in a large spaghetti strainer or something. Then do a nice slow hot sparge while the kettle is heating up to boil. Let it drip dry for a long time into the boil kettle while it heats up to boil until you reach your pre boil volume.