Water for mash

[Cata_rebel]

Hi
I'm doing biab in the keggle whit electric controntrol full time circulation I have high efficiency most of the time
Now I want to jump from 5.5 gal to 11gal
In this situation I can't used all the water I need according whit calculator at the time of mashing
I was thinking to mash whit less water and add the rest I need before boil after I pull the grains out
Any advice ? Is this good idea? Is this going to change the efficiency? How much water to start whit for 20 -24 lbs of grains?
Or should I stick whit 5 gal batches?

Thanks in advance

 

[soccerdad]

I would do a dunk sparge with RO water. You will get space in the kettle when you pull the bag. Drop the bag in a bucket with a gallon of water and give it 5 min. Than add that water back to the kettle.

 

[RM-MN]

If you have a way to hang the bag over the keggle, you can do a sparge by just pouring water over the hanging bag of grain. If you do this or the dunk sparge your efficiency will go up. If you simply add water you are diluting the beer and efficiency goes down.

 

[Cata_rebel]

Usually I pull the bag out whit hoist on the top of keggle and the I squeeze as much I can out of It

 

[Cata_rebel]

Usually I pull the bag out whit hoist on the top of keggle and the I squeeze as much I can out of It

I mash out at 168

 

[Cata_rebel]

I mash out at 168

I forgot to mention :
5 gal batches I do whit full amount of water. Mash at 149-152 and mash out 168
If I want to do 11 gal batche I can't have full amount of water because the keggle is 15.5 gal until the bag of grains is out

 

[RM-MN]

Since you have a hoist to hold the bag up, the pour over sparge is the way to go. Pull the bag and let it drain for a minute or so, look at what amount of wort you have in the keggle, then measure out the amount of water you still need to bring the wort to your pre-boil amount and pour it over the hanging bag. You can be heating the keggle at the same time if it is safe to you, don't catch your clothes on fire doing it. By doing it this way you don't need to do a mash out. Actually, any way you do your BIAB you don't need to mash out. That is only important for those using a conventional mash tun and even then only if fly sparging and conversion is not complete.

 

[LittleRiver]

I've found this to be an effective and easy sequence for doing a BIAB session that includes a sparge:

• Mash with 50% of your total water.
• Drain that into a bucket, leaving the bag and grains in place.
• Add the other 50% of the water to the grains and stir thoroughly.
• Hoist the bag. Fire the heat for the boil.
• Pour the contents of the bucket into the kettle.
• Let gravity completely drain the bag into the kettle during the boil.