Yet another first BIAB thread

[ZmannR2]

Only been brewing about 8 months but I'm done with extract. I did 1 extract and about 6 mini mashes since then and I'm ready for that 'extracty' type flavor to go.

So I did a 5.25 gal batch in my 8 gallon pot because I'm still building my new 11 gal electric setup and I'm impatient to try my new "The Brew Bag" with the straps built in.

My calculations called for 7.25 gallons of strike water but I was only comfortable with starting with 6.5 in that pot. As you can see in the pic, I splashed out a little but only because while dunk sparging I did it a little too fast once. I never had any boil over.

In the end I only needed to add about 1/2 gallon of water to my fermenter to bring my final volume to the 5.25 I was aiming for.

My target OG was 1.051 and my actual was 1.054 due to me adding an "alcohol boost" from Austin Homebrew since I figured my efficiency would be a little low. In reality, it probably wouldn't have been that much lower, maybe 1.049ish?

My hanging method is a rope type tie down that self latches as you pull it up. Worked great!

My recipe was the AHS Texas Summer Blonde that is on sale all summer long for $15 plus 4 oz of Lemondrop hops for flavor, aroma, and dry hopping.

I'm hoping it turns out great. I am definitely sold on the bag method, just ready to switch to electric!

 

[bruhaha]

Good job! Once you move to AG, you'll never look back. If you have any extra DME left over, don't despair as you can use it to adjust final OG if you miss your target or to make starters for liquid yeasts.

If you add "top off" water, you may as well heat it to 170F and slowly pour it over your raised grain bag to get all you can out of your grains. At least this batch sparging technique may give you a bit more goodness out of the grains instead of simply topping off your water offering no extraction benefit.

Good luck on your electric kettle build, and congrats on joining the All Grain Club!

 

[ZmannR2]

Good idea.....I did squeeze the living hell out of the bag and let it hang there for the duration of the boil too. I need to think up a tool or method to be able to squeeze that bag better than by hand

 

[jwalk4]

Good idea.....I did squeeze the living hell out of the bag and let it hang there for the duration of the boil too. I need to think up a tool or method to be able to squeeze that bag better than by hand

Pot lid x 2

 

[rhys333]

Good idea.....I did squeeze the living hell out of the bag and let it hang there for the duration of the boil too. I need to think up a tool or method to be able to squeeze that bag better than by hand

I know a lot of folks say to go ahead and squeeze the bag, but I've stopped doing that. I find that it produces a strong astringent flavor in the beer.

 

[ZmannR2]

Lol, thats gonna open up a debate......well I wouldn't mind sparging with a gallon or so?

 

[rhys333]

Lol, thats gonna open up a debate......well I wouldn't mind sparging with a gallon or so?

Oh totally. I often do a dunk sparge and then leave it to drain. This gets me 75% efficiency and a clean product. I do find rinse sparging more effective though and gets me up to 80% or more, but I prefer the no hassle, no mess dunk most times. I squeezed maybe 5 ot 6 batches after hearing folks recommend it, but stopped due to getting consistently astringent beer. Ymmv of course.

 

[enkamania]

I need to think up a tool or method to be able to squeeze that bag better than by hand

What I do is put a refrigerator shelf over the pot and then use a pot lid to push down on the grain

 

[wilserbrewer]

You have the proper rope ratchet, suggest just letting the grain bag hang and drain over your kettle, this will produce equivalent wort volume compared to squeezing the bag and is soooo much easier.

 

[Bobby_M]

Oh totally. I often do a dunk sparge and then leave it to drain. This gets me 75% efficiency and a clean product. I do find rinse sparging more effective though and gets me up to 80% or more, but I prefer the no hassle, no mess dunk most times. I squeezed maybe 5 ot 6 batches after hearing folks recommend it, but stopped due to getting consistently astringent beer. Ymmv of course.

If you get astringency from squeezing, you're already getting it from soaking the husks in the mash. What that means is your mash pH is too high. Use some acid in the mash.

 

[rhys333]

If you get astringency from squeezing, you're already getting it from soaking the husks in the mash. What that means is your mash pH is too high. Use some acid in the mash.

I build from RO water with minerals and acidify the mash with lactic acid. pH is spot on.