Brewing Techniques - BIAB etc.

[Crusader-Rob]

http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/recipe-advice-thread?c...

As an interesting discussion broke out regarding Mashing Techniques, I figured this could make a good separate thread.

My process is BIAB, no sparging, making the day of brewing that bit shorter. I use a 50 Litre pot, to mash, and boil in. for standard 20L batches.

I keep the temp consistent by using 2x Camping mats from Kmart at $10 each, and wrap up using bungy cords. normally lose maybe 2 degrees C after an hour mash time. (I brew in the morning too, so its cooler.)

[David R]

Cheers Rob, interested to hear how others go too. I like Ralphs idea of suspending the bag above the pot and letting it drain completely during the boil. I really need to get a bigger pot, my 18L one just doesn't cut it!

[Peter Smith]

See my posted photos for setup, good for 22L and 44L batches,

Since I went to full volume BIAB and a mashout heat to 75C  I have got much better numbers

also since I got my own mill I think I am grinding a finer grist,   also started using aciduated malt for ph

balance, that probably helps numbers as well.     You only have to taste 1 grain of that to know why its so named, I taste every grain that goes into the mill and try top take good notes.  I use Beersmith, its v v good. damn near perfect predictor of OG numbers.

[Crusader-Rob]

Definitely interested to see the processes of other people too, pick up some tips hints and tricks for making even better beer.

I do something similar david, i have a pulley setup in the garage to lift off the bottom for mash out, and a hook for draining permanently attached, and let it drip out into a clean bucket for awhile, tip this extra volume into the pot, preboil.

Wow, 18 Litres is small. You can pick up cheap ones on trade me, I think I got mine for $40, and good quality ones from allgrain.co.nz.

Peter my next step for the garage is my own mill, MM2 most likely.

[David R]

Yeah I bought it for using on the stove-top at our old place when I was starting out, have since moved and bought a gas burner as the new place has a glass top stove, I just need to upgrade the pot and get an immersion chiller sorted! The 18L size isn't too bad as it means I can cool it rapidly in a cold water bath using a big plastic bin, and as I'm still learning and experimenting I'm quite glad to not have to drink 23L of each experiment! I'm trying to lose a bit of weight and after 2-3 bottles of almost every beer I've made my brain is working overtime thinking of what I want to do differently next time.

This thread has made me reconsider the whole mash tun/3-tier idea, simple is good in my books.
The question is what size pot to go for? I can't see myself wanting/needing to make much more than about 20L at a time realistically, especially unless I get set up for kegging!

[Danny]

I BIAB in a 50l pot - full volume, no sparge. I usually start with about 35l and target 23l into the fermenter. Took a few attempts but i usually get pretty close these days depending on how brave i am with my siphoning.

To maintain temperature, I usually wrap the pot with 2 towels (later used to clean up any mess) and 2 old blankets that were not longer being used. Usually lose no more than 2 degrees (and if it's not too cold out, even less).

I put a bbq vege cooker thing (a domed thing) upside down in my pot to prevent the bag from touching the bottom. After the mash, I turn the heat on (bag still in) until i reach 77, stirring as i go. I then let it sit for 10 minutes.

I then pull the bag, hold it for a bit while it drains (this is the worst part) I then attach the bag to one of those saw tables with the windy handles and hang it there over a pot. I pull the vege cooker out (with tongs).

I squeeze the crap out of the bag while the main pot comes up to boil. There is very little left in the bag when i'm done. 75% - 80% efficiency.

[Kyle Cameron]

And you don't get excessive tannin or solids extraction when you do this? I was told squeezing the crap out of the bag is asking for trouble?

[Danny]

I have read all about squeezing and tannins. The consensus seems to be it is about ph and temperature, and not the squeezing.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/over-squeezing-biab-299640/

[Kyle Cameron]

ha, well you learn something new everyday. I'm going to have to piss around with pH a bit more... I really should actually take one someday and figure out if its ok...

[Crusader-Rob]

I'd be less keen to squeeze the bag out, but i let it hang on my hook for maybe 15mins, and add just before boil. 

[Hamish Jones]

I don't squeeze myself, but I do pour 5 litres of 76 degree water through my grains once I have slung it up out of the way to try and get any leftovers that are hanging about,

[Nathan Murrell]

My BIAB escapades sound just like your guys...50L pot, full volume, no sparge, 23L batches. Always struggled to make the 23L or high enough SG.

Havent done a brew for 18 months so got my first done yesterday having recently moved to Wellington. Decided to try a sparge - mash in 20L then sparge in about another 16-18L (lost count due to 500ml measuring cup!) of water at high 70 deg mark. Worked a treat, way better efficiency than i've ever had.

Also used Gladfields Pilsner...Karl at All Grain was right saying  that it will give better efficiency. Instead of 23 @ 1046 I got about 28L @ 1052!

[Ralph]

Me... a 100L pot. Homemade bag out of some net curtain material from spotlight. 4 x handles sewn onto the bag for lifting. I do either 30L or 50L brews to go into Sanke kegs. 

I have my own mill (set at about 0.95mm from memory?) and mash full volume (after reading the brewkaiser research on full volume mashing) and use Beersmith to calculate volumes/temperature and gravities. I am usually very close to the numbers predicted by Beersmith... but it took me a few brews to get the evaporation, absorbtion etc numbers right. I have a good pH meter and food grade lactic or phosphoric acid to hand and always adjust the pH of the mash to between 5.3 and 5.6 (usually closer to 5.3). I have a analog dial thermometer at the bottom of the kettle and a digital one that dangles in the top (off the rope I use to pull the bag up). I have no false bottom or colander in the base... although I would like to get something in there soon to protect the thermometer that sticks out and to get the bag off the bottom of the pot so I can heat a little more aggressively.

I heat the full volume of strike water, place my bag in the pot with 4 x alligator clips at the top of the pot to hold it up and to the outside of the pot. I dump the grain in. Stir and get all the lumps out. Check the temperature and adjust to where I am aiming for if necessary (cold water to cool or burner on low to heat). I check the pH and adjust to about 5.3. I monitor the temperatures, and stir every now and then. I do not insulate the kettle and find I usually have to bump the temperature up a couple of times over a 75 min mash. I do this by having the burner on low for a minute or two and stirring until an even mash temp maybe half a degree above where I am aiming to mash is reached.

At time up for mash I attach the handles of the bag to the hook at the end of the rope which goes through a doubled up pulley system (like a block and tackle setup) which is attached to a rafter in the shed. I lift the bag so it is still submerged, but is off the bottom of the pot. I put the rope into the grab cleat on the wall which means the bag is held at this height. I then heat the whole lot to 75 deg. At 75 deg I lift the bag out fully and leave it draining above the pot while the burner keeps going to bring the wort to the boil. I don't bother to squeeze the bag or anything, but it sits above the pot draining during the boil. I only take it away about 20 minutes before flame-out. By this time it has usually almost stopped dripping. Mash efficiency is usually about 75% to 85%.

Then it is the usual boil, add hops etc. I have an immersion chiller which gets placed in the pot at 15 min to go and a pump hooked up to the kettle outlet and a whirlpool nozzle that directs the flow over the immersion chiller. Once I am chilling the pump is on and recirculating the mash over the immersion chiller. When down to temp I use the pump to transfer the wort to the fermentor.

All good. Quicker and much simpler than a mash tun. I have very limited space and it is a very space efficient way to brew too. My brews are coming out of the fermentor consistently clearer than when I was using a mash tun...