# Biab Strike Water Temps.



## mvolz (1/4/11)

Hello everyone.This is my first post on this forum.I have been doing ag using batch sparge method,and want to move to biab.This method seems so much cleaner and quicker.I have all the stuff I need,Im just unsure of one thing.How to figure desired strike water temp.Is it just like any ag?Since Im starting with the entire amount of water needed,I would think its a little different than batch sparging.Any info. would be great.Thanks in advance :icon_chickcheers:


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## aaronpetersen (1/4/11)

To the best of my limited knowledge, it's no different to calculating strike water temp for any other style of AG brewing. I use a spreadsheet I made myself but there are plenty of online strike water calculators that'll do it for you.


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## JestersDarts (1/4/11)

mvolz said:


> Hello everyone.This is my first post on this forum.I have been doing ag using batch sparge method,and want to move to biab.This method seems so much cleaner and quicker.I have all the stuff I need,Im just unsure of one thing.How to figure desired strike water temp.Is it just like any ag?Since Im starting with the entire amount of water needed,I would think its a little different than batch sparging.Any info. would be great.Thanks in advance :icon_chickcheers:



Yeah mate, just like any AG - at this stage of brewday you're doing the same mashing in process as you would if you were doing a batch sparge. Excep you have a nice white sheet flapping around when you stir :drinks:


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## beerbog (1/4/11)

mvolz said:


> Hello everyone.This is my first post on this forum.I have been doing ag using batch sparge method,and want to move to biab.This method seems so much cleaner and quicker.I have all the stuff I need,Im just unsure of one thing.How to figure desired strike water temp.Is it just like any ag?Since Im starting with the entire amount of water needed,I would think its a little different than batch sparging.Any info. would be great.Thanks in advance :icon_chickcheers:



I use a 50L keggle and my strike temp for roughly 30L of water is only about a degree above your mash temp as the 50L S/S retains the heat very well. Insulated with a doona & sleeping bag gives me 0 deg temp loss over an hour. Good luck. :beerbang:


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## QldKev (1/4/11)

For my 25L batch I allow 4L of sparge water to be added, so I start with 29L @ 3c higher than the target mash temp.

Get yourself beersmith, beermate or one of the strike water calculators and plug in the figures. This will give you a starting number, and then record it and adjust to suit your system on further batches. 


QldKev


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## katzke (1/4/11)

Well you are correct that it is different then sparging. The only difference is the amount of water and the temp you start at.

More water or less grain depending on how you look at it. Either way you will start with the water at a lower temp.

As has been pointed out any of the brew calculators will help. Some are easier to use or setup for BIAB then others.

Try taking a look at www.biabrewer.info for all the information you ever wanted to know about BIAB. Least I hope so, as I have never been there. I figured it all out before he made the site. There is supposed to be the best ever spreadsheet for BIAB brewing there.


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## Nick JD (1/4/11)

mvolz said:


> How to figure desired strike water temp.



http://www.brewheads.com/strike.php


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## Bribie G (1/4/11)

The excellent, and free, Brewmate software has a number of calculators including a strike water one. Brewmate now comes with BIAB support - set the program to BIAB, enter your recipe, desired mash temperature and the temperature of the grain (I just leave my thermometer in the grain for 15 minutes) and it will tell you exactly what quantity and temperature of strike water you will require.


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## felten (1/4/11)

I use beersmith for mine, but with ~35L of strike water it's usually ~2c above my desired mash temp depending on what I put in as the ambient.


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## Cocko (1/4/11)

AaronP said:


> it's no different to calculating strike water temp for any other style of AG brewing.



May be quickly corrected here but it is a little different as your Grain to water Ratio is different, so the amount of heat absorption is different.

Example of thought: If you add x amount of grain to say 30L of 69* it will absorb so much due to the ratio of what it is to the water.

If you add x +more - it will absorb more heat due to there being more of it in there, and absorb more heat?

Does that make sense... Hmm... maybe.


:unsure:


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## kelbygreen (1/4/11)

Yes cocko your right the more grain you have the more heat it absorbs or the more water to grain you have the less heat it absorbs. I still try to sparge with BIAB, If I had a bigger pot I would just treat the bag as a manifold and still sparge like normal but if I had that might as well set up a proper one so you can recirculate the wort to get clear wort into the boiler. 

It is also wise to take into consideration the mash tun used as it will absorb heat to. I Use a esky (still BIAB) I just boil the kettle and tip about 1.8lts of near boiling water in let the plastic and stuff heat up a bit then do the mash in but always keep a jug of boiling water handy and quick access to cold water so if needed you can adjust the temp without waiting to long.


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## mvolz (2/4/11)

Thanks for all the info. and links! I will be a regular here. I will keep ya posted on my trials and success! Thanks again!


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