A Guide To All-grain Brewing In A Bag

[mh971]

heres a smaller version of the food thermos

Bud, no not really right place, you've bumped a somewhat old and finished thread that was on a different subject.

Might have been better to ask teh question as a new thread.

I can't really see the practicality of either of the items you show without some difficult modifications.

I can however recommend doing what I do to save further embarrasment, which is read, read, read, search, search, read, then search and read some more and you'll normally find your answer somewhere on here. And only contribute to current threads ( an etiquette I am now breaking to assist you)

 

[Chookers]

thanks anyways

 

[PistolPatch]

...you've bumped a somewhat old and finished thread...

You trying to close our thread Mick . We were just having a little rest .

This thread is always open for BIAB questions or input. We haven't even hit 2,000 posts yet .

Can't see your original post now Chookers but from what I remember it wasn't BIAB-specific so Mick's advice was good. Hope you got your question answered.

Cheers,
Pat

 

[mh971]

You trying to close our thread Mick . We were just having a little rest .

This thread is always open for BIAB questions or input. We haven't even hit 2,000 posts yet .

Can't see your original post now Chookers but from what I remember it wasn't BIAB-specific so Mick's advice was good. Hope you got your question answered.

Cheers,
Pat

You are right Pat, I shouldn't be encouraging others to be long time lurkers like me, otherwise no one would post anything and I wouldn't have anything new to read. I am continually amazed at how much intelligent information is on here if you look and was trying to save old mate Chookers from a potentially embarrasing moment on a serious AG thread with some polite but to the point etiquite advice.

Holy cow now I'm off topic.

So,
I'm thinking of making a bag stand(false bottom), pick up and stainless tap to my BIAB pot and trying to step mash and sparge. Should I persevere with this or start thinking about a seperate lauter tun.

 

[mh971]

only 105 to go now to the 2000 mark

 

[felten]

I can't see any reason why you can't have a false bottom in your kettle and do some standard sparging, but you would need another container to hold it anyway. You don't need to sparge though really, you should be able to get a decent efficiency with just the full volume mashing itself.

Step mashing is a piece of piss, just apply heat and stir until you hit temps, or you can even decoction mash.

 

[PistolPatch]

Holy cow now I'm off topic...

So,
I'm thinking of making a bag stand(false bottom), pick up and stainless tap to my BIAB pot and trying to step mash and sparge. Should I persevere with this or start thinking about a seperate lauter tun.

LOL Mick on the off-topic bit . (Hope chookers got sorted :huh

On the second bit, I have a heap of questions before I can give any answers that may or may not be any more useful than Felten's perfectly correct answer above...

I reckon the first thing we need to know here is why you want to step mash and why you want to sparge.

On the former, I remember reading something that ThirstyBoy wrote within the last week that was a very good read, something about how you should have a reason to step mash. Search his posts for "reason + step" or something.

Step mashing does not require sparging (rinsing). In a traditional system, it requires additons of heated water / liquor. Step mashing with BIAB is actually easier in a way because it doesn't have to include these additions of liquor just application of heat to the full volume. The only question is how fast can you apply the heat? I know very little on this subject but from memory, if you can apply 1 C per minute then that is okay.

And Mick, watch the adding more stuff to your kettle bit.

I seriously regret adding taps to my two BIAB kettles. You can read my reasons (recent rants) on why here, here and here.

I probably said in one of the above links that more equipment does not necessarily mean a time or labour saving. Just make sure you really think this through.

Cheers Mick ,
Pat

 

[mh971]

Thanks guys.

reasons for both are a little bit of personal development and experimentation. I am stoked with the results I have been getting using BIAB but read so much about mashing in different ways. I want to try a step or decoction mash to see if there are any gains to be made in flavour/body/feel of the beers i am making and if there is any if they justfy the additional effort.

Tap was hence to drain off some quasi first runnings, and for ease of transfer to fermenter. no problems with the muscle to lift a pour a 20L pot of liquid into the fermenter, just thinking about safety, aeration and potential for catastrophic loss of wort.

I'll be sure to check out your rants Pat, becuase I do like the simplicity of my current setup( ie a pot, an unsewn square of voil, a hop sock, big spoon, bucket , and nepalese blanket). I'm Just feeling like i might be missing out on something.

cheers Mick

 

[irwazza]

Is there any good guides or tutorials for setting up beersmith for the biab method?

 

[felten]

For water volumes and boil off stuff you're better off using the calculator /spreadsheet, I think it was linked a few pages back. Beersmiths volume calculations don't work too well (imo) as they throw out the ibu numbers.

 

[mh971]

Found this one Biab_equipment_set_up_volumes_140909.xls but read that there is later version including hop schedules however link was broken, does anyone know of the location of Pats latest version

Only just started to use Beersmith, first brew day using it was to be this weekend. Finding there is a better calculator is handy

 

[felten]

The latest version is here on the biabrewer website here.

Pat's gonna hate me, but I still use the old 140909 spreadsheet, I get the same numbers from both spreadsheets but I use beersmith for the other calculations the new spreadsheet has, just need it for water volumes and boil off.

 

[Squared]

Hey BIAB gurus,

seriously considering going this way, I'm a relatively novice brewer. Anyways, what would be an ideal kettle size to have to make typical 5 gallon batches. In other words, a good kettle size to start up, and I won't be doing any more volume than 5 gallon batches in my forseeable future.

Thanks guys!

First post whoo-hoo

 

[felten]

If you're only ever going to do single batches, like myself, 50L is an ideal size. If you think you may ever want to do double batches regularily though you might want to look in something bigger like 70-80. 50L can handle a double batch but you would probably have to make a concentrated wort and water it down in the FV.

oh and welcome

 

[bcp]

Hey BIAB gurus,

seriously considering going this way, I'm a relatively novice brewer. Anyways, what would be an ideal kettle size to have to make typical 5 gallon batches. In other words, a good kettle size to start up, and I won't be doing any more volume than 5 gallon batches in my forseeable future.

Thanks guys!

First post whoo-hoo

Welcome to the forum. 5 gallons = 19 litres. I do 6 gallon/23 litre batches, and use a 40 litre electric urn and have found that is ample, although the control of the boil with the urn is perfect - never boils over. I've done some biggish beers in there with large grain bills, too. I can't comment on whether it's different for other types of kettles.

 

[Squared]

Welcome to the forum. 5 gallons = 19 litres. I do 6 gallon/23 litre batches, and use a 40 litre electric urn and have found that is ample, although the control of the boil with the urn is perfect - never boils over. I've done some biggish beers in there with large grain bills, too. I can't comment on whether it's different for other types of kettles.

Allright, I found a 40 L kettle and propane burner for a half-decent price, so I think judging on how you have enough room I'll go that route. As for style, I'm not overly fond of overly big beers so I think that 40L will do just fine at this point. I just wanted to do it right the first time, eh.

and 23L batches is what I was going for, thank you for corecting me. I'd rather talk metric but most of my info/recipes in Canada is still Imperial (is it like that everywhere?) so it equals many conversions which makes me a sad brewer,lol

 

[bcp]

Allright, I found a 40 L kettle and propane burner for a half-decent price, so I think judging on how you have enough room I'll go that route. As for style, I'm not overly fond of overly big beers so I think that 40L will do just fine at this point. I just wanted to do it right the first time, eh.

and 23L batches is what I was going for, thank you for corecting me. I'd rather talk metric but most of my info/recipes in Canada is still Imperial (is it like that everywhere?) so it equals many conversions which makes me a sad brewer,lol

If you get around to getting software, like Beersmith, you can enter the recipe in imperial, and at the click of a button change everything to metric. You can also take a recipe of any volume and scale it to your 23 litres in a similar way.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

40L is the minimum volume i think you can usefully use for the simplest easiest BIAB. 40L is fine... But if you can get a 50L and not spend too much more, i think that would be a better choice.

 

[globe]

Where can i get me one of these brew in a bags?

 

[Bribie G]

Well if you go back to post #1 and have a read of this thread you'll get the idea pretty quickly

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Where can i get me one of these brew in a bags?

And visit ross at craftbrewer (Capalaba) for anything else.

Goomba

 

[johncock]

Got a recipe for Pale Ale using the BIAB technique. Having trouble calculating how much water i would need etc

 

[Bribie G]

I would highly recommend the free brewing software "Brewmate" - written by an AHB member and now has BIAB support. There's a great set of calculating tools - as it happens I'm doing a 25L brew this afternoon. Normally I'd do 23L and know exactly how much liquor to use for the particular grain bill. So feeding the data into Brewmate it works it out for me. :icon_cheers:

 

[PistolPatch]

Got a recipe for Pale Ale using the BIAB technique. Having trouble calculating how much water i would need etc

Welcome to the forum John :icon_cheers:

Your question is a great one and a very common one that I see very few good answers too.

When starting out in all-grain brewing, there are so many questions! The funny thing is that with BIAB, many of them can be answered quickly and very well depending on your knowledge level.

Older brewers tend to forget just how bewildering and how fragmented internet information is on all-grain. It can be very hard for new brewers to get an answer to such a simple question as yours. Bribie has mentioned Brewmate and, of course, there is Beersmith which, in the next version, will have BIAB capabilities.

I spend quite a lot of time answering questions such as yours on BIABrewer.info and I either already have a dialogue going with the above software providers or have made repeated attempts to. I am hoping this dialogue will give some great results soon.

In the meantime, I have found the best way to explain volumes, gravities and bitterness is via a simple spreadsheet. While a simple spreadsheet still begs many questions it is, at least, on a single computer screen so it allows you to follow the logic of the brewing process and easily talk a common language.

I will attach a few of these spreadsheets here (anyone can distribute these as long as they credit the original source and explain that the most up to date version can only be found on that site.)

The first is the basic version of what is known for now as The Calculator. Studying this will hopefully answer your volumes question. Just take a bit of time to read each line - there is no quicker way I know of to get your next questions focussed.
View attachment The_Calculator.xls
I will also attach a copy of a 'The Calculator' spreadsheet that shows a great APA recipe that originated here on AHB! Read the recipe layout here as well as it is a very good template for how recipes should be passed on.
View attachment The_Calculator_NRB_APA.xls
One of the great things about the above spreadsheet is it gives you a great ball-park figure for working out evaporation rates as it is based on the surface area of your kettle which is the most significant factor in determining evaporation rates. I have offered this to both Beersmith and Brewmate and Brad from Beersmith has responded enthusiastically so maybe we will see this as a Beersmith tool soon?

A lot of people apologise when they write a long post on a forum. I'm not going to John. I've been around long enough now to know that many brewing questions can't be answered in a few lines - it is hardly ever possible to instantly impregnate information.

So, I reckon, download the above files, grab yourself a nice beer and allow yourself a good half hour or hour to study 'The Calculator' files. You will have more questions so jot them down. Many will disappear on your second relaxed beer. The ones that are left, I or others will be most happy to answer here.

Cheers,
Pat

 

[Bada Bing Brewery]

G'day Squared
+1 all of the above. I have just done my 5th BIAB and it is great - what an invention!. I use a 50L pot which is perfect as you have plenty of room and it shouldnt boil over for single batches. The BREWMATE SOFTWARE is excellent for BIAB. Go to www.brewmate.com and download it free. I did kits years ago and always wanted to use grains and create beers form scratch. 3 Months ago I found out about BIAB and I am hooked.
Enjoy

 

[johncock]

Welcome to the forum John :icon_cheers:

Your question is a great one and a very common one that I see very few good answers too.

When starting out in all-grain brewing, there are so many questions! The funny thing is that with BIAB, many of them can be answered quickly and very well depending on your knowledge level.

Older brewers tend to forget just how bewildering and how fragmented internet information is on all-grain. It can be very hard for new brewers to get an answer to such a simple question as yours. Bribie has mentioned Brewmate and, of course, there is Beersmith which, in the next version, will have BIAB capabilities.

I spend quite a lot of time answering questions such as yours on BIABrewer.info and I either already have a dialogue going with the above software providers or have made repeated attempts to. I am hoping this dialogue will give some great results soon.

In the meantime, I have found the best way to explain volumes, gravities and bitterness is via a simple spreadsheet. While a simple spreadsheet still begs many questions it is, at least, on a single computer screen so it allows you to follow the logic of the brewing process and easily talk a common language.

I will attach a few of these spreadsheets here (anyone can distribute these as long as they credit the original source and explain that the most up to date version can only be found on that site.)

The first is the basic version of what is known for now as The Calculator. Studying this will hopefully answer your volumes question. Just take a bit of time to read each line - there is no quicker way I know of to get your next questions focussed.
View attachment 44445
I will also attach a copy of a 'The Calculator' spreadsheet that shows a great APA recipe that originated here on AHB! Read the recipe layout here as well as it is a very good template for how recipes should be passed on.
View attachment 44446
One of the great things about the above spreadsheet is it gives you a great ball-park figure for working out evaporation rates as it is based on the surface area of your kettle which is the most significant factor in determining evaporation rates. I have offered this to both Beersmith and Brewmate and Brad from Beersmith has responded enthusiastically so maybe we will see this as a Beersmith tool soon?

A lot of people apologise when they write a long post on a forum. I'm not going to John. I've been around long enough now to know that many brewing questions can't be answered in a few lines - it is hardly ever possible to instantly impregnate information.

So, I reckon, download the above files, grab yourself a nice beer and allow yourself a good half hour or hour to study 'The Calculator' files. You will have more questions so jot them down. Many will disappear on your second relaxed beer. The ones that are left, I or others will be most happy to answer here.

Cheers,
Pat

Thanks for the advice. A recent aquaintance has invited me to witness his BIAB method so i am sure i will learn alot from the experience. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I have been brewing partial mash brews for the past couple of years and wish to take the next step. Its amazing who you meet at the Coopers Brewery tours and then back to the brewboys for a couple of maiden ales.

 

[hsb]

I will try some Gucci shoes in my next BIAB, it's an interesting idea but lace-ups or slip-ons?

 

[going down a hill]

I would go with the lace ups, add a bit more complexity to the brew and extra mouth feel.

 

[hsb]

LOL, there'll be an argument along shortly about that assertion - I've heard slip-ons create less tannins, I've been using espadrilles for 10 years and never had a bad batch etc..

 

[Gormand]

I would skip the lace ups in favour of the slips ons. I can see the laces soaking up flavours and detracting from the taste of the beer.
Im also curious, should I boil the bag or dry hop it?