A Guide To All-grain Brewing In A Bag

[Thirsty Boy]

Yes you are making sense. No it wouldn't hurt anything. More water than you can fit in your 19L pot

Basically if you want 61 after pulling the 9.5kg of grain, you are going to need about 68 total water. So you reserve some, leave it out of the main mash and heat it up in your pot to add later. Right?

If you go with the maximum - say 18L in your 19L pot, you leave behind a mash that has been done with 50L of water. Now to get a mash with 9.5kg of grain and 50L of water, from 67 to 78 is going to take an infusion of boiling water of... 29L. Your 18L is only going to get you to 74-75.. which happily is good enough!

So if you take 18L of your initial water and reserve it for your small pot and the stove - you should be able to push your mash up to 74... If you add a little heat with your burner as well. You are home.

BUT - I personally think that a large portion of the goodness you will derive from raising a BIAB to 78 at the end - is actually derived from the slower ramp with constant stirring.

Still, as you say you will save on gas and you would save a chunk of time.. so its probably worth a try. Just keep an eye out for any issues that might appear and consider the change from ramp to infusion when you are trying to track them down.

TB

 

[Damian44]

Thanks again Thirsty. Ill do as you suggest, add the 18L of boiling water and than stick the burner on until i reach 78C (constantly stirring). :icon_cheers:


TYVM Damian

 

[Elbow]

OK,

So last night I finally took the plunge and did my first all grain! It went well, I'm pretty sure I didn't meet the right efficiency etc, but it was good fun anyway.



I only ended up with around 25g of POR hops as that's all I had. Apart from that, exactly as above. A couple of points about my first go:
I used a 3 ring burner and a 50 litre pot.
I started with 35 litres of water and put the pot and burner on top of the barbie
I soon realised the mistake of putting 35 litres of hot scalding liquid up nice and high! Decided terra firma was a better option
This was recipe I used courtesy of Thirsty Boy:

Coopers Clone:


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential EBC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
86.0 4.30 kg. Pale Malt - JWM Trad Ale Australia 1.037 6
7.0 0.35 kg. Wheat Malt - JWM Australia 1.039 4
5.0 0.25 kg. Cane Sugar Generic 1.046 0
2.0 0.10 kg. Special B Malt Belgian 1.030 300

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
27.00 g. Pride of Ringwood Pellet 9.80% 34.5 60 min.

Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.17 gm Calcium Chloride Other 60 Min.(mash)
2.17 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulphate) Other 60 Min.(mash)
2.17 gm Magnesium Sulfate Other 60 Min.(mash)
0.5 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Whitelabs) Other 10 Min.(boil)
1.0 Unit(s) Whirlfloc Fining 10 Min.(boil)

Yeast
-----

Re-Cultured Coopers Bottle yeast 2L starter
My last ever extract brew!
I insulated with blankets and a big cardboard box
After one hour at 64 c, I was heating up to 76 when I dropped my thermometer into the pot! So no idea whether I got anywhere near that in the end.
Once I got the boil going, I decided to construct an elaborate pulley system for my cobbled together hop sock, only to discover that if floats anyway.......
I had a few boilovers as I got to grips with my new 3 ring burner, but all in all pretty good boil

By the time I was done (11.30pm), I was more than a little pissed and tired, so decided not to transfer to a cube. Transferred this morning, got about 23 litres into the cube and had about 5 litres of trub/gunk left in the pot. Took a reading which gave me 1042, which is probably on the low side. Not too bothered though as I just wanted to give the whole BIAB process a whirl. Very happy!

 

[Bribie G]

Well done, :icon_cheers: how did you cool the wort and how did you get it out of the pot?

 

[Elbow]

I cooled it by just leaving it in the pot overnight outside and transferring it first thing this morning via a siphon. Probably less than ideal, but having a pot with no holes drilled in it I had no other option. I was not entirely sure my tube was able to handle boiling liquid either, so that another reason. Any tips for next time aside from drilling holes in my pot?

 

[Pollux]

I would be getting some yeast in that wort ASAP....

No-Chill cubing of wort relies upon the heat of the near boiling wort to pasteurise the cube...

 

[Elbow]

I would be getting some yeast in that wort ASAP....

No-Chill cubing of wort relies upon the heat of the near boiling wort to pasteurise the cube...

Really? I sanitised the cube thoroughly beforehand. I've just started to build up the Coopers Dregs tonight, so probably looking at another 2-3 days before pitching yeast. You think I should just get some dried Safale and pitch ASAP?

 

[Bribie G]

When doing a Coopers yeast brew you really need to get the culture going a couple of days in advance to coincide with when the wort is ready. The cube being sanitized should, but not guaranteed, get you out of trouble. At a pinch, just pitch a couple of sachets of Coopers kit yeast.

 

[jakester]

Well i finallly cracked my first (proper) BIAB. I ended up getting a 90L ally pot and a italian spiral burner from beerbelly. The gear seemed to have worked really well once we got the flame at a suitable level. The stand on the spiral burner is massive so it holds the 90l pot easily. Apart from a couple of little errors the brew went pretty smoothly. I have not taken any readings yet but will do soon when i transfer from no chill cube to fermentor. We made a SNPA clone with enough to fill the two 20L cubes at the end. So time will tell if the beer went well, but all in all the process couldnt have been any better, even doing a double batch was no problem.
Thanks to all who have helped with the leadup to my first brew and i'm sure i will need more help as the time goes on. Cheers!

 

[Elbow]

Just posted this on the recipe forum as I had a crack at Dr Smurto's Golden Ale today:

Hi All,

Just put this down as my second ever all-grain using the BIAB method. Once I'd finished the boil, I transferred to a no-chill cube, about 21 litres all up with around 2 litres left in the pot due to trub and hop gunk. I started with 32 litres.

I took a reading from the left over gunk and it gave me 1030, which is obviously not great.
2 questions really:
1. Can you get a different reading from the left over liquid in the pot than the actual wort?
2. If this reading is correct, can I bump it up on brew day with a can of extract? Otherwise, I reckon I might get an alcohol content, post fermentation of around 2.9%. Still tasty no doubt, but a bit on the light side!

Cheers and a Happy New Year!

p.s. - I know I have some issues with my brewing. I'm doing everything I think I can. The only part that might be suspect is my thermometer. It's on those cheap $10 jobs, so it's possible that it might not be accurate. Would this make a difference?

 

[Bribie G]

An accurate thermometer is essential when mashing, to get the initial strike temperature and also to check the mash temp. If you hit between 63 and 69 degrees you shouldn't have much trouble, but if the thermometer was way out and you only hit, say 58 degrees in the mash then you could be in trouble. What temperatures did your thermo record, and what method did you use to maintain temperature during the mash?

 

[Nick JD]

What temperature does your thermometer read when you put it in the top of the water of a saucepan brought to the boil?

 

[RdeVjun]

I took a reading from the left over gunk and it gave me 1030, which is obviously not great.
2 questions really:
1. Can you get a different reading from the left over liquid in the pot than the actual wort?

Good question, not sure of the answer. Obviously if its is thick with trub and hops gunk then yes it could differ, however if it was filtered then I'd say it should be close. FWIW, I actually have a cooking oil- recycling cone- shaped filter that fits in a large sieve, I filter any remainder with it and I've been using it for starters. I usually just go by the post- boil wort SG though and fairly roughly (in my head) adjust the filtered remainder with water to around 1.040 however I don't recall measuring the filtrate beforehand.

Obviously, it would make sense to check your cube's SG when you open it.

2. If this reading is correct, can I bump it up on brew day with a can of extract? Otherwise, I reckon I might get an alcohol content, post fermentation of around 2.9%. Still tasty no doubt, but a bit on the light side!

Its your beer, you can do whatever you like!

In all seriousness, yes, a top up with extract is probably what I'd do if it was supposed to be a higher abv but you've now got a decision to make with the choice of malt extract. I'd go light if you can.

p.s. - I know I have some issues with my brewing. I'm doing everything I think I can. The only part that might be suspect is my thermometer. It's on those cheap $10 jobs, so it's possible that it might not be accurate. Would this make a difference?

In a word, yes. It would make a difference.

If it has the range, then test its calibration in some ice slurry and then in some boiling water.

:icon_cheers:

 

[Elbow]

An accurate thermometer is essential when mashing, to get the initial strike temperature and also to check the mash temp. If you hit between 63 and 69 degrees you shouldn't have much trouble, but if the thermometer was way out and you only hit, say 58 degrees in the mash then you could be in trouble. What temperatures did your thermo record, and what method did you use to maintain temperature during the mash?

I heated the water up to 68, added grains and maintained 66 for an hour by covering the pot with blankets and an old cardboard box. I'll check the thermometer again today with ice and boiling water.
When I took the reading, the left over wort was still hot. Does it need to be cool to get an accurate reading?

 

[RdeVjun]

I heated the water up to 68, added grains and maintained 66 for an hour by covering the pot with blankets and an old cardboard box. I'll check the thermometer again today with ice and boiling water.
When I took the reading, the left over wort was still hot. Does it need to be cool to get an accurate reading?

Yes, it certainly does need cooling! Specific gravity is influenced by temperature and most hydrometers are calibrated to 20C. Some will come with an adjustment table, mine says +0.004 at 35C for instance. There's also a correction utility in the 'brew calcs' area in AHB (links underneath the sponsors' banner) although it says that 35C should be 5 (or 0.005 I presume), so I'm not sure if it is universal, I would've thought it should be so.

This would explain the lower SG you measured if it was hot. When you open the cube, check it again. You could have a respectable efficiency after all!

Nb. Don't put hot/ near boiling wort into the plastic cylinder which comes with most hydrometers, it will buckle and melt! Cool it in a mug placed in some cold water or get a lab- style pyrex 100ml measuring cylinder, that's what I use. I cool it to <40C, measure its temp with an infrared thermometer and then consult the lookup the table.

 

[Elbow]

Yes, it certainly does need cooling! Specific gravity is influenced by temperature and most hydrometers are calibrated to 20C. Some will come with an adjustment table, mine says +0.004 at 35C for instance. There's also a correction utility in the 'brew calcs' area in AHB (links underneath the sponsors' banner) although it says that 35C should be 5 (or 0.005 I presume), so I'm not sure if it is universal, I would've thought it should be so.

This would explain the lower SG you measured if it was hot. When you open the cube, check it again. You could have a respectable efficiency after all!

Nb. Don't put hot/ near boiling wort into the plastic cylinder which comes with most hydrometers, it will buckle and melt! Cool it in a mug placed in some cold water or get a lab- style pyrex 100ml measuring cylinder, that's what I use. I cool it to <40C, measure its temp with an infrared thermometer and then consult the lookup the table.

I opened up the cube today to get a second opinion. I drew off a quick sample and the re-sealed it, spraying with no rinse sanistiser and expelling the air again. This time my reading was 1042, so much better! I'll know to let the wort cool before I get a reading next time. Having said that, I think I still need a new thermometer anyway. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[crundle]

I opened up the cube today to get a second opinion. I drew off a quick sample and the re-sealed it, spraying with no rinse sanistiser and expelling the air again. This time my reading was 1042, so much better! I'll know to let the wort cool before I get a reading next time. Having said that, I think I still need a new thermometer anyway. Thanks for all the advice.

If you opened it up today to check it, I hope you intend to pitch it today, or you run the very real risk of getting an infection going in the cube as we speak!

Regarding taking samples, I like to take a small sample of the hot wort and put it in a mug, and throw it in the freezer for a bit to get it to around 30 degrees, then make the necessary adjustments for temperature.

Please tell me you will pitch your yeast VERY soon!

Crundle

 

[Elbow]

If you opened it up today to check it, I hope you intend to pitch it today, or you run the very real risk of getting an infection going in the cube as we speak!

Regarding taking samples, I like to take a small sample of the hot wort and put it in a mug, and throw it in the freezer for a bit to get it to around 30 degrees, then make the necessary adjustments for temperature.

Please tell me you will pitch your yeast VERY soon!

Crundle

Hi Crundle,

I was not planning to, but after reading that it might have gotten infected, I pitched last night. I had a packet of Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley which was smacked and ready to go into a starter. I skipped that and pitched it in about 9.30pm last night. The fermentor is now sitting at 18 degrees.

If it was infected, would there be any visible signs to indicate?

 

[Bribie G]

Seeing as you were quick to pitch I'm pretty sure you will be just fine. However it would have been a pity to have left it for a few weeks and risk opening the cube to see a germy white or green crust or whatever bug might have got in. :icon_cheers:

 

[Elbow]

Seeing as you were quick to pitch I'm pretty sure you will be just fine. However it would have been a pity to have left it for a few weeks and risk opening the cube to see a germy white or green crust or whatever bug might have got in. :icon_cheers:

I hope so!