Better head in beers using BIAB

[Lodan]

Wiggman, i think you need to inspect your mate's process.
What temperatures is he mashing at? WHat are the serving temps?

 

[pk.sax]

Oh still my beating heart

bighead.jpg

I'd ask for my money back. That barman definitely was not taught what a proper amount of head on beer is supposed to look like.

 

[TheWiggman]

68°, will drop to 63° over the hour. He's done an awesome log of each brew and loaned me the book for a bit.
I served 2 different beers in warm glasses.

Might have to do a brew with him and impart my subpar opinion.
"Get a HERMS, all the cool kids are doing it."

 

[Lodan]

5deg is a larger drop than most. The lower mash temp would result in a more fermentable wort and less body all round
some insulation may be in order

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Why isn't he doing a mashout?

 

[TheWiggman]

He hadn't heard of it. To my knowledge it's not really necessary either, though I do it.
Bear in mind this bloke bought a bag, an aluminium pot and a gas burner, and he was set to go. No taps, no syphons, only a heat belt with an STC-1000. His BIAB method is as simple as it gets and his beers taste good. He insulates the MT with a doona but with Orange topping 6°C some weeks a lot of heat loss is to be expected.

I think the way he does things is evidence that even with the simplest systems, you can produce good beer using AG. But head is the only thing he can't achieve.

He should be doing a brew in a few weeks. I'll check the following to see if this one's different -

• Everything rinsed free of soaps
• Stable mash temp, re-heating if necessary
• Mashout

I'll also do as much sampling of his beer as possible in the interests of analysing the beer.
Oddly this link in brewwiki advises AGAINST a protein rest. How To Brew reinforces this.

 

[TheWiggman]

Breaking news: he DOES do a mashout.
Also confirmed he doesn't wash with soap "any more"

Mysterious.

 

[[email protected]]

Add about 250 g of wheat to the beer and let me know how it works for you

Barls got it in one. Add some wheat. Even plain old flour in the mash according to my Uni Lecture. Lots of foam positive proteins there.

 

[Bribie G]

I've given up soap and shampoo as well, after watching that SBS show "Life on us" re the trillions of good bugs that live on and in us. After two weeks, my skin feels great, hair has thickened up and I've had two women do their bitch nose test and they reckon I'm just fine.

And I do a mashout.

 

[davedoran]

As posted a perfect thingo for BIAB is one of these from a Kitchen shop:

curved roasting rack.jpg

However if you are electric, please don't do a protein rest then switch the power on to bring you up to sacch rest. You'll probably burn black shyte all over your element because of all the flour in the mash.

Once you get into the 60s the flour is fairly rapidly digested and won't settle round your element. If you are doing a protein rest I'd suggest do it with a reduced amount of strike water, then use kettles of boiling water to get you up into the 60s before you switch on your element / urn.

Im glad I spotted this. I am doing a weizen tomorrow night (sat night brewing, How did life go from looking forward to going out to looking forward to staying in and doing a brew).
Brewing in a birko exposed element urn. BIAB
I was considering adding the grain and cold water and then controlling the mash temp with the dial. From what I read above this is bad and will get the scwartz shyte all over my element.
If this is correct I have 2 option.

1. Lift the bag out and raise temp. Turn off element and drop back in.
2. Decoction Mash.

Would love your thoughts.

 

[Bribie G]

I'd start with a thick mash for protein rest, insulate the urn well (should hold temperature ok as it's a short step) then add boiling water slowly to bring it up to your next rest, checking with thermometer as you go. That way you shouldn't overshoot. For your final rest (72 or whatever) you can use hot water to bring it up to the full volume for the brew and if necessary use direct heat at that stage, as you shouldn't be in danger of burning the element.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I've given up soap and shampoo as well, after watching that SBS show "Life on us" re the trillions of good bugs that live on and in us. After two weeks, my skin feels great, hair has thickened up and I've had two women do their bitch nose test and they reckon I'm just fine.

And I do a mashout.

:icon_offtopic: I gave up soap & shampoo as a uni student a while back and boy, did I stink.

and I do a mashout.

 

[davedoran]

Great thanks.

Will give that a go.
I will still use soap and shampoo as well. and mashout.

 

[Blitzer]

I use soap and shampoo and don't mashout..

Oh also conditioner, watchout!

 

[GrumpyPaul]

I've given up soap and shampoo ......

Bribie - you're a pom arent you? I thought you guys gave up soap and shampoo as a nation some time in the last century?

 

[Bribie G]

That was the French.

 

[philmud]

I've given up soap and shampoo as well, after watching that SBS show "Life on us" re the trillions of good bugs that live on and in us.

I'll never be the same after watching that. BUGS ARE ROOTING ON MY FACE! (And yours)

 

[manticle]

Bug bukkake

 

[philmud]

Bug bukkake

They crap on your face too, and other bugs eat their crap, so it's also 2 bugs 1 cup

 

[Yob]

But even in an IPA or something you'd not usually use wheat in, would you still use it or something like a head enhancer or the like?

I use wheat in IPA's all the time, you'd never pick it... Not BIAB but makes no never mind anyway