Biab #1

[rehab]

So today at NZ time 9.45 I prepped up and got my strike water to mash temp (or so I thought). Strike temp was meant to be 76 to get 67 BUT I only just got a thermometer and I had the cover on without realising it so really it was over 80 I was to discover when my mate Salt came over to check up on me!) I also had a fun time when during putting the grain in I had the bag slip off twice and some grain had escaped (I was later to find it was a semi decent amount in the hundreds of grams of grain). So after the mash was complete I then had to remove from my kettle and run the liquid through a sieve to get rid of all the loose grain. This lost a considerable amount on temp and so it took quite some time to get to the boil. Next time I do this I will have an over the side element for sure! Once at the boil all seemed to go well. A bit of a weaker boil but a boil none the less. I was going to try the BBQ to get the boil going but it poured down with rain by the time it was in the mash so I flagged it. Awesome fun even though it is 6 1/2 hours to the fermenter instead of about four as I thought I would take!

Just thought I would share this. Even though Im knackered I really really enjoyed doing the BIAB =)

Cheers all

Chris

 

[jakethedog]

Its all lots of fun. I think everyone will remember their first AG brew. I didn't think of clamps for the silicone tubing from my kettle to the counterflow chiller. Hot sticky wort was dripping everywhere!! Ended up with 15 L instead of 20.

 

[rehab]

Cheers man, I ended up with 18 ltrs in fermenter instead of 20 in the bottle! OOOps! All good. Fun times as I said =)

 

[mattric]

coulod be worse mate... I just did my first BIAB with a mini brew. Wanted 10L ended up with 5L... I'm thinking the pot should have been more covered.

 

[manticle]

Don't cover your pot while boiling

 

[mattric]

What about when steeping and after the boil?

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

What about when steeping and after the boil?

By steeping i presume you are talking about mashing.
Keep the lid on during mashing, this keeps the heat in.

after the boil......... leave the lid off
I usually let the brew sit for a good 5-10mins after boil just to make sure all the trub has settled nicely and have never had an ill effect

 

[manticle]

What about when steeping and after the boil?

Steeping doesn't matter. Mashing, keep it covered. After the boil I put the lid on.

 

[rehab]

Hey again,
Have seen a few responses. Didn't mean to have the lid on but wouldn't boil at all if I had it off so tried to have it on and crack it as much as possible and post-boil I removed it all together.
I hit 1.054 (aiming for 1.058 at 80% efficiency) and I think I have earlier said I mashed way too high as I misused my thermometer (don't ask.. amateur mistake!) causing it to come out of the mash at around 72 degC as opposed to 67. It has been a week at 22deg in a steady summer heat and it hasn't gone under the orange line yet. Just wondering if this is normal or weather I should think about pitching a new starter as I expected to start dry hopping by this point and it was directed this shouldn't happen until 1.020.
I know about being patient and all but if this is abnormal then I would rather fix it now and get it cranking again. Samples are tasting better than expected for the first BIAB effort if a little sweet but way better than I expected!

Chris

 

[d3vour3r]

get an old camp matt and wrap it around the kettle to isulate and it should boil better because not so much heat will escape. also get a over the side element to help bring it to boil. wat sort of heat source u using?

 

[rehab]

get an old camp matt and wrap it around the kettle to isulate and it should boil better because not so much heat will escape. also get a over the side element to help bring it to boil. wat sort of heat source u using?

I wanted to try out the BBQ and put it right on two of the panels but as I went to prep the BBQ for the Boil after the mash it POURED down with rain which didn't let up for the rest of the day. I ended up "boiling" it on the stovetop (an old ceramic one). As if it wasn't bad enough I had it cranking a lot of the day it got so hot that the glue started to melt into the drawer below...yeap this was a first up BIAB to remember!
I will have a crack at sourcing a camp mat to wrap around the kettle. I also am pretty keen on shipping one of those elements to NZ. Would be a lot more efficient!