Biab - Bigger Kettle, New Technique, Beersmith?

[Acasta]

Hey guys,
I used to use a 19L pot and do nick's high gravity method, but i recently got a big 50L pot, so i'd like to step it up a bit. With the old system i mashed about 13L, then did 2 4L kinda sparges, and ended up with about 16-18L in kettle, boiled that and diluted to 19L.
However, now i have my 50L kettle, i have no idea how to set up the mash and stuff. I use beersmith and it'd be cool if i could use that to calc my mash for each recipe, do many people do this? Or if its easier just to have a general rule i dunno.
I had a look, and saw a few people talking about this but found no real answers that helped me.
Thanks.

I'm trying to screw around with mash profiles in beersmith, but i don't really get it.

 

[beerdrinkingbob]

Hey guys,
I used to use a 19L pot and do nick's high gravity method, but i recently got a big 50L pot, so i'd like to step it up a bit. With the old system i mashed about 13L, then did 2 4L kinda sparges, and ended up with about 16-18L in kettle, boiled that and diluted to 19L.
However, now i have my 50L kettle, i have no idea how to set up the mash and stuff. I use beersmith and it'd be cool if i could use that to calc my mash for each recipe, do many people do this? Or if its easier just to have a general rule i dunno.
I had a look, and saw a few people talking about this but found no real answers that helped me.
Thanks.

I'm trying to screw around with mash profiles in beersmith, but i don't really get it.

Acasta I'm jealious of your big kettle :icon_drool2: , you will be able to do doubles in the sameway you did it with your 19 ltr (I do the same), any recommendations on where in melbourne to get a 50 lts SS kettle, looking at upgrading myself :beerbang:

Good luck mate, not really an expert at beersmith yet either.

Cheers Robbie

 

[Cocko]

Hey Acasta,

You need to account for about 1L pre Kg of loss to grain, 10-15% boil loss and then work backwards so to speak...

Eg:

You want to end up with say 24L post boil. So thats 24L...

You are using 5 kg of grain, so another 5L here..

So thats 29L and then lets use 15%, until you learn your system, so 15% of 29 is 4.35. [Technically it is not 15% because it is of the lower number but as a guide]

So, 29 + 4.35 = 33.35L starting volume.

Just adjust if you are planning on 'sparging' but thats the general math.

Don't use beersmith but with all the above in mind you should be able to set it up close enough!

Cheers

 

[puffer555]

Dont forget about trub losses in you kettle.
In mine its about 2 L or so.
Your evaporation will also depend on how vigorously you boil, and also how long you boil for.
Some recipes ask for a 90 min boil.

I do BIAB in a 60 L pot, and I typically always fill to about 35 - 36 L.
My grain bills are also generally always 6 - 7 kg of grain.
I dont sparge. I also generally do 90 min boils.
End up with about 25 L in the kettle at the end of the boil.
Still get roughly 75 % efficiency.

There was a BIAB set up volume spreadsheet floating around somewhere.
Good luck.

 

[Acasta]

Acasta I'm jealious of your big kettle :icon_drool2: , you will be able to do doubles in the sameway you did it with your 19 ltr (I do the same), any recommendations on where in melbourne to get a 50 lts SS kettle, looking at upgrading myself :beerbang:

Very unlucky for you i just picked this up for free in Heidelberg west for free. Last one! haha

Cocko, do i need to sparge at all? Or is it just all the water into the kettle (eg. 33.53L) , mash for 60-90 min, drain bag and done? No sparging? Wouldn't i need to rinse the grains?
I've been looking at these figures, and it makes sense, so i guess i could just do it all off my head, but i would be cool to have it on beersmith

Thanks

 

[stevem01]

There is a spreadsheet on this site somewhere that does all the math for you

Search for BIAB_Equipment_Set_Up_Volumes.xls

Then just ignore the "Mash volume" in BeerSmith, as BIAB is "Full Volume Mash"

Also no need to sparge anymore as the mash liquor (now that you will be doing full volume) is much less viscous, also less sugars per liter in what is left behind, just let the bag drain for 20 min.

 

[Cocko]

Cocko, do i need to sparge at all? Or is it just all the water into the kettle (eg. 33.53L) , mash for 60-90 min, drain bag and done? No sparging? Wouldn't i need to rinse the grains?
I've been looking at these figures, and it makes sense, so i guess i could just do it all off my head, but i would be cool to have it on beersmith

Thanks

That equation is a ruff guide to get you close and you will learn your system quick enough to end up with volumes and gravity you want but No, is not allowing for adding sparge water.

When I was doing BIAB, i never 'sparged' as such but if you think it helps then yeah, just adjust out the volume you will add back in doing a sparge/rinse.

I always just drained my bag in a huge square tub so the bag could really 'relax' and the grain would spread and drain really well. Each to their own.

You can still do your recipes and if you take a pre-boil gravity reading you will be able to work out your efficiency if your volume settings are right but a BIAB'ing beersmith user will know better.

Cheers

 

[Acasta]

Using that document that Steve recommended helped. It seems pretty simple. I guess ill just stab at it from here.

 

[Screwtop]

Do you now have two vessels, if so then why not use the kettle to heat your brewing liquor and use the other vessel as a normal mash tun....make the step up from Brew In A Jockstrap.

Drain your first runnings to a grant (see 20L Bunnings pail) add sparge water to mash tun then combine all runnings in the kettle for the boil.

Screwy

 

[Acasta]

Screwy, thats my aim in the end, but without an easy way of crushing my grain any way but into powder, the bag is a barrier as well. I have a 45L esky that i can fit out and make a tun. The only thing between 3V and me is a grain crusher. On my low budget im looking to make one or something. Not too sure.

 

[Screwtop]

Screwy, thats my aim in the end, but without an easy way of crushing my grain any way but into powder, the bag is a barrier as well. I have a 45L esky that i can fit out and make a tun. The only thing between 3V and me is a grain crusher. On my low budget im looking to make one or something. Not too sure.

Go you good thing!!!!!! Order your grain crushed man!

Screwy

 

[Acasta]

I would order crushed grain, but the whole tight assed thing gets me! I got a 25kg sack of JW Ale for $45! Thats $1.8 per kilo, as appose to $4 per kilo when bought in small amounts $16 base crushed, or $7.2 bulk for 4kg.

 

[Cocko]

Use your bag as the false bottom... isn't that essentially the same as biab but you can do a full sparge as screwy described...

Then your crush is irrelevant! Just recirc a bit....

2c.

 

[Acasta]

I was considering that cocko, i guess its possible.
But really, is there THAT much difference?

 

[Cocko]

Do a BIAB, check efficiency.

Do a 2v sparge method, check efficiency.

Then you will have your answer.... and if you are as tight on grain pricing as you say, every gravity point is important! :lol:

 

[Acasta]

Alright ill do it haha.
All i need is help setting up beer smith with my system.
So far i've got equipment setup, but i need help with losses.
Also, i would like some advice with mash setup.

 

[Nick JD]

Sparged BIAB is more efficient than 2V. If you're gonna dick around with multiple vessels then go hard and do it right, not some half BIAB, multi-vessel jumble.

If making beer cheaply is your goal then BIAB in one vessel produces award winning beer.

I was brewing with a mate's RIMS gear a few weeks ago and to be honest, it's for people who love brewing more than drinking. I love brewing, but the question is:

If you had a billion dollars in the bank, would you still brew? Or would you buy boxes of The World's Best Beers?

 

[Cocko]

As said, don't use beersmith but use Beeralchemy.

I use to set my biabs to single step/infusion mash but thats all I've got for ya...

Surely there is some BIAB'er using beersmith out here who can help ya mate... Guys?

Please report back on results!

 

[Flash_DG]

I BIAB and have my beersmith all set up for it.
I don't have time right now to post it but I will when I get back tonight.

 

[tavas]

Start with your final volume desired i.e. your volume into your fermenter. Write this down.

First thing to do is measure your boil off in your new kettle. Fill it with a known volume, boil for 1 hour. Measure the remainder. Then adjust Beersmith's %boil off to suit your volume loss.

e.g: my urn loses 2.5 l/hour. I measure this using a steel ruler and working out volume of a cylinder. I adjust Beersmith to suit which from memory is about 5% (I don't have Beersmith on this computer). Add your boil off to your final volume.

Deadspace you will have to measure. Once you have measured your boil off, open your drain valve and empty your kettle. Measure remainder. That's deadspace. You'll get a little bit less than that once it has trub (displaces water) but you'll be ballpark. Add this to your volumes written down.

No mash tun losses as you are BIABing, so all of your mash volume should go into your kettle. Full volume mash doesn't have sparge water.

Losses to grain is about 0.9 - 1 l/kg. Add this to your volumes.

You now have your water volumes. Don't sweat Beersmith. You don't NEED it to make beer. You just need to know your losses and account for them.