Biab (getting Around Heating Limitations)

[rehab]

So I got an All Grain Mash up kit online (all the ingredients to make the Epic NZ CraftbeerTv Mash Up Pale Ale) Pretty sweet deal and it came with the recipe, all the grain (pre-crushed) and all the hops *Riwaka included* to make the Mash Up Pale Ale.
Thing is is that I have just got the 31ltr pot and I am meant to make 20 ltrs with it (I am BIAB styling it till I can set up further).
Getting to the point: I have an old Ceramic oven and I test boiled 15 ltrs today (from cold tap water) to see how long it took to hit 70 C (so it would land at around 67ish once grain went in) and it took an hour to get there and I had other things on so couldn't leave it to see how long it took to boil.
I am just wondering if I am going to be okay when I give it the real go with HOT water or if I am wasting my time and should try a newer oven at someone elses place? Also since that was only 15ltrs how much should I be topping up later on to get 20? (and at what point should I be topping up)

I know this is a bit poorly researched but I understand it is a case of sooner the better with crushed grain.

Cheers for any help

Chris

 

[alcoadam]

Brew-in-a-bag-in-an-oven........we have a new concept! :icon_drunk:

 

[rehab]

Alright mainly wanting to know what amount of water to start with and when to top up (as in at the boil or in the fermenter etc)... surely someone can help....

 

[stux]

You should be okay as long as you can actually boil 20 something litres.

You will pretty much need to fill your pot up to the limit during the mash, then after the mash, you should run extra water (from a kettle) through your bag to fill your pot up to the pre-boil amount.

(fill up to 25L or so, then add the grain, then top up with more water till you virtually reach the top)

So, I'm guesisng the only concern is getting a boil going. Have you tried spreading across multiple hobs?

If not, you could always get an electric over-the-side immersion element

...

Have a google for maxi-biab

 

[seemax]

S/S weldless element ... $50 and all your problems are solved.

 

[Diesel80]

S/S weldless element ... $50 and all your problems are solved.

+1, and you may be able to use the cooktop and the element at the same time (cooktop / oven normally on own circuit).

Would fair crank to a boil then!

Cheers,
D80

 

[QldKev]

So I got an All Grain Mash up kit online (all the ingredients to make the Epic NZ CraftbeerTv Mash Up Pale Ale) Pretty sweet deal and it came with the recipe, all the grain (pre-crushed) and all the hops *Riwaka included* to make the Mash Up Pale Ale.
Thing is is that I have just got the 31ltr pot and I am meant to make 20 ltrs with it (I am BIAB styling it till I can set up further).
Getting to the point: I have an old Ceramic oven and I test boiled 15 ltrs today (from cold tap water) to see how long it took to hit 70 C (so it would land at around 67ish once grain went in) and it took an hour to get there and I had other things on so couldn't leave it to see how long it took to boil.
I am just wondering if I am going to be okay when I give it the real go with HOT water or if I am wasting my time and should try a newer oven at someone elses place? Also since that was only 15ltrs how much should I be topping up later on to get 20? (and at what point should I be topping up)

I know this is a bit poorly researched but I understand it is a case of sooner the better with crushed grain.

Cheers for any help

Chris

I tried it on my old stove/oven as an experiment for winter brewing (it gets real cold here, last year we had a night under 10 degrees C). It was hopeless trying to get a decent boil and sparging using the kettle etc. I ended up going outside to use my main brew rig and never looked back.

If you had a high capacity stove it may be worth while, but the sounds of it you have something like my old one, and it's just too hard.

As already mentioned, maybe the stove and another element working together could get you there

 

[jacknohe]

Alright mainly wanting to know what amount of water to start with and when to top up (as in at the boil or in the fermenter etc)... surely someone can help....

Hey there stillinrehab. How's things in the Tron? Nice to see you moving to AG. I was still on Kits when I lived there... :wacko: Check out my Avatar, you should see a familiar sight. :lol:

You should be okay as long as you can actually boil 20 something litres.

You will pretty much need to fill your pot up to the limit during the mash, then after the mash, you should run extra water (from a kettle) through your bag to fill your pot up to the pre-boil amount.

(fill up to 25L or so, then add the grain, then top up with more water till you virtually reach the top)

So, I'm guesisng the only concern is getting a boil going. Have you tried spreading across multiple hobs?

If not, you could always get an electric over-the-side immersion element

...

Have a google for maxi-biab

+1. You will need to work out what the water to grain ratio depending on your recipe. But for now, assuming your Grist is around 5kg, go with the above suggestion and add approx 25L or a little less and see how it goes. Have you worked out your starting boil volume? This will depend on your boil-off rate and amount of loss to trub after the boil. But at a guess you could be looking at a 5L loss due to the boil so 25L might be a good pre-boil volume. So as Stux says, you will need to run some hot water through your bag into a bucket perhaps. The amount of water for this will depend on the difference between your pre-boil volume (e.g. 25L) and what is actually in your pot. If you boil off more than what you expected, make a note for next time and just add some boiled water to top up to 20L. Hope this helps.

If your grain is crushed an vacum sealed you will have plenty of time. If not, probably don't want to leave it more than a week really...

Unfortunately, there are some details around your equipment that you will need to find out and experiment with. If you can't boil any more than the 15L then you will have to drop your mash volume and add water later. Its not ideal though.

 

[Amber Fluid]

Download BrewMate, it is free, and work out exactly how much water etc you need. It will do it automatically for you so no need to be guessing.

 

[Vanoontour]

the Epic NZ CraftbeerTv Mash Up Pale Ale) Pretty sweet deal and it came with the recipe,

Any chance you could share the recipe, I was pretty happy with. PM if required.

Cheers

 

[mgill]

just throwing it out there, what about a bbq? Would that provide enough heat?

 

[pk.sax]

bbq, wood log fire, burning fart... whatever it takes to heat.

Each is a different degree of PITA, find a BBQ burner that runs off Bottled gas and give it a whirl.

 

[mgill]

bbq, wood log fire, burning fart... whatever it takes to heat.

Each is a different degree of PITA, find a BBQ burner that runs off Bottled gas and give it a whirl.

baked beans on brew night it is!!!

 

[rehab]

just throwing it out there, what about a bbq? Would that provide enough heat?

Was going to go this way but during the mash the skies opened up and didn't stop for hours so the stove top with lots of help from putting the lid back on from time to time was the only way to keep the boil alive! Next time I do this amount (20 litres) I hope to have the over the side element cranking too!

 

[rehab]

Hey there stillinrehab. How's things in the Tron? Nice to see you moving to AG. I was still on Kits when I lived there... :wacko: Check out my Avatar, you should see a familiar sight. :lol:



+1. You will need to work out what the water to grain ratio depending on your recipe. But for now, assuming your Grist is around 5kg, go with the above suggestion and add approx 25L or a little less and see how it goes. Have you worked out your starting boil volume? This will depend on your boil-off rate and amount of loss to trub after the boil. But at a guess you could be looking at a 5L loss due to the boil so 25L might be a good pre-boil volume. So as Stux says, you will need to run some hot water through your bag into a bucket perhaps. The amount of water for this will depend on the difference between your pre-boil volume (e.g. 25L) and what is actually in your pot. If you boil off more than what you expected, make a note for next time and just add some boiled water to top up to 20L. Hope this helps.

If your grain is crushed an vacum sealed you will have plenty of time. If not, probably don't want to leave it more than a week really...

Unfortunately, there are some details around your equipment that you will need to find out and experiment with. If you can't boil any more than the 15L then you will have to drop your mash volume and add water later. Its not ideal though.

Oh no not the dirty Wakatoos! Not good unless they're free

 

[rehab]

Download BrewMate, it is free, and work out exactly how much water etc you need. It will do it automatically for you so no need to be guessing.

Will use this more in the future. I was putting in the wrong details in places so was confusing myself. I have a mate who can point me in the right direction though, Cheers :beerbang: