Biab Step Mashing Using Hot Water Additions

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1974Alby

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Hi all, Im keen to try a BIAB step mash using hot water additions. Ive tried it once before by ramping the mash temp whilst slightly raising the bag, but I found that it took 15-20 minutes to get from 50C up to 66C and was difficult to accurately hit my final mash temp, as the bag was partially hoisted (to avoid burning) which made it difficult to stir the mash thoroughly and meant I had to take a temp reading from the wort outside the bag. When I reached my temp, turned off the gas and lowered the bag and stirred, the mash temp dropped a bit as the grains in the bag absorbed some of the heat from the wort :( .​

So this time I want to try stepping up by adding boiling water. I usually mash in with 37L, and am hoping someone can point me in the direction of a calculator to work out how much boiling water to add to my first 50C step, in order to end up with 37L total @66C??​

Ie.. (X litres @ 50C) + (Y Litres @ 100C (boiling water)) = 37 Litres @ 66C..solve for X and Y !​

Hoping someone can point me in the right directionIm guessing it would be somewhere around 28L and 9L and will fine tune my volumes over a few brews, but I dont want to use trial and error if there is a simple calculation that will get me close to the mark first time!​

Cheers​
Al​
 
^ That maths looks too brain hurty. :lol:

I just raise the bag off the element with a stainless steel colander and stir constantly while ramping up.
 
ouch..that does hurt my brain on a monday morning...is there an online calculator that I can just plug the No's into?
yes it may seem lazy, but what do you expect, I am a BIAB brewer after all...actually, some might call it laziness, I prefer to think of it as maximising reward for effort. It's the old 80/20 rule, if I can get 80% of the results with 20% of the effort, that is very effective use of my time and it is difficult to justify putting in further efforts for diminishing returns....
 
Thanks Bribie..perfect...I reckon 25L mash in for 50C protein rest and add 12L boiling will bring me up to 66 or near enough!!....was a bit out with my initial guess...would have found myself mashing @62C!
 
The strike temp calculator found here: http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/articles_o..._StrikeTemp.htm (Scroll down and you will need flash player installed) can be used to calculate hot water additions for infusion step mashing.

For grain temp, just plug in the mash temp of each step and fiddle till you get the desired amount of water to hit the desired temp.
 
Beersmith has the calcs built in so you can play around directly in your recipe.

I am also planning on giving this a go.... Just need a source of boiled water! I am thinking a second urn around 10ltr but waiting for a cheap one to come up!
 
Watch those calculators if they don't include heat loss during rests - especially the longer rests, or initial ones that need a lot of mash paddling - if you are stepping in an uninsulated kettle.

I just plugged in some numbers and my volumes of boiling water are slightly higher than the calc says.

Not to worry, just have a little bit more on hand firt time round to tweak your volumes to suit your gear.
 
I used a calculator called "Brew calculator" available from google play for my tablet on my brew day for the rauchroggenweiss.

I can sit it up on the bench and tweak all the calcs on the fly, as I measure temp. Works for me, and doesn't require a computer to be nearby.
 
I guess I will also need to account for the mass of grain sitting at rest temps too...so my initial 25L @ 50C will actually be greater than just 25L of water as there is 5kg of grain in there at that temp too!!...looks like trial and error will prevail but at least I have a rough starting point....Nick JD, I use a 50L keggle which I insulate with camping mat and sleeping bag...what volumes do you use to bring a 50C protein rest up to mash temps?
 
Just to clarify about BIAB step mashing, If you are not using an element, there is no need to hoist the bag (if you are using an element you can protect the bag with a colander). Just turn the burner up to full and keep stirring continuously until you hit temp.
 
Just to clarify about BIAB step mashing, If you are not using an element, there is no need to hoist the bag (if you are using an element you can protect the bag with a colander). Just turn the burner up to full and keep stirring continuously until you hit temp.

Be aware that temps less than the gelatinisation temp of the mash (before it turns clear < mid 50s) have a bad habit of burning.

Basicially, starch burns much easier than sugaz. If you want a graphic example, throw some flour, and some sugar onto a hot frypan.
 
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