Biggest Biab Beer

[bkmad]

I did my 5th biab beer yesterday and stepped it up from the english type ales I've done so far and had a crack at the dark belgian strong ale from brewing classic styles. I haven't had the best efficiency in the past and since its such a big beer I based my recipe on 60% efficiency. I've been refining my methods over the past few brews and it seems to have paid off in much higher efficiency (added a mash out and a sparge). Measured OG this morning when pitching yeast. 1.104! I haven't added the sugar yet either, so this is going to be a BIG beer

So whats the biggest biab beer you have done? How did it work out? Are there any limits to how big you can go with biab (not that I want any bigger than what I've done)?

 

[Wardhog]

What size batch was it?

If it wasn't a small batch, you must have arms like Schwarzenegger, and unshakable faith in the strength of your bag.

 

[bkmad]

It was 9.23kg of grain for a 18L batch. I must admit that I didn't think it through very well and only realised just how heavy a bag full of wet grain would be when I went to lift it. Basically I lifted, held the bag until my arms began to shake and then flung it into a fermenter with a collender in the bottom to drain. I did line the bag with a big square of voile so that if the stitching failed I wouldn't end up with grain all over the place.

 

[j1gsaw]

10.360 kg is my biggest biab grainbill to date, obviously a belgian. 20L batch. I wasnt game to use one bag, so i split between two, was quite squishy having them both in the one 60L pot, but it behaved itself.

 

[argon]

10.360 kg is my biggest biab grainbill to date, obviously a belgian. 20L batch. I wasnt game to use one bag, so i split between two, was quite squishy having them both in the one 60L pot, but it behaved itself.

Most of my BIAB beers are around the 9kg mark for a double batch in a 50L keggle... biggest at 11kg for a summer ale. Went fine just a little trouble getting it out of the cutout lid. I find 9kg to be a pretty good fit when taking it out of the pot and mostly get about 40L at about 1050 into fermenters.

Even at 11kg grain bill i'm still mashing at over 3L/kg so for me the only limitation to BIAB is just the amount of fussing about to get your volumes right and how capable you are at lifting the grain out of the pot.

I always account for lower efficiency as the grain bill gets larger... typically double batches in a keggle at 70-75%

 

[bkmad]

Good to see that big beers can be done successfully with biab then. I went into it fully expecting crap efficiency and thought I'd end up with a beer around 8%, but it should end up over 10%. I definitely need some sort of hoist for the next one though.

 

[Scruffy]

8Kg is my regular brew grain weight. It weighs about 15Kg when you pull it. I brew under the verandah and hang the bag off the decking over the 60l pot to drain...

Looking through Beersmith, the biggest brew I mashed was 14Kg in 50l, got about 78% efficiency (...!). Daft idea with hindsight! Ended with 30l of 1.123, finished at 1.030 - 12%ABV of cardboard flavoured flat syrup.

...edit to efficiency...

 

[Bribie G]

First beer of Scruffy's I had was at a BABBs meeting. As I swallowed it and the fumes rose up the back of the nose I was right back there in the UK drinking a headbanging wifebeating superlager There's another post today about doing high gravity beers in an urn, might give it a shot.

 

[Scruffy]

Always a pleasure Bribie sir!

 

[bkmad]

Well I hope mine doesn't turn out like that! I'm keeping the temps low to begin with to hopefully reduce the amount of fusal alcohols. I don't want it like one of these either (shudders at the memory of trying one a few years ago):

 

[j1gsaw]

OR.... :icon_drunk:

 

[Scruffy]

You can has decent strong brew.

 

[argon]

You can has decent strong brew.

yes... balance is the key. That is balanced with a shed load of hops :beerbang:

 

[Scruffy]

Of the 120 and the 90 minute, I prefer the 90...

Anyway, @OP, what are you brewing?

 

[bkmad]

Of the 120 and the 90 minute, I prefer the 90...

Anyway, @OP, what are you brewing?

It's the Belgian Strong Dark Ale from brewing classic styles. So it was always intended to be big, just not quite as big as I ended up with.

 

[Bribie G]

<hijack>
When Bribie Goes Bad
God I gotta get off this stuff.

h34r:

<end thread hijack>


:chug:

 

[j1gsaw]

<hijack>
When Bribie Goes Bad
God I gotta get off this stuff.

h34r:

<end thread hijack>


:chug:

Oh jeeze, i can get them for 16$/4 pack at my local, even after 4 of the horrible things i can feel my eyes warm over...

 

[Thunus]

View attachment 39183

Regularly do triple batches with 15kg's (or more)of grain.
Have had to build a stainless cage to support the bag.
Probably defeats the purpose of keeping things simple but it works fine for me.

 

[bkmad]

Nice setup mate. Does that frame support the underside of the bag as well?

 

[Bribie G]

Just looking at those tie-tags on the bags, is that a Gryphon bag from WA? if so then that's incredible, I didn't think they were that strong, mine should last forever with my grain bills!