First Biab Coming Up

[ashley_leask]

Hi All,

Going to put down my first BIAB brew this week in my new Crown urn. I'll be doing the Dr's Golden Ale recipe, using Cascade. If this turns out, I'll probably repeat with different American hops (Amarillo, then Centennial etc) every other brew or so to help me start to understand how each one differs coming from the same malt recipe. There's a couple of things I want to clear up first though.

I'll be no chilling in a Willow jerry, and not sure exactly what to do with the late hop additions. Was thinking about 25 IBU for bittering, then 25g each at flameout, and in the cube. Was planning to let the wort settle for 20m or so in the urn before draining into the Willow. How do no-chillers do your late hops?

Also is the 12mm (internal diameter) silicone tubing safe to attach to the Crown tap for draining? It fits, but is stretched quite a bit going over. I'm planning to screw one of those plumbing clamps onto it as well to make sure it doesn't slip off. Interested to see what others do for draining their urns.

What kind of water losses should I expect doing BIAB when the bag will have as much as possible squeezed back into the urn? I've got a 4.9kg grainbill in this one.

Cheers,

Ash

Edited for sprlling

 

[felten]

I'd leave the bittering charge as is, and move all the late hops into the cube, my 2c

oh and for volumes, there's a calculator on the biabrewer site here, though I find this one easier to use with beersmith for the other calcs.

 

[bignath]

Yeah i'd go with Felten on the bittering hops.

I'd probably only do one "late" addition. Flameout, Cube hop, up to you. Realistically, they are only 5mins apart i suppose. Not sure it will make an iota of difference. I also no chill, and am experimenting with flameout and cube hopping and i can't tell a difference.

Good luck with it mate, hope it turns out well. I've done the golden ale before and it's a really, really good recipe (as the ratings suggest).

Cheers,
Nath

 

[argon]

I'd leave the bittering charge as is, and move all the late hops into the cube, my 2c

+1 for felten on hopping. For your first just add your flameout addition to the cube also. The way i do it is i fill it to the brim and just before i put the lid on, i throw in the cube hops then seal it up. You'll get a nice deep flavour from this.

Next time if you feel it's too bitter or not bitter enough just adjust as necessary.

Good luck with it.

 

[Bribie G]

I just let it run into the cube but if you want to use a hose then that's good insurance against any oxidation.

I usually put 33 L into the Crown first, and have a mark on the sight tube.
After mashing around a 5.5k grain bill and hoisting, draining and giving it a really good squeeze I normally end up with this level before boiling:

(disclaimer beer belly reflections in curves surfaces may look larger than they really are)


B)

I usually put my last addition straight into cube.
Yes leave 20 minutes to settle after using a good floccer like koppafloc, whirlfloc or Brewbrite. Chuck a clean towel over the top in the meantime.

Go for it

 

[ultravista]

Ash, post pictures!

I am waiting for my grains and a few small items; then I'm going BIAB with a Rogue Dead Guy clone.

Can't wait ...

 

[ashley_leask]

All systems go, mash is underway now. Here's the urn all lagged up and ready to go:


Mashed in:


Covered with a foil wrapped lid before putting the urn lid on:


Found this in the shed from a baby bouncer my kids have long grown out of. Going to use that to hoist the bag.


Only thing that went slightly off plan (so far B) ) is I only lost about 2.5 degrees when I added the grain, so the mash is at 68. rather than 67. I stirred it around a bit for a few minutes and it dropped .5 degrees and I thought I'd leave it there.

Looking forward to the rest of the process, going to mash out at 78 in 15 minutes.

Thanks for all the replies / advice everyone, much appreciated.

Cheers,

Ash

 

[bignath]

Only thing that went slightly off plan (so far B) ) is I only lost about 2.5 degrees when I added the grain, so the mash is at 68. rather than 67. I stirred it around a bit for a few minutes and it dropped .5 degrees and I thought I'd leave it there.

That's a problem???????

Sounds like you've been doing this for decades.

great job mate, keep the piccies comin'!

Nath

 

[argon]

Found this in the shed from a baby bouncer my kids have long grown out of. Going to use that to hoist the bag.
View attachment 43774

that's a tops idea... :icon_cheers:

 

[ashley_leask]

Boil underway now, hops all weighed out:


Bag hoisted and draining. I squeezed the crap out of it. B)


Stirred up after mashout then took this sample for OG reading. Was 1.043 (targeting 1.047), but I only lost 2L of water with the grain, so I had 30.5L rather than 29L at this point.


Just coming to the boil:


And, for those who say the concealed elements give a crappy boil:


Pretty happy with how this is going so far. Famous last words, I know.

 

[ashley_leask]

Stirred up after mashout then took this sample for OG reading. Was 1.043 (targeting 1.047), but I only lost 2L of water with the grain, so I had 30.5L rather than 29L at this point.

Hang on, that was Boil Gravity (target 1.040), not final. I'm not low, I'm up! OG is 1.046, so only off by a point.

Now, ready to cube:


And finished:


Volume of water turned out to be perfect, as it was just running out at the top of the tap and some of the hot break was starting to head towards it. Here's what was left.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

A man who plainly did his research, asked a few pertinent questions, understood and followed the advice he was given - and had what looks like to be a gold standard first brewday as a result.

Well done Ash, you've made the process seems as easy and simple as it really is and i bet that beer is going to be great as a result.

Top work

TB

 

[Bizier]

As per TB's post.

Mate, you will be one to watch.

 

[Bribie G]

Brilliant stuff
I love your hookies arrangement for holding the bag up - I use a single pulley and tie the cord off onto a wall cleat. But I'm taking my rig to a brew day soon and will have a skyhook but not a cleat. I'd been thinking along those exact lines myself. Where did you get those hooks from, are they a standard item at bunnings or somewhere?

 

[bignath]

Dude, that is a textbook AG brewday!

Well done, that beer is gonna be awesome.........

As TB said, you've obviously done your research and got yourself across all aspects of the process before leaping in headfirst.

It's not hard this brewing thing, and when you get days like you've just had, it makes all the long process and thought worthwhile doesn't it...

Top Notch

Cheers,
Nath

 

[ashley_leask]

Brilliant stuff
I love your hookies arrangement for holding the bag up - I use a single pulley and tie the cord off onto a wall cleat. But I'm taking my rig to a brew day soon and will have a skyhook but not a cleat. I'd been thinking along those exact lines myself. Where did you get those hooks from, are they a standard item at bunnings or somewhere?

Thanks Bribie, yep they're just a standard 2 pack of "S" hooks from Bunnings. I'd used a few of these before to hang up swings etc. Just got big ones to make sure the hook was big enough to loop the bag around a couple of times and tie off.

 

[ashley_leask]

Thanks for the comments everyone, I'm really happy with the day. I got to the end still waiting for something to go wrong... B)

 

[argon]

Thanks for the comments everyone, I'm really happy with the day. I got to the end still waiting for something to go wrong... B)

My first AG nothing went wrong... from then on in. I always f*ck something up. Like add a teaspoon of PBW instead of Gypsum, or having the kettle pickup tube block , or, or, or, etc, etc

Did well mate keep it simple and you'll get great results.
:chug:

 

[bignath]

I always f*ck something up. Like add a teaspoon of PBW instead of Gypsum

laughed hard when i read this!

 

[QldKev]

looks like a good brew day! Just remember 'once you pop you can't stop!'

welcome to the dark side

QldKev