First BIAB Dry Run

[QldKev]

HSA etc aside, for your first brew just do it. It will still be a good beer.

Some people pick up HSA/cardboard flavors, astringency and hot fossil fuels more than others. It doesn't make you a better brewer or more a man if you do or don't pick them up. If you don't detect them in your beer, then that is all that matters. If you do detect them, then rectify the fault.

QldKev

 

[Pickaxe]

Just curious, seems my mash got down to 61 degrees after 65 minutes. Any adverse effects there I can expect? Started 66, down to 61. Maybe my insulation could be improved.

 

[Pickaxe]

sweet, sweet sugaz...

 

[jimmyfozzers]

Just curious, seems my mash got down to 61 degrees after 65 minutes. Any adverse effects there I can expect? Started 66, down to 61. Maybe my insulation could be improved.

I've read that most of the conversion happens in the first 20 minutes, so you should be OK. But maybe someone more experienced can confirm that?

 

[iralosavic]

It will mean more simple sugars than if it had've stayed stable at 65c, which will result in a drier/thinner beer. Probably not a terrible thing if you're used to commercial lagers though.

 

[spryzie]

I've got the grain and hops.

But I forgot the yeast!

I'll get it tomorrow...

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Should be okay, might be a tad drier, but that's about it.

I would look at your insulation, 5 degrees in April in Qld is a lot to drop in an hour. I dropped 2 degrees in 90 minutes in Tassie, outside.

Goomba

 

[jimmyfozzers]

Should be okay, might be a tad drier, but that's about it.

I would look at your insulation, 5 degrees in April in Qld is a lot to drop in an hour. I dropped 2 degrees in 90 minutes in Tassie, outside.

Goomba

Same happened to me again last night. Mashed 2.4kg of grain into 16.5 litres of strike water, hitting 65C mash in. Wrapped Big W pot in two large beach towels and my dressing gown. After 60 mins, down to 61C! I'm guessing the temp in the kitchen would have been around 22C. I think I'll have to try a duvet next time!

 

[Bribie G]

Single duvet (doonah for Australians who object to speaking French words) at Big W is only about $8 at the moment, perfect for the job if you fold it round with some occy cords.

 

[spryzie]

OK, water at 70. Threw in grains. Temp now 58! Too low?! Have the burner going again to get it back to 67...

Grains must have been colder than I thought...

I also chickened out on the amount of water. Brew mate said 15.8L, looked too much, took out 2L. Now with grain in, it probably would have been bang on to the millilitre.

 

[spryzie]

OK, took off jumper, stuck thermometer in - reads 76 degrees?! WTF? So obviously my thermometer (digital - should be accurate) wasn't reading the temp very well when I first threw the grains in.

So I basically mashed at 76 degrees it seems.

Anyway, have the bag draining (my knot slipped and the bag crashed down in the water - mess everywhere, didn't lose too much it looks like!) :unsure:

My hydrometer reads 1044 at 55.8 degrees which brew mate says is really 1058 which was my target OG?!

No way?! What's happened? I'm confused now. :huh:

 

[wombil]

Put a loop on the end of your cord and choke the bag.Not a knot .

 

[spryzie]

Put a loop on the end of your cord and choke the bag.Not a knot .

Nah, did that, my shitty clove hitch on the other end failed.

 

[jimmyfozzers]

Single duvet (doonah for Australians who object to speaking French words) at Big W is only about $8 at the moment, perfect for the job if you fold it round with some occy cords.

Thanks Bribie - I'm from the UK and, having been here less than two years, don't feel I have earned the right to use certain aussie words yet Bottlo, garbo, doonah...just about manage capsicum, but draw the line at eggplant.

 

[jimmyfozzers]

OK, took off jumper, stuck thermometer in - reads 76 degrees?! WTF? So obviously my thermometer (digital - should be accurate) wasn't reading the temp very well when I first threw the grains in.

So I basically mashed at 76 degrees it seems.

Anyway, have the bag draining (my knot slipped and the bag crashed down in the water - mess everywhere, didn't lose too much it looks like!) :unsure:

My hydrometer reads 1044 at 55.8 degrees which brew mate says is really 1058 which was my target OG?!

No way?! What's happened? I'm confused now. :huh:

There you go mate - see BIAB is easy!

 

[spryzie]

Been a few days in the fermenter. About 1017 so it's almost done.

Tasted it. It tasted a lot like Kilkenny. Not bad at all (though wasn't the flavour I was really after).

Looked forward to putting a stout down next!

And considering it was a shambles on brew day, my next attempt should be a lot better.

 

[Pickaxe]

Nice one spryzie. I tried my first partial BIAB roughly same day you did. US Wheat. Turning out pretty good however - I had a question about temps.

My FG was 1003. My mash started at 66, but was down to 61 by end of 60 minutes. Is this beer thinner due to lower than ideal temps?

Beersmith was telling me my 1.5 kg pale can, 2kg Wheat and 500g Caramel wheat should have levelled at 1011 with US 05?

Next time, I'm gonna mash in the esky, rather than the towel wrapped pot, at near full volume so I can hold that temp.

 

[JDW81]

My FG was 1003. My mash started at 66, but was down to 61 by end of 60 minutes. Is this beer thinner due to lower than ideal temps?

Beersmith was telling me my 1.5 kg pale can, 2kg Wheat and 500g Caramel wheat should have levelled at 1011 with US 05?

That may contribute, but another thing to think about is your hydrometer:
1: Is it calibrated correctly? I.e. reads 1.000 in 20 degree distilled (pure) water (1.000 in tap water should be close enough though)
2: What temperature did you take he reading at? Higher (or lower) temps will make a difference to the reading you get (although in fermentation range it is unlikely to make a massive difference; maybe a point of two)

E.g. if your hydrometer reads .996 in water at the correct temp, then you need to add four points to the gravity reading you get when measuring beer.

JD

 

[Pickaxe]

Hydrometer is fine. I've made sure of that. Just wondered why she fermented so dry. I have consistently been hitting 1012ish FG with all my extracts, so I figured it must be the grain mash, or is it Wheat? I've not done a brew that has 50% wheat content before. Considering my estimated OG was bang on 1040, just curious what factors might make me hit 1003 FG?

 

[wbosher]

Been a few days in the fermenter. About 1017 so it's almost done.

Tasted it. It tasted a lot like Kilkenny. Not bad at all (though wasn't the flavour I was really after).

Looked forward to putting a stout down next!

And considering it was a shambles on brew day, my next attempt should be a lot better.

Don't be too quick to judge it just yet. A few weeks in the bottles (assuming you bottle) will make a massive difference to the taste.