First Biab Pics.

[Shifter]

Selection of my first BIAB pics. Brew is fermenting really well, in fact a little too well. It erupted out through the air lock and over the fermenter top. Seems to have slowed down now and is at about 1020, from 1060, so not too far to go. Very happy so far with aroma and taste.


http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff299/Snikrep777/Brewery/

 

[Rowy]

Selection of my first BIAB pics. Brew is fermenting really well, in fact a little too well. It erupted out through the air lock and over the fermenter top. Seems to have slowed down now and is at about 1020, from 1060, so not too far to go. Very happy so far with aroma and taste.


http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff299/Snikrep777/Brewery/

Loooks great shifter. I'm dying to try BIAB but just haven't made the step. Did it cost you much to set up?

 

[user 10246]

Lookin good Shifter, cool stuff

@Rowy, plenty of scope for however you want to go mate, lotsa options. Whereabouts are you based? Plenty of guys around you can hook up with if required

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Loooks great shifter. I'm dying to try BIAB but just haven't made the step. Did it cost you much to set up?

@Rowy - part of the key of BIAB is the simplicity and the customisation of equipment to one's budget and DIY skills (none for me).

I'm using my version of the stovetop method with 2 pots on the stove and have been for close to two years.

Great beer, very cheap setup ($19 for first pot, $12 for second on special) and I really only need to brew once a month.

My kegging equipment cost way more than my brewing equipment.

Goomba

 

[Rowy]

Lookin good Shifter, cool stuff

@Rowy, plenty of scope for however you want to go mate, lotsa options. Whereabouts are you based? Plenty of guys around you can hook up with if required

I'm at Birkdale mate and love cooking and beer. This just seems a natural step for me.

 

[Rowy]

@Rowy - part of the key of BIAB is the simplicity and the customisation of equipment to one's budget and DIY skills (none for me).

I'm using my version of the stovetop method with 2 pots on the stove and have been for close to two years.

Great beer, very cheap setup ($19 for first pot, $12 for second on special) and I really only need to brew once a month.

My kegging equipment cost way more than my brewing equipment.

Goomba

I've looked at the great thread on this site that has pictures and it looks easy enough. Its the getting the temps right that worry me Goomba.

 

[RdeVjun]

I've looked at the great thread on this site that has pictures and it looks easy enough. Its the getting the temps right that worry me Goomba.

Rowy, don't sweat about that, there a couple of nifty tricks to get your mash bang on every time, and have it staying there:
1. Pre- heat. Whatever your strike water temperature target is, heat it a few degrees beyond that. Place your pot where it will mash (if that's what you're using, on the bench commonly with some insulation under it) and then bung the insulation over it to pre- heat. The few degrees over will be absorbed by the insulation and it will all be at working temperature.
2. Reserve some strike water. So, when you're ready to drop the grain in, grab a 2L jug and pull out some of that hot water and reserve it, while about the same time, put the kettle on. Drop your grain in- I just lower the bag full of grain in, secure it around the edge of the pot and give the grain a good stir, takes 30 seconds and is really easy, then measure the mash temperature. If it is spot on, add the reserved water, too cold- then add some from the kettle, too hot, perhaps a little cold and the remainder from the reserved. One way or another you should end up with the mash temperature where you want it as you can compensate for initially missing the target. After a few goes at you get a feel for what's the right temperature for your set up, but I still reserve some strike water every time to be sure.

BTW, don't even think about applying heat to adjust or regulate the mash temperature, generous insulation will work fine in most situations, even in winter. The other thing about consistent mash temperatures is just leave it be, there's no need to check on it every ten minutes (or stir the bejaysus out of it) - there's SFA you can do about it anyway! Just mash it in as above, adjust if need be, then leave it be, relax and maybe have a beer- by this stage you'll feel as though you've earned it! When you succeed with nifty tricks in this process, then doubly so! :icon_cheers:

 

[Rowy]

Sounds like even I could do that easy enough. Great site luv all the advice.

 

[RdeVjun]

No problems Rowy, give it a whirl, you'll be amazed how simple and easy it really is. B)
Of course, if there's any strife, you know what to do! :icon_cheers:

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Everything that RdeVjun (you know how hard that is to type with a few APAs under the belt R?) said.

Temps aren't that hard. You'll probably be monitoring it every 3 degrees up to strike temp anyway. To be honest, as long as I'm within 2 degrees of my temp, I'm satisfied. It isn't really technically correct, but my house APA is fairly consistent - so not a major issue.

ANother thing I do - if I overdo it. Take it off the stove and blow it until it's cooler.

Any spittle I put in will be germ free at 70 degrees anyways.

Goomba

 

[RdeVjun]

Everything that RdeVjun (you know how hard that is to type with a few APAs under the belt R?) said.

Ahh, nope... never brew em!! ESBs? Well, that's another matter! Usually cross- eyed one finger typist after a few of those, but tonight, well- that was an exception! :icon_cheers:

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Ahh, nope... never brew em!! ESBs? Well, that's another matter! Usually cross- eyed one finger typist after a few of those, but tonight, well- that was an exception! :icon_cheers:

Worst thing is, between a higher temp mash and lower OG (dilution) this one ain't nearly as *_* as most are.

I'll be burping cascade for days, though.

Goomba

 

[Bribie G]

Very smooth setup there.
Rowy, if you get some software such as the free BrewMate, temperature calculations are a cinch.

Just stick a thermometer in the grain and punch in your desired mash temperature and grain / water volumes and it will tell you what strike water temp you need.

 

[Rowy]

I have to get that.

 

[Shifter]

Whilst the pics depict what could be termed a "smooth" set up reality is somewhat different. The pulley system was terrible to use being only one pulley and 7gk of wet grain, made it unmanagable. Round 2 will have a three stage pully, (3 sheaves) and a cleat attached to the house wall. When getting to stike temp, which was 66 deg C, I got the water to about 70 and then placed the grain in to the water. I stirred the grain and liquid but found it quite difficult to maintain a good temperature, although the resulting temp was about 66 for the duration of the mash. Is it required to keep stirring the liquid and grain or is it best stirred up to get rid of any coagaltion and then just leave it mash?

I ended up with a sweet wort at 1060, and a hole load of crap (trub?) left in the bottom, some of which made it's way in to the fermenter. I had to make up the fermenting wort volume from about 18 ltrs to 21 for fermentation, if that about right???

All in all though very pleased with the first effort.

Any comments or tips and tricks most welcome.

 

[RdeVjun]

Hey Shifter, yeah, active heating of the mash is a real PITA, I wouldn't recommend it. As described above, lag well and leave it is my advice, there's no need to check it frequently, all that does is release more heat when taking the lid off, although it looks like you were using an STC- type controller. If that's the case, then any heat you applied would need to be stirred though the mash, that requires removal of the lid etc and back to square one.
Amongst loads of others, Bribie G uses an urn similar to yours and he just uses passive lagging, no problem. I guess it means you may need more of it and ditch the controller. I think he uses heating for a mashout step though.

Ps. Love the blue poster! :lol:

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Still use 2 pots and doonas to keep the temp constant - and it works. Don't check frequently, the temp drops way too quick otherwise.

I'm finding my little freezer for fermentation drops the temp waaaaay quicker than using a fermentation fridge.

Goomba

 

[Bribie G]

Tips n tricks department:

Yes passive lagging does the job, I use a cheap store kids size sleeping bag, then wrap that again in a feather doonah I got from Woolies a few years ago really cheap (couldn't sleep under it as it smelled of chickens :lol: )
Your lagging looks really neat, what is it exactly? I reckon a doonah round that or a sleeping bag slipped over would definitely do the trick.

However for direct heating and stirring when doing step mashes, a curved roasting rack from a kitchen shop to keep the bag well away from the element :




And a handy pulley setup (which I'm assembling today



I'm attaching the end of the rope to an eye-bolt in the beam rather than to the bottom of the upper pulley (or as they would say in Nelson's navy: the becket on the upper block aaarrrr he hearties)

For trub in the kettle, a good floccer is really useful. I find the best one is BrewBright - can be bought at Mark's Home Brew shop Newcastle, he posts - and cover tight and leave for at least 20 mins to settle out. Also use a hopsock, even with pellets, as they expand out to form an awesome amount of "mud".
I've built a "lautering tun" as an additional stage in my brewing but that would be way in your future - need to get your current system working comfortably first.

IMHO the worst thing about BIAB is hoisting a hot wet bag, especially if it's nearly 80 degrees following a mashout, and a bit of an investment in an easy and safe lifting system is a must.

If you decide not to use the temp controller, no waste as you can run a fridge / keezer off it, whatever. :icon_cheers:

 

[stux]

Here's a link to my simple 2:1 pulley
http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=972

Not quite as overkill as Bribie's 4:1 but works great on 10KG batches

 

[Shifter]

BG, thanks for your valued input. The insulation is an old Doonah which my wife cut up and made to fit exactly around my urn. Works a treat with hardly any heat transfer. I pretty pleased with it. Pulleys, yes next step, going to get a 3 sheaved block, I'm an old sea dog!, and a reasonable cleat to secure it with. I did use a hop sock and still managed to get some "mud". Thanks for the "floccer" info.

As a slight side, I want to establish, for now, two types of beer, perhaps an english type fruity bitter style, maybe a contradiction in terms?, and an American APA style. what are best grain varieties to use? Ideally I'd just like to concentrate on perhaps two, Maris Otter type and a pilsner type? Any suggestions???

Lautering to come maybe in a year or so , when I have perfected the BIAB art. My extract and steeping beer, is very drinkable, been doing it for a long, long time.

My first BIAB is smelling lovely, very hoppy and fruity, recipe from Anthony at CB. It called for 2 x yeast sachets, which i pitched and after a couple of days the fermenter almost exploded, yeast everywhere. Happened twice. down from 1060 to about 120 at present and slowing down. Just dry hopped. time will tell. I have a collander over the enclosed heating element of the urn. Great for the mash, but rattles about during the boil as i forgot to remove it.

I have another STC 100 for a fridge and or fan for my keggerator.

Thanks,