Getting very close to AG...

[slcmorro]

So, I'm almost there. Been doing kits and partials for a while, and I'm almost at the stage where I'll be doing my first BIAB.

Just waiting on my 4 ring gas burner to arrive: http://www.graysonline.com/retail/sitrorb4/sporting--leisure-good/large-cast-iron-ring-burner?spr=true which cost me a grand total of $55 delivered. Should be here today or tomorrow.

I've got a 50L keggle with an outlet and tap, kindly donated to me by Vic45 and a 36L Esky I had lying around (same as this one): http://www.kellyscamping.com.au/p/1098825/Esky-True-Blue-Litre-Cooler-.html?gclid=CNnI_Zmy0bkCFWRepgodogMA8A which already has a spigot valve built into it, for draining out the wort after mashing.

I'm meeting up with a few of the boys from BAR tomorrow (who have already been very helpful and generous), and I'll be picking their brains a bit further, but I figured after reading through some of the guides and posts on these forums, I think I'm pretty right.

I've got a 1.5m x 1m piece of swiss voile to line the Esky/Mash Tun which fits nicely, an immersion chiller on the way, a 9KG gas bottle to use for boiling, some digital kitchen scales, some tubs with lids for storing grain, the usual hydrometers, mash paddles, starsan spray bottles, wash tub, food grade tubing, hose clamps etc etc and some bricks to make a makeshift stand for the burner/keggle.

Is there anything I am missing other than a mill (will beg the use of one of the BAR members ones until I get my own)?

 

[Not For Horses]

Fridge full of beer.
It's not good practice to brew without a beer in hand.

 

[vortex]

If you already have an esky, why not just get a false bottom and do it properly?

 

[philmud]

If you're planning to BIAB, I would be inclined to leave the esky/tun out of the equation and mash in your keggle (unless you have no lid and anticipate high temperature loss).
If you're set in using the esky, why not try and go for a more traditional 3V system?

 

[slcmorro]

I don't have a lid for the keggle, and I figured with the esky, it'd be easier and cheaper than rigging up some insultation to the keggle and just using what I already have plus the esky is ready made and on hand to hold good mash temps without much effort.

Could you expand a little more on what you mean Vortex? I wasn't going to go with the false bottom (for the keggle I'm presuming?) as it was more of an outlay, and BIAB looks to be comparative to other methods. Plus, I already have the equipment (I think) I need for BIAB.

My understanding is:

Heat strike water in keggle, drain into mash tun.
Mash grain in cloth in esky at specified temp for specified time.
Drain wort from esky back into keggle.
Boil in keggle for specified time and make hop additions etc in keggle.
Chill and whirlpool, drain into fermenter.

 

[Yob]

BIAB is traditionally a 1V thing aint it? You are heading down the 2V / 3V road and if so, you may eventually end up on HERMS or some such.. it was the manual recirc that gave me the shits in a 2V setup and as soon as I thought 'a pump would make this a whole lot easier' it was HERMS all the way and my setup hasnt changed now since then (well except for the vessels getting bigger)

That said, I actually use a sheet in my esky as well (4V HERMS Brew in a Bag in an Esky or HBIABIAE if you will ) for a number of reasons but primarily to stop any particulate blocking the LBP that I still use, I do own a march but figure I will use my LBP till it dies or I get bored and finish off my brew stand. (which I should do and keep the LBP as backup)

Mate, systems evolve and the best way to get it moving is to... well.. get it moving, when you start, it'll start evolving.

If you wanted to go BIAB in the traditional sense, get to strike temps and dump in the bag and then the grain, if you are gas fired you can always apply a little heat and stir to get the temps right, add a little more if it starts to drop, so on and so forth.

IF you are intent on 2V, build a little manifold from copper or get a false bottom to aid in wort clarification when you

:icon_cheers:

 

[bum]

What sort of knockout volume are you hoping for (i.e. into fermenter)?

My last tun was a 36L esky and (depending on grist amount) I'd maybe be able to squeeze out 20L of pre-boil wort [EDIT: Not that I usually did this, what with liquor:grist and all]. Depending on your brand of esky you may even lose ~3L due to the lid hinge.

Hopefully the boys who come have a look at it can give you a good idea of how much you can realistically expect out of no sparge brewing in such a tun.

 

[MAX POWER]

Does your keggle have a lip? If so, a large lid from pots and pans in your kitchen should do the job.

I've only started BIAB myself, but have found I don't need much insulation. Mind you it is an electric set-up and I'll just turn the element on and give it a stir if temp drops too much.

I'd definately try to stick with just the keggle if I were you.

 

[slcmorro]

Thanks for the opinions so far guys, much appreciated.

To answer a few questions, I was hoping to make 21L batches (possibly 42L doubles later on if possible?) with the Esky. I don't have to use it as a mash tun, I was planning on using it because it's what I have on hand. Further, I thought I might run into some drama with the bag full of grain in the keggle... it might be difficult to extract from the keggle when it's done because of the smallish opening in the top (see picture) hence the other reasoning behind using the esky as a mash tun... being able to just walk away from the mash with confidence, not return to check temps and fire up the burner etc.

I'm sure I can either find or fashion a lid for the keggle.

If the general consensus however is to just use the keggle for mashing as well, I'm happy to defer to knowledge and give it a crack

 

[big78sam]

Nothing wrong with adding a sparge step in between steps 3 and 4 that you've set out above if you are worried about getting sufficient volume or ending up with low efficiency. Although you'd be heading further towards traditional 3V brewing.

IMHO, just dive in with your planned process and see how you go. You will make good beer and realise what tweaks you need to make to your system to get the result you want.

Edit - just saw the previous 2 posts. Mashing in the leggle is a perfectly acceptable option as well. I'm not sure about getting the bag out with the lip on your keggle though. I'll leave it to others who have a similar setup to comment. You could always give it a try and if you cant get the bag out just drain the wort into t[SIZE=10pt]he esky from the keggle, then you can do whatever mucking around you need to get the bag out then return to the wort to the keggle. Obviously not an ideal process but it will give you a back up plan if getting the full bag out is difficult.[/SIZE]

There are many ways to brew and no matter what method you use you'll end up with beer.

 

[Steve]

Same keggle as mine. I used to lose about 3-4 litres over 60 mins. Any old ally pot lid or glass lid from your a $2.00 shop will do. Put it on so there is a gap for the steam to get out though. Vortex was referring to a false bottom for the esky so you mash in that instead of a bag. Put up a pic of your esky to.
Cheers
Steve

 

[big78sam]

Same keggle as mine. I used to lose about 3-4 litres over 60 mins. Any old ally pot lid or glass lid from your a $2.00 shop will do. Put it on so there is a gap for the steam to get out though. Vortex was referring to a false bottom for the esky so you mash in that instead of a bag. Put up a pic of your esky to.
Cheers
Steve

I think the reference to the lid was in relation to covering during the mash to avoid too much lost heat. I've never covered by pot during the boil and understood this was not best practise. I'm sure there have been many discussions here about covering v not covering during the boil where smarter people than I have commented...

Another EDIT: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/72252-crownbirko-urn-brewing-with-the-lid-on/

 

[slcmorro]

What would a false bottom for the esky do, that a bag doesn't? I imagine it'd allow water/wort to flow in and around the grain completely, and drain from underneath the grain bed yeah?

Yeah, I think he meant cover with a lid during mash. From what I've read, everything indicates leaving the wort to boil off DMS during the rolling boil so a lid would be counterproductive.


Esky, as requested. Needs a good clean of course.

 

[Steve]

A false bottom compared to a bag is just a different way of brewing. Using a false bottom or copper manifold are more traditional way of extracting the wort from the grain in the mash. I used that method as BIAB wasnt around when I started. Sorry but cant comment much more on BIAB as I havent done it. The www.howtobrew.com website was always a good source of information I found. From memory it shows and explains what and how to make copper manifolds. All comes down to personal preference these days. Me personally would be making a copper manifold for that esky.
Cheers and have fun!
Steve

Edit.....you say youve been doing partials. Im presuming you mean partial mash?.....how are you doing them? In a bag? If so and you are happy with that method stick with it but do it on a bigger scale.

 

[slcmorro]

Edit.....you say youve been doing partials. Im presuming you mean partial mash?.....how are you doing them? In a bag? If so and you are happy with that method stick with it but do it on a bigger scale.

Yeah mate, in a bag in a 19L stockpot

 

[Steve]

.....then if that worked and your're producing decent beers stick with the method you know works for you and tweak that rather than sticking in another bit of equipment that you need to learn what its doing just for the sake of using it. Use the esky for your beers to be consumed whilst brewing.
Cheers
Steve

 

[slcmorro]

.....then if that worked and your're producing decent beers stick with the method you know works for you and tweak that

That, I can do. Like I said, the reasons behind using the esky as a mash tun was the ease of use (set and forget) and the fact that I think I'll struggle with mashing in the keggle due to heat loss and extraction of grain. I'll crack on with doing the mash in the kettle first up, knowing that I can drain into the esky as a holder if need be if things go pear shaped

 

[bum]

Have you done a "dry" run with just water? Might not be as hard as you think.

 

[slcmorro]

Have you done a "dry" run with just water? Might not be as hard as you think.

No. How would this work without adding grain to the bag and submerging? I'm expecting the grain to swell quite a bit and be hard to pull out of the opening.

 

[bum]

Just talking temp, mate.

The bag'll be tight but as long as there's no cutting edges on your keggle you'll get it out one way or another.