Looking to do my First BIAB

[Brewman_]

How and what do you use to scrub the element after the mash?

I have an exposed element - Birko. I find it cleans up really well with a soak of brewwash over night, hose off done.

I used undiluted star san smeared onto my concealed element to get the scorch to just peel off. This worked even for some serious black gunk that was rock solid. Takes hardly any, like keg lube on an o-ring, then let it sit for an hour or so.

Now I have never used a concealed element urn, but I'm curious why you need clean the element with a starsan? I thought being concealed it would remain clean?

Cheers Steve

 

[wereprawn]

I have an exposed element - Birko. I find it cleans up really well with a soak of brewwash over night, hose off done.

Now I have never used a concealed element urn, but I'm curious why you need clean the element with a starsan? I thought being concealed it would remain clean?

Cheers Steve

I use an 30 ltr urn with a concealed element and the metal directly above the element gets a fair bit of crap stuck to it at times. Did back to back brews a while ago and didn't bother cleaning the urn out well, on the second brew the boil kept cutting out. Had to move the wort out of it and clean the bottom. Had a strong boil without the urn cutting out again.

 

[Brewman_]

I use an 30 ltr urn with a concealed element and the metal directly above the element gets a fair bit of crap stuck to it at times. Did back to back brews a while ago and didn't bother cleaning the urn out well, on the second brew the boil kept cutting out. Had to move the wort out of it and clean the bottom. Had a strong boil without the urn cutting out again.

OK, I never realised they did that.

I am guessing the build up of debris reduces the heat transfer to the urn volume and trips the over heat switch on the element.

Apparently the Birko is heading the same way with a concealed element. Not sure when, but it is coming.

Anyway not to divert from the OP.

 

[mattyg8]

Where abouts can I get one of these mashes

 

[Bribie G]

That's mine. I got it from a dulux trade centre. It's now about six years old but they should still have similar.

 

[mattyg8]

That's mine. I got it from a dulux trade centre. It's now about six years old but they should still have similar.

Cheers Ill have to see where my closest one is

 

[mattyg8]

Ok so I'm running the numbers through the BIAB spreadsheet and have adjusted efficiency to 60% for first time use.
Allowing for 90 min mash with mash out at 78c for 10 mins and 90 min boil.

I plan on picking up the grain bill during next week.

using the original grain bill
0.8 x Joe White - Wheat Malt (per kg) AU$3.30
0.2 x Joe White - Dark Crystal Malt (per kg) AU$3.85
0.8 x Joe White - Munich (per kg) AU$3.60
2.4 x Simpsons - Maris Otter (per kg) AU$4.45

It only works out at OG 1.037 FG 1.012 ABV 3.2 Keg

What would numbers should I increase the grain bill to to acheive a 4.5-5% abv whilst keeping the balance the same?

View attachment BIAB_Beer_Designer_v1.3.xls

 

[Nizmoose]

Ok so I'm running the numbers through the BIAB spreadsheet and have adjusted efficiency to 60% for first time use.
Allowing for 90 min mash with mash out at 78c for 10 mins and 90 min boil.

I plan on picking up the grain bill during next week.

using the original grain bill
0.8 x Joe White - Wheat Malt (per kg) AU$3.300.2 x Joe White - Dark Crystal Malt (per kg) AU$3.850.8 x Joe White - Munich (per kg) AU$3.602.4 x Simpsons - Maris Otter (per kg) AU$4.45

It only works out at OG 1.037 FG 1.012 ABV 3.2 Keg

What would numbers should I increase the grain bill to to acheive a 4.5-5% abv whilst keeping the balance the same?

To achieve the same balance I'd be looking at the IBU:GU ratio and trying to maintain that and then adding the same amount of everything to bump up the OG. If you were to add only spec malt you'd have a sweeter beer with probably not much more abv, if you add just base malt yu'll get more abv but it maayy taste a bit drier. Just bump all your ingredients (including hops) a few percent to get closer to say 1.045 OG

EDIT: I looked through the thread to try and find what final volume into the fermenter you're aiming for but couldn't which makes it hard to suggest an exact amount. But with whatever software you're using add say 10% in weight to every ingredient and see where that gets you. Your late hops might not really need changing much but your bittering addition will want to be put up to maintain a somewhat similar IBU:GU ratio.

 

[mattyg8]

Oh Ive put it in the Spreadsheet at 21L to allow for keg and a couple of bottles

 

[Joel Mcleod]

Ran ur recipe through biabicus. Its almost looked like the following in %.
MO - 55%
Munich - 20%
Crystal - 5%
Wheat - 20%
Changed the OG from 1.038 to 1.050 & your amounts changed to following:
MO: 3050g
Munich: 1100g
Crystal: 280g
Wheat: 1100g

Hope that helped & not hindered.

 

[Joel Mcleod]

Sorry, that should get u about 4.8% abv

 

[mattyg8]

I added those values into the spread sheet and came with the following.

 

[Nizmoose]

Not sure if joe changed the efficiency to 60% but the difference in OG is either that or simply a difference in software, its an acceptable amount of error as it's highly unlikely you'll hit 60% efficiency on the head. I'd do the recipe of what youve got in that screen shot then measure your pre-boil gravity, boil, then measure post-boil gravity. If you end up with a mash efficiency of more like 75% which is highly possible then just use a calculator (eg brewers friend dilution calculator) to add some top up water to the fermenter if you like to get you closer to your desired OG. Keep in mind that it will dilute the hops a bit so keep ay top up to a minimum. With what you're aiming for if you hit anywhere betweeen 1.047 and 1.052 I wouldn't worry about any top up. These initial batches on your system will not be hitting OG's on the head because you need to run a few batches through your set-up to know what to expect. For me for example I started with my software set to 70% but am usually getting around the 80% mark for mash efficiency. I was only able to obtain that number after a few batches (I have had 78%, 65% on a mistake brew day, 85%, 80%,79%). So now I just set my software to 75% mash efficency and I get what I get at the end, normally within 2 gravity points of my target without the need to mess with volume post boil. In short, brew what you have there, write down ALL of the numbers, then see what you get and adjust your software accordingly. Hope that helps

 

[Nizmoose]

If it's any help here's the brew day sheet I made up to make sure I record all my numbers, don't worry about the starting water box, I fill my 30L fermenter before a brew day and use that outside as my water supply so that volume goes there so I can track it.

 

[mattyg8]

Yeh I will go with the one I have attached and that's why I started with a low efficiency as I'm sure there are going to be some errors along the way.

Ill do all my measurements pre and post boil gravity to work out efficiency

thanks for your help!

 

[Joel Mcleod]

Good luck & and enjoy ur 1st BIAB mate!

 

[mattyg8]

Placed an order and going to pick up the grains tonight to do a brew on sunday, Now they didn't have any brew bright, Is whirfloc tablets pretty much same thing?

 

[crowmanz]

Placed an order and going to pick up the grains tonight to do a brew on sunday, Now they didn't have any brew bright, Is whirfloc tablets pretty much same thing?

pretty much the same, the dr smurto recipe actually uses whirfloc tablets anyway

 

[Rocker1986]

cheers

I was looking at getting a http://www.fullpint.com.au/crown-urn-strainer/ to place in the bottom of the urn

I've got one of these things. It works very well for being able to heat the mash up for mashout without the faffing about of lifting the grain bag. Have used it for Hockhurz mashes as well. I do need to make up something to remove it prior to boiling though so I can get at the element to clean it off (liking the idea of a stiff brush on a long handle there). Also if you leave it in, all the kettle trub settles on it, instead of the actual bottom of the urn.

Bit of citric acid and some water boiled for a few minutes easily removes any scale. I then let it cool to lukewarm before going at it with some steel wool. Cleans up like new every time.

I also don't bother whirlpooling for the same reason mentioned - the trub settles well enough on its own below the tap level (I too use Brewbrite), and I actually have found that it takes longer for the trub to be drawn into the tap without whirlpooling than it does with whirlpooling. I've been doing it for nearly 3 years so I have my process down pat. I can fill a cube with wort without needing to squeeze air out, at just about the same time as the trub starts being drawn into the tap. Maximum wort, no kettle trub to speak of.

 

[mattyg8]

Thanks heaps guys...wish me luck!

This is my process I hope to follow

[SIZE=10.5pt]1. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Add desired water level per spreadsheet, get temp up to strike rate per spreadsheet.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]2. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Kill the power, line with bag and add grains, stir with paint stirrer to prevent dough balls and place the urn cover on and insulate with sleeping bag.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]3. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Mash for period of time 90 mins.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]4. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Stir and Raise temp to 78C for mash out for 10 mins. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]5. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Hoist bag over urn or bucket to get excess wort out of grain bag.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]6. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Remove crown urn strainer from bottom.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]7. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Scrub element to prevent element cut out.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]8. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Get temp to rolling boil. Lid on until close to boiling.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]9. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Start boil timer for 90 mins.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]10. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Add bittering hops Amarillo 15g at 40 min to account for no chill. (instead of 60 mins if chilling)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]11. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]10-15 mins before end of boil add brewbrite or ½ whirfloc tablet.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]12. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Create whirlpool and let sit for 30 mins to help clear the wort or just don’t worry.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]13. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Transfer wort to cube for no chill. Add Amarillo 20g to cube (usually at 20mins boil if chilling)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]14. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]Ferment the next day as normal.[/SIZE]