Urn For Biab

[Amber Fluid]

I'm a little tired of messing around with gas... Does this seem like a good deal? 40L Birko

Not knowing the price of a new Birko, I got a new 40L Crown Urn from a local shop for only $260 and Craftbrewer sell them for $274. ($259 for the exposed element)
That makes $285 + postage (and be winning bidder) a bit expensive imo.

 

[wbosher]

I think I'm almost ready to go now. Ordered the grains and bag today. So hopefully by the weekend I'll have:

50L stockpot
3 ring gas burner
BIAB bag
Big tub for cooling (although this may not be necessary, can cool naturally overnight apparently)
Pale Ale Malt Grain (EBC 3~4) 4.6kg
Whole Malt Grain Crystal 300g
Cascade hop pellets
Saf US-05 Yeast
Irish Moss
No kids, for a few hours anyway. Although this may be wishful thinking.

I think that's all I'll need.

 

[Jay Cee]

I'm a little tired of messing around with gas... Does this seem like a good deal? 40L Birko

If you buy this, I suggest you confirm with the seller that it's for a 40litre model. The photograph is not of a 40 lire urn.

 

[Crusty]

I'm a little tired of messing around with gas... Does this seem like a good deal? 40L Birko

Not too bad but this is a better deal. I am using one for Biab & it's awesome.

 

[Amber Fluid]

I think I'm almost ready to go now. Ordered the grains and bag today. So hopefully by the weekend I'll have:

50L stockpot
3 ring gas burner
BIAB bag
Big tub for cooling (although this may not be necessary, can cool naturally overnight apparently)
Pale Ale Malt Grain (EBC 3~4) 4.6kg
Whole Malt Grain Crystal 300g
Cascade hop pellets
Saf US-05 Yeast
Irish Moss
No kids, for a few hours anyway. Although this may be wishful thinking.

I think that's all I'll need.

Just a few things I suggest you think about prior to starting, if you haven't already....
1/ Skyhook?
2/ Mill?
3/ Chill/no chill?

 

[wbosher]

Just a few things I suggest you think about prior to starting, if you haven't already....
1/ Skyhook?
2/ Mill?
3/ Chill/no chill?

Skyhook - Yep, I've thought of this. May not be doing it this time, but will definately do it for future brews.

Mill - Same again, not this time but will look at it later. My LHBS can crush the grains for me.

Chil/no Chill - This will depend on how I go for time. I will probably have to do this on Friday night after the kids are in bed, so if it's getting too late I'll probably cover it up and let it cool naturally on the garage floor and pitch the yeast the next day. If I'm doing ok for time I'll cool in an ice bath and pitch that night.

 

[gunbrew]

No Chill works well.
Once finished your brewing, let it cool a little then just put cling wrap over the top, I also wrap over the sight tube and the tap.
Leave it for one or 2 days depending on the temptature.
Then tip into fermenter airiate and pitch yeast.
I have brewed more than 50 batches with this method in birko urn.
Nice and stress free.

When I first started I was trying to cool in an ice bath etc, it takes for ever and was stressing me out.
Probably not easy to do unless you have copper coil chiller or a counter flow chiller.

Insulate your Urn for thr mash and the boil, take insulation off at flame out to let it cool.

Another tip that it took me a while to work out, no need to do it 1st time but perhaps for later.
If you recirculate the wort through the grain your beer will be a lot more clear.
To do this I use stainless mesh bags and pour the wort through the grain in them after mash out (dont do it past 78 degrees).
See pic of a mate helping.
One brew in a birko and one brew in a keggle with element, both with stainless mesh bags.
Have a choice brew.
gunbrew.

Skyhook - Yep, I've thought of this. May not be doing it this time, but will definately do it for future brews.

Mill - Same again, not this time but will look at it later. My LHBS can crush the grains for me.

Chil/no Chill - This will depend on how I go for time. I will probably have to do this on Friday night after the kids are in bed, so if it's getting too late I'll probably cover it up and let it cool naturally on the garage floor and pitch the yeast the next day. If I'm doing ok for time I'll cool in an ice bath and pitch that night.

 

[Bribie G]

No chill would be ideal in Wellie, I've been there about this time of year and popping the cube out of the door overnight would be perfect.

Skyhook is easy and cheap with some clothesline and a cheap "awning pulley" from a hardware store. Or if you want a smoother system get two pulleys and Google up on how to string them together to give you a lifting "advantage". A cleat fixed to the wall nearby is a must to tie off the cord for safety when draining the bag.

The perfect solution is to have a ceiling hatch in your brewing area and just put a 4x2 over the gap and hang a pulley from there. My last two places have been ideal with the ceiling hatch being in the garage, and in my current place here God has decreed that the ceiling hatch is precisely above where the brewery is going to be set up.

B) B) B)

 

[wbosher]

Thanks guys, yep might go with the no chill, sounds easier. Doesn't cooling it quickly make for a clearer beer though?

I don't have a skyhook or any pully set up, but I'm brewing in the garage where there are plenty of rafters directly above, so if need be I'll sling a rope over that.

 

[gunbrew]

After you have fermented the beer and it is ready to bottle or keg you can "crash chill".
This means put the fermenter in the fridge at just above freezing for a day or a few.
This will make all the yeast drop out of your beer to the bottom of the fermenter giving you clear beer.

Thanks guys, yep might go with the no chill, sounds easier. Doesn't cooling it quickly make for a clearer beer though?

I don't have a skyhook or any pully set up, but I'm brewing in the garage where there are plenty of rafters directly above, so if need be I'll sling a rope over that.

 

[wbosher]

After you have fermented the beer and it is ready to bottle or keg you can "crash chill".
This means put the fermenter in the fridge at just above freezing for a day or a few.
This will make all the yeast drop out of your beer to the bottom of the fermenter giving you clear beer.

I don't have the ability to do that, my fridge in the garage isn't big enough. Although I was able to get my current brew down to about 10oC using a big tub of ice water for a couple of days, that seems to have worked to clear up the cloudyness.

I read that a quick cool after boiling reduces the haze due to cold break, but doesn't seem to bother too many people.

 

[gunbrew]

Sounds right,
I have notice with no chilling in the urn that after one day it's quite clear.
After 2 days it's even more clear as everythig settles.
Depending on ambient temprature it takes one or 2 days to cool in the urn.



I read that a quick cool after boiling reduces the haze due to cold break, but doesn't seem to bother too many people.
[/quote]

 

[bum]

I have notice with no chilling in the urn that after one day it's quite clear.
After 2 days it's even more clear as everythig settles.

2 DAYS?!

Dude. Buy a cube. You're seriously courting danger.

 

[gunbrew]

Went 3 days once... I also like to live dangerously... haha.
Up to batch 94 with about 70 of those being all grain and no chilled in the birko or the keggle with shrink wrap.
Very comfortable with this method.
Cheers.

2 DAYS?!

Dude. Buy a cube. You're seriously courting danger.

 

[rippa]

so, just to clarify (pun), your wort is sitting in your urn (wrapped in plastic) with the break and the hops for up to 3 days post boil?

 

[gunbrew]

My standard operating procedure is leave it for one day.
Trouble is sometimes warm weather means it takes 2 day to cool down.
The once that I left it for 3 days, I was freaking that it would be infected, fortunately it was ok.

I finish the boil having added all my hops.
Turn the urn off.
Wait 5 mins till theres a bit less steam then cling wrap, several layers on top and also cover the tap and sight tube.

so, just to clarify (pun), your wort is sitting in your urn (wrapped in plastic) with the break and the hops for up to 3 days post boil?

 

[wbosher]

My standard operating procedure is leave it for one day.
Trouble is sometimes warm weather means it takes 2 day to cool down.
The once that I left it for 3 days, I was freaking that it would be infected, fortunately it was ok.

I can understand leaving it overnight for convenience, especially if time is an issue...but two or three days? If the temp isn't coming down, why not just dump it in an ice bath (or use a wort chiller) and be done with it?

 

[Blitzer]

You would definitely want your hops in a bag you can remove I would think. Otherwise you would have to account for the extra "cube / birko hopping"

 

[bum]

Otherwise you would have to account for the extra "cube / birko hopping"

It makes no real practical difference. Isomerisation continues whether the plant matter is still there or not.

 

[wbosher]

Got the grains, but they weren't crushed like I asked for. Used the wife's "Magic Bullet" which can grind coffee, and used that. Took me over an hour to do it all but it looks ok. It's a bit fine, but looks very similar to Nick JD's photo in his biab thread.

My pot and burner also showed up tonight, but the regulator doesn't fit the burner...should have paid the extra $20 and got one with it. Oh well, down to Mitre10 in the weekend to get another one.

Hopefully be ready to go this weekend, or next.