Why the bad biab efficiency?

[Samuel Adams]

2) Stirring while mashing out is one thing I have never done so definitely going to do that as well.

When I raise my temp to mash out I lift the bag off the bottom of the urn (it vibrates if I don't lift)

Any tips on how to stir when the bag is lifted ?

 

[Samuel Adams]

When I raise my temp to mash out I lift the bag off the bottom of the urn (it vibrates if I don't lift)

Any tips on how to stir when the bag is lifted ?

Ok so getting a rack is probably the go.

I always find the answer I'm after just after I post a question !

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I don't use a rack - the movement of the bag while pumping the mash seems to be enough to stop it from burning.

 

[HBHB]

Overall 68% isn't really all that bad. But:

Check your pH and adjust as needed. For simplicity, pH 5.2 down works well. If just a little high, then maybe small additions of acidulated malt. Whatever you choose, try to get it down to 5.2-5.3.

Get a mill and grind down to .9 mm

I run 2 settings on my mill. 0.9 mm for my 70L BIAB and 1.1 mm for the bigger HERMS system. works for me.

Also on the BIAB I stir a few times and lift & dunk a few times. Doesn't hurt plus it'll rinse and release a little more. (yes, I know some don't). Overall efficiency on my 70L pot with BIAB is 76% using this method, never any signs of astringency.(yet)

Martin

 

[citizensnips]

Intersting. Just received my malt muncher mill last night! so I was messing around with it and noticed its factory settings 0.053 and maxes out at 0.106. So all im wondering is if you guys say .9mm for BIAB because it can handle a finer crush, what the hell setting would you put it on if you were doing traditional 3v. Im thinking im going to leave mine on the .5mm setting and see how it goes....by the way on this setting is about the thickness of my drivers license
thoughts....?

 

[wbosher]

For BIAB I just use the Amazing Bullet (no NOT the magic bullet :lol: ). It pretty much grinds it to dust, but for BIAB it's perfect IMO.

My efficiency is around the 70 - 75% mark most of the time, with a 90min mash, and mashout at 78 then squeeze like hell. I'm thinking about shortening my mash to 60 minutes, just to see if it makes any difference.

 

[Nick JD]

I get 70-75% without sparging or mashout - but I also mill to powder.

 

[felten]

I use 1.27mm and get over 70% as well.

 

[lukiferj]

Intersting. Just received my malt muncher mill last night! so I was messing around with it and noticed its factory settings 0.053 and maxes out at 0.106. So all im wondering is if you guys say .9mm for BIAB because it can handle a finer crush, what the hell setting would you put it on if you were doing traditional 3v. Im thinking im going to leave mine on the .5mm setting and see how it goes....by the way on this setting is about the thickness of my drivers license
thoughts....?

I have left my malt muncher on the default. Only used it for two brews so far but got 75% and 76% eff.

 

[Nick JD]

I reckon the OP's thermometer is sketchy.

 

[Crusty]

Intersting. Just received my malt muncher mill last night! so I was messing around with it and noticed its factory settings 0.053 and maxes out at 0.106. So all im wondering is if you guys say .9mm for BIAB because it can handle a finer crush, what the hell setting would you put it on if you were doing traditional 3v. Im thinking im going to leave mine on the .5mm setting and see how it goes....by the way on this setting is about the thickness of my drivers license
thoughts....?

My MiniMill is set to 0.9-1mm which is about the same thickness as my credit card. I am hitting 80% + with that setting.
I crush at exactly the same setting for Biab as I did with 3V ( non recirculating 3V ) If you are recirculating, to avoid a stuck mash, I would open up the crush size to maybe 1.2-1.4mm & mash in with a higher L/G ratio.
I believe you can crush too fine with Biab resulting in more loss to trub & the possibility of letting haze causing proteins to escape the bag & end up in the kettle which might dodge the Flocc & be noticeable in the finished beer.

 

[KaiTroester]

malt_shovel, thanks for pointing out the volume differences.

I don't think that there is much that can be gained in the mashing step. If the pre-boil was 35.1 L and the post boil was 31.2 @ 1.050 sg then the pre-boil sg was about 1.044. In BIAB brewing this is the mash gravity. The mash thickness was about 6.4 L/kg.

Looking at this chart from the efficiency article (thanks for the links, felten):

I see that at 6.4 l/kg you can expect about 1.043 mash gravity if the conversion is 100%. (this assumes average extraction potential from the malt)

It's all in the wort you are leaving behind. A better crush won't help here.

Kai

 

[RobB]

I use an urn without a pick-up, which tends to leave three or four litres behind, but I have quick and dirty method of retrieving every last drop. I run the wort into the cube until the level drops to the tap level, which is also when the trub cone starts to disintegrate, muddying the remaining wort. I simply tip the remaining wort into a very large jar (I think it was a caterer's jar of nasty coffee) and seal it. The wort is still hot and the jar is brimming with starsan foam and I haven't had any problems doing this.

As the wort cools in the jar, the trub resettles and it's easy to decant the clear wort off the top. This usually gets me an extra litre or two which not only appeals to my inner tight-arse, but I can also use this small volume for french pressing a late hop addition.

A couple of notes on this method:

French pressing or not, I always re-boil the small volume from the jar just to be safe. This also means the main volume needs to be a couple of degrees cooler so you don't go over your desired pitching temperature.

This method probably only suits no-chillers.

I always pitch the day after the boil. I know some guys keep their cubes for longer, but I wouldn't do this with a glass jar.

 

[thylacine]

Beer according to some has been around over 3000yrs. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_beer)

Then over 4900 yrs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_beer) later computers appear to be relied on rather than the brewer's own taste buds. eg. what does the 'programme' say I should do rather than my own taste buds?

It wasn't rocket science in ancient Egypt, yet beer not only survived but expanded into numerous styles.

'Listen to the force within..."


Xthy

 

[felten]

How do you work out efficiency in your mouth?

 

[Nick JD]

How do you work out efficiency in your mouth?

There will be less beer in your mouth.

 

[Adr_0]

Was your target fermenter volume hit with 1.046? If so - and elaborating on what malt_shovel and Kai have already said - you may need to throw a bit of time on your boil, e.g. 75 or 90min, and make sure you get those last couple of litres out. The extra boil time will give you a higher OG, and the wort in the bottom should give you your volume back.

Depends how solid/predictable your boiloff rate is, which will largely govern your pre-boil volume and time.

A note on salts... in our harder Brisbane water, I will throw about 1.2g/kg malt of Calcium Sulphate (gypsum - food or lab grade) for ESB's, P/IPA's, stouts, etc. OR 1.2g/kg Calcium Chloride in for lagers and wheats. For BIAB, I would just throw it in the cracked grain in the bag, layering it through a bit. It can be a bit annoying to dissolve, but you might be ok.

For soft Melbourne water, I would take a stab at saying you'll need somewhere in teh 1.5-2g/kg gypsum.

Have a look at:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15.html and
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Mash_pH_control

Good luck...

Adrian