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My First AG & BIAB!

Post #1 made 13 years ago
by mally
I finally got around to doing my first AG & BIAB over the weekend, after many weeks of accumulating equipment, ingredients, recipe ideas, and gathering the required info.

I had previously done a BrewDog Punk IPA clone using extract, and decided to try and emulate that recipe using my newly acquired "stuff". It is loosely based on info from their website, and other peoples recipes, However, I am not that bothered if it isn't a perfect replica, because like my extract version, it produced some fantastic tasting beer (not too dissimilar to SNPA, which isn't bad)!

I used "the calculator" to build my recipe, and that proved invaluable. As a newbie, having benchmarks to aim for gives confidence. The only change I had to make was to do a Maxi-BIAB "dunk sparge", as I am using a Buffalo 40L boiler and the recipe required a total mash volume of 41.5L. So from the recipe below, instead of 37.5L mash water, I used 30L, then sparged the bag with 7.5L after mashout.

Style: IPA
Name: "Hoppy IPA"
Yeast: ? Harvested Coopers Euro lager strain (maybe similar to Nottingham)?
Fermentation Temperature: 16 °C (yeast strain works between 13-18°C)
Original Gravity: 1.051
Total IBU's: 74
Colour (EBC): ??
Efficiency at End of Boil: 84%
Mash Length (mins): 90
Boil Length (mins): 70
Your Vessel Type: Urn
Source/Credits: BIABrewer & too many others to mention!

Your Vessel Volume (L or gal): 40L
Your Vessel Diameter (cm or in): 38
Water Required (L or gal): 37.5L
Mash Temperature (C or F): 64C
Volume at End of Boil (L or gal): 29
Volume into Fermenter (L or gal): 25L
Brew Length (L or gal): 23L
Total Grain Bill (g or oz): 6000g

Grain 1: 5Kg "Crisp" very pale malt
Grain 2: 1Kg Crystal Malt (this was added after 1 hour of mashing)

Hop 1: 20g Nelson Sauvin (FWH) approx 70 mins
Hop 2: 20g Nelson Sauvin 30 mins
Hop 3: 20g Chinook 25 Mins
Hop4: 20g Simcoe 20 Mins
Hop5 : 20g Cascade 10 Mins (BrewDog uses Ahtanum but I couldn't get this).
All hops were added to another voile bag I have. I plan to do a dry hop in secondary with small amounts of all of the above too.

No Adjuncts, just Protofloc @ 15 mins
I also did a pH check (with digital ATC meter) at 60 mins, cooled to ambient, and got a pH of 5.25

Lessons:

1. I could only measure out the grain 1Kg at a time as I didn't have another bag/receptacle big enough to hold all the grain. This contributed to the dough in time, which meant my strike temps had dropped more than expected (instead of 64°C it was 61.5°C).
I actually wasn't too bothered by this as I expected it to produce a very dry (more attenuated) mash (which would be countered by the large crystal addition). At 60 mins when I added the crystal, I raised the bag and heated the mash water back to about 65°C, and let it rest for the final 30 mins.
Then did the same again for mashout at 75°C.
2. Fit the pulley I bought, as holding the grain bag whilst waiting for mashout temps etc. was quite a workout.
3. lag the urn, later on I noticed wrapping the blanket around it helped to reach temps quicker, and keep it there.
4. Space - I never realised how much space I would need, as well as surfaces to put things on!
5. Get an accurate thermometer, I used the urn gauge, a digital probe thermometer and another basic type digital thermometer, and none of them agreed (as has already been proven by PistolPatch).

Sorry for the long winded post, I just thought I would document everything I did. Hopefully it may help others, and somebody may be able to give me some tips as well.
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain

Post #3 made 13 years ago
by mally
Thanks Radroo,

i have been eyeing up the Thermapen which is quite expensive, but is supposed to be very accurate (comes with calibration certificates etc). It's just too expensive for me at the moment.

Just an update on the brew progress;
OG = 1.051
after 24 hrs, G = 1.030
After day 2 G = 1.015
Looks like it will be ready to rack very soon.

I have also been doing taste tests each time (not drinking, just mouthwash). All i can say so far is WOW! Even with all the yeast & trub (the trub has been disturbed with such vigorous fermentation), it tastes great.
I thought it would be more hoppy than it is, but i should hopefully get more with the dry hop stage.

Is it wrong to want to drink it at this stage!???? :think:
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain

Post #4 made 13 years ago
by joshua
Malty, the Only problem drinking beer as it ferments and checking it in the Secondary fermenter is You may not have much left to bottle or Keg!
Honest Officer, I swear to Drunk, I am Not God.
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America

Post #5 made 13 years ago
by PistolPatch
Good on you mally and great posts :thumbs:.

Looks like you have done really well. And tasting the hydro samples is always a good idea - why waste it :P. Once you think it has finished fermentation, leave it for another few days at least as hydro readings can be a bit inconclusive.

Nice job :salute:.
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Post #6 made 13 years ago
by mally
Thought i would follow up the accurate thermometer thread; I succumbed and got the Thermapen.
Not tried it yet, but hoping to get a bit more accuracy now in my brews :thumbs:
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G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain

Post #9 made 13 years ago
by mally
Hi

I wouldn't know how much it would be to get one in Australia, I have seen them for sale in the U.S., but mine was about £50 (ETI are a UK company). Its very expensive i know, but it is one area that i am particularly keen on knowing whats going on as best as possible.
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain

Post #10 made 13 years ago
by PistolPatch
Nice score mally :thumbs:,

I'm the thermometer/hydrometer/refractometer negativity man on insttrument trustworthiness :lol:. So before I lose my reputation, I better also say...

Make sure you spend a few extra dollars on getting a few alcohol cheapies as well. A certificate of calibration at two points is still no guarantee of accuraccy between the two points and there can be electronic probe failure as well.

As brewers, we have no real way of calibrating at mash temps. If you ever go to a brew day, take your thermometers with you as it is a bit of fun to see the variance. On a more positive note, most of the time (90%), the thermometers will be within two or three degrees C but sometimes they are over 5% c out at mash temps :argh:.

Trust no single instrument!

:P
PP
If you have found the above or anything else of value on BIABrewer.info, consider supporting us by getting some BIPs!
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Post #11 made 13 years ago
by mally
Hi PP,

I am aware of your "instrument untrustworthiness" :argh: from your posts previously; and it was your thoughts/comments on the subject that "kind" of made me head in this direction! (thanks) ;)

I was also unsure whether it would be accurate anywhere between 0 & 100, as these are the only 2 points of calibration (I cryptically hid this in my comment "as best as possible"). So i think it was the best solution available to me, as i cant get a calibration done at every mash temp i am likely to need. :headhit:

I did read somewhere in the manual about the linearity between the 2 points, if i can remember, i will dig it out and post up in case anybody is interested.

BTW - on an off topic matter, did you manage to ask Kostass about the hop recycling?
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain

Post #12 made 13 years ago
by PistolPatch
Lol! Good on you! Always keep an eye out though for any cheap thermo that goes from 0 to 100. (Those stainless steel ones with the red alcohol you may have seen in my posts are usually pretty good.)

I did ask Kostas about the hop stuff and he replied. "I'll write tomorrow on the forum about hop reuse. I haven't tried much but I'll do it again this season, can't be wasting stuff!"

He's let the team down :lol:. (I know he is busy for another two days but I will remind him then ;).)

In the meantime, lie down and take your temperature with your new-fangled instrument :).
If you have found the above or anything else of value on BIABrewer.info, consider supporting us by getting some BIPs!
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Australia

Post #13 made 11 years ago
by w6csmith
I'm a big fan on Punk IPA and am just in the middle of preparing for my first BIAB. I was going to try the Amarillo IPA, but having read this I've changed my mind as I have most of the hops already.

Given this was your first BIAB and you've now got many more under your belt, is there anything you would have changed in hindsight?

I should mention at I'm using the same boiler as you, as I mentioned in one of your other posts. I am also keen on keeping it simple for my first brew, so rather than maxi-BIAB, I think I will adjust the VIP down and have a smaller volume output. My only other question on this recipe was around an alternative yeast, as again would like to keep it simple first time round, so is Nottingham the best bet?

Thanks in advance!

Post #14 made 11 years ago
by mally
Hi w6csmith;

I have messed around with recipe a few times, and have brewed a better version (IMHO).
The one above was very nice, don't get me wrong, but it didnt have enough of a hop punch as the original (plus it was too dark in colour) if that bothers you.

My latest one has much more dry hopping, and that seems to make the difference.

Sorry, I can't remember how experienced you are but if you still need to get to know your equipment, profiles, and other variables then my latest recipe isn't the easiset to follow.

:luck:
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain
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