I finally managed to get my second brew on using the MaxiBIAB technique (which is easily searchable via the internet). My first attempt was 18 months ago and I wasn't 100% happy with the results - I've since found out my hydrometer was reading high and that the brew was a bit thin probably due to a lower-than-intended mash temp. This time I was determined to get it right. Recipe... (am I allowed to link to Brewgr??) - still working on a name but I'm in to darts so somethng along that line (Big Finish maybe..?)

Date - 22/1/18
3kg Maris Otter
250g Torrified Wheat
33g chocolate malt (for a bit of colour)
500g light DME (needed using up)

hops all 33g challenger (6.1 AA) 60min, 15min and 5min (again needed using)
dry hop 50g cascade

yeast Wilko Gervin (aka Nottingham) - target OG - 1.044 FG 1.01

Got the water on and then took dog for a walk so it was ready when I got back (was actually a bit high so added a bit of cold) Mash went well - added grains at 74C which resulting in 69C temp, wrapped in a sleeping bag and had some brekky. Unfortunately this was the only photo I took so not much use (unless you want to see a photo of a 19L stock pot wrapped in a black sleeping bag). Checked at 45mins and it was down to 67C so put a minute's heat in and wrapped again. It was at 68C when finished after 90 mins (perfect!). Dunk sparged a couple of times and got the boil going - had about 17 litres in the kettle at this point (forgot the reading but I wasn't interested in the figures as it would need liquoring down after the boil to get full brewlength. Hops went it at the right time along with the DME towards the end (put it in separate pan water and heated up to dissolve before adding) - I just forgot to add Irish Moss at the end. My new (homemade) immersion chiller did a great job of cooling within half an hour but the only way I had to transfer was to sanitise a measuring jug and do it by hand through a seive - this is time consuming and annoying as had to dump the hop debris in the bin as I went along and kinda needs three hands to achieve - equipment upgrades on the way

Got about 12 litres into Fv (with some trub!!) at about 1.07 which needed about 8 litres of water to get to target OG of 1.044 - forget the actual figues but I remember working out efficiency to 67% so can do better there too. Yeast in and FV into water bath fitted with aquarium heater to control temp. Took a while to get going but once it did it was like a train - measured FG yesterday and it was at 1.01 so transferred to garage for cold crashing. Going to bottle tomorrow. Sample tasted pretty good for this stage - definitely some subtle hop notes coming through so have high hopes on this one

Thanks PistolPatch - the brew was bottled yesterday so I'll know soon enough if my method was flawed.

I have looked at BIABacus and I need to study it more (i don't actually own a computer so I've been sneaking a few peaks at work). I really just wanted to get a brew on and not worry too much about the figures so I've probably dived in a bit quick. The water was indeed tap water so maybe an issue but it is the same tap water that I've done kits and extract with and I haven't noticed an aftertaste or anything that has put me off drinking the brews. I'm lucky enough to live 25 mins away from Burton on Trent and have a similar water profile

The good news is that I've now bought a Burco boiler and also an Ink Bird 308 so I can do bigger/full volume boils and will have proper temp control on fermentation. I'm thinking of a hop spider too. The wife is away next weekend so I've got another chance to get a brew on

EDIT - Have got BIABacus working on my chromebook.

No was fine - any advice on improving my setup is welcome! The transfer to FV has been an obvious area and my new kettle/boiler has a tap (it's a Burco Cygnet 30L) - I've plugged some figures into Biabacus and it should be able to handle an 18 litre batch (which is just about what I got out of the last brew anyway). I'm pretty much ready to go on Saturday morning so I'll take some pics this time and let you know how I get on

EDIT - here's the file - I've put 18L and it is giving the 'volume approaches kettle limits' warning. Do you think that will be ok (no sparge) or would you hold some water back and add at the end?

Thanks PP - that's really helped

I've looked at Biabacus before but it's never really sunk in, so whilst it was my first complete one it probably wasn't my first attempt but I think I've got it now (and it is a great tool). Your method does make sense and I've got the extra grain (I've actually got 4kg in the house) so will go for 19L into the fermenter. Thanks again!!

Quick post - I need to collate photos and stuff if I'm going to start a new thread (although don't want to hijack the whole site!!)

Went pretty well today - the new boiler was excellent and easily worth the money. It was able to maintain a good rolling boil with 26 litres in and wasn't even on max on the dial. The tap on the side locks open as well which is great for transfer of the wort into the FV. Additional use of a hopsock meant that no trub or hop debris was transferred. The only issue was that I tried the temp probe on the inkbird to monitor the mash whilst I was having breakfast and at one point it had lifted out of the sweet liquor and started reading low which meant the heater switched on automatically. I was mashing at 72C for about ten mins. and had to use some cold water to adjust the temp. Hopefully this won't affect the results - I won't be doing that again!! Back to sleeping bag insulation

I followed Pistolpatch's suggestions above and pretty much hit the figures - pre-boil was spot on and got just about 19 litres into the FV at 1.04 when I was aiming at 1.042. Thanks again PP!!