Hi guys, I tried my fourth BIAB today and everything went smoothly except for my OG, it was way off target. I used BrewToad to come up with the recipe, an Imperial Brown Ale. The name on the site is "Snowed-In Tmperial Brown Ale" is anyone feels like checking it out and commenting. It's for a 2 gallon batch. I was planning on ending up with quite a high OG of 1.100 but instead ended up with 1.070. Still strong, I know, but the malt won't be able to give the hops balance at that gravity. I mill my own grain using a Corona mill, nothing fancy. I have a book called "Homebrew: Beyond the Basics" that has photos of grains milled too coarse, just right and too fine and mine looked just right. Strike water at 164F for a mash temperature of 154F for an hour. The temperature held the whole time but I am wondering if I should have mashed for 90 minutes?
https://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/snowed ... -brown-ale
After my 60 minute mash (slowly submerging the bag in, pinning the sides of the bag to the kettle stirring gently and putting the lid and a heat blanket on), I dunk sparged the bag into the heating wort about 3 times until it hit 170F. I let it drain into the rest of the wort and collected 3.2 gallons pre-boil. I did NOT take a pre-boil gravity, foolish I know. I tried taking it by floating the hydrometer in the kettle but it sat on the bottom.
I boiled for an hour and everything went fine, a nice hot break, hopped on schedule, added moss and nutrient and 10oz of maple syrup added with 10 minutes left. I used my wort chiller to cool it down quickly to 60F for pitching the yeast. I took my OG reading and yep...1.070. I had already prepared the yeast and planned on using all 11.5g of it (for my target OG) so that's what I used.
If anyone call tell me what I did wrong I would greatly appreciate it. I like the idea of brewing 2 gallon batches of high gravity beer, splitting it into 1 gallon secondaries and cellaring some for later. I want to start slaying those target OGs please.
Post #2 made 10 years ago
The BIABacus is calling for 10+ pounds of grain, so it looks like you stumbled on a recipe of low integrity here.
MS
MS
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Post #3 made 10 years ago
BG, was the 154F mash temperature Read, or Calculation???? It may have been Higher and there is a Bunch of Body in the batch.
I see you used 2 pounds of 2 row barley, and 2 pounds 13oz of grains, that may have Zero Diastatic power.
US 2 row is not capable of Converting much more of it's own Weight....There may be a lot of Unconverted Starch left if the Wort.
It May be very Cloudy.
Also, was the Maple Syrup Calculated?? 10oz in a 2.65 Gallon(VAW) is maybe why you had a OG of 1.100.
One other thing, the Longer the Mash Time equals Higher fermentiliblty, so can you let us Know what the Final Gravity is, when it is Done???
I see you used 2 pounds of 2 row barley, and 2 pounds 13oz of grains, that may have Zero Diastatic power.
US 2 row is not capable of Converting much more of it's own Weight....There may be a lot of Unconverted Starch left if the Wort.
It May be very Cloudy.
Also, was the Maple Syrup Calculated?? 10oz in a 2.65 Gallon(VAW) is maybe why you had a OG of 1.100.
One other thing, the Longer the Mash Time equals Higher fermentiliblty, so can you let us Know what the Final Gravity is, when it is Done???
Post #4 made 10 years ago
Hi guys and thank you.
Mad Scientist: It is a low-integrity recipe, I came up with it (using BrewToad) hahaha!I need to get the Biabacus.
Laxon: I will answer you as best as I can, I don;t quite understand all the jargon yet. I heated the strike water to 164F for a desired mash temperature of 154F. I am assuming my grain temperature was at room temperature, about 70F here. After my mash was done, after an hour, I checked the temperature and it was 154F. Should I be checking beforehand before I cover the kettle, wrap it up and set the timer?
Actually I used 4lbs. of 2-Row. I am not sure if that changes anything conversion wise. I know I should be using at least 65% Base malts but I thought that Abbey Malt counted as a base malt.
I am not sure what you mean by "calculated". I just plugged things into BrewToad with the very limited knowledge of brewing I have. I was hoping the maple syrup might impart some flavour as well as adding gravity points without using more grain.
Next time I will mash for 90 minutes. Do you recommend a mash-out or sparging? I have been trying to do BIAB full volume. I had good results doing 5 gallon mash-tun batch sparging but wanted to try less costly and more experimental 2 gallon BIAB batches to exercise my creative muscles and brew more often.
Right now I am using a 5 gallon pot to place the grain bag inside and I have a 7.5 gallon pot to insulate it with water at the same temperature as my desired mash temperature. I also have a heat blanket (originally for pizza deliveries) to wrap around to further conserve heat.
Mad Scientist: It is a low-integrity recipe, I came up with it (using BrewToad) hahaha!I need to get the Biabacus.
Laxon: I will answer you as best as I can, I don;t quite understand all the jargon yet. I heated the strike water to 164F for a desired mash temperature of 154F. I am assuming my grain temperature was at room temperature, about 70F here. After my mash was done, after an hour, I checked the temperature and it was 154F. Should I be checking beforehand before I cover the kettle, wrap it up and set the timer?
Actually I used 4lbs. of 2-Row. I am not sure if that changes anything conversion wise. I know I should be using at least 65% Base malts but I thought that Abbey Malt counted as a base malt.
I am not sure what you mean by "calculated". I just plugged things into BrewToad with the very limited knowledge of brewing I have. I was hoping the maple syrup might impart some flavour as well as adding gravity points without using more grain.
Next time I will mash for 90 minutes. Do you recommend a mash-out or sparging? I have been trying to do BIAB full volume. I had good results doing 5 gallon mash-tun batch sparging but wanted to try less costly and more experimental 2 gallon BIAB batches to exercise my creative muscles and brew more often.
Right now I am using a 5 gallon pot to place the grain bag inside and I have a 7.5 gallon pot to insulate it with water at the same temperature as my desired mash temperature. I also have a heat blanket (originally for pizza deliveries) to wrap around to further conserve heat.
Post #5 made 10 years ago
BG, there was 4 pounds of 2 row, then there was enough DP to Covert All the Starch, so the beer should be very clear.
The Maple syrup is around 80% sugar, so it will add Gravity and a Maple Flavor!
I make 144Oz batches(12 Pack/half case) on a stove top. I start heating the water, and as it get to Mash Temperature I Dough-in. and Continue to heat it until it is back to Mash Temperature.(It saves 15-20 minutes)
"Calculated" is any program, or Calculator.
Contrary to our BIAB System, I Mash for 90-120 minutes until the Gravity tops out, AND mash-out AND then Sparge, All High gravity recipes, in about 25% of the Total Water Needed.
Sounds like you have ALL the Kettles to do a 5 Gallon Batch w/Sparge, So you can test a few yeasts with the same batch!!!
The Maple syrup is around 80% sugar, so it will add Gravity and a Maple Flavor!
I make 144Oz batches(12 Pack/half case) on a stove top. I start heating the water, and as it get to Mash Temperature I Dough-in. and Continue to heat it until it is back to Mash Temperature.(It saves 15-20 minutes)
"Calculated" is any program, or Calculator.
Contrary to our BIAB System, I Mash for 90-120 minutes until the Gravity tops out, AND mash-out AND then Sparge, All High gravity recipes, in about 25% of the Total Water Needed.
Sounds like you have ALL the Kettles to do a 5 Gallon Batch w/Sparge, So you can test a few yeasts with the same batch!!!
Post #6 made 10 years ago
Laxon, thank-you for your response. I would prefer not to sparge when doing BIAB if I can avoid it. I got into BIAB for less time and less expensive batches. Can you explain your mash-out and sparge procedure though? I am not sure what you mean by "in about 25% of the Total Water Needed". I have been using this:
http://craftedmagazine.com/biab-calculator/
to calculate my water and I am assuming it is for Full Volume Wort batches, no sparging.
I have a filter screen with a handle that I can rest across my 5 Gallon kettle to sparge but haven't done so. Also, I have no idea how to mash-out using a Full Wort Volume.
Any suggestions? Thank you.
http://craftedmagazine.com/biab-calculator/
to calculate my water and I am assuming it is for Full Volume Wort batches, no sparging.
I have a filter screen with a handle that I can rest across my 5 Gallon kettle to sparge but haven't done so. Also, I have no idea how to mash-out using a Full Wort Volume.
Any suggestions? Thank you.
Post #7 made 10 years ago
BG, BIAB is a Full Volume brewing system!!!
TWN is the BIABACUS tag for ALL the water the recipe needs(Grain absorption ,Kettle to fermenter Loss. and Fermenter to bottling loss) + the Final volume into packaging.
Back in the day, there was a MAXI-BIAB System.
It involves the way, to make 5 Gallon of Beer, in a 7 gallon kettle.
You would need to hold back up to 40% of the Total water Needed(TWN), and Make a thick Mash.
Then, after Mashing, raise the kettle temperature to the 170F range(MashOut), pull/squeeze/drain the bag, and put the bag in another kettle of 170F water, and stir.
Then, squeeze/drain the bag again and add the sparge water to the kettle as it boils.
BIABACUS allow you to hold back water from the Mash, and use it finish the Boil, over time.
You can Download a copy at http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1869
TWN is the BIABACUS tag for ALL the water the recipe needs(Grain absorption ,Kettle to fermenter Loss. and Fermenter to bottling loss) + the Final volume into packaging.
Back in the day, there was a MAXI-BIAB System.
It involves the way, to make 5 Gallon of Beer, in a 7 gallon kettle.
You would need to hold back up to 40% of the Total water Needed(TWN), and Make a thick Mash.
Then, after Mashing, raise the kettle temperature to the 170F range(MashOut), pull/squeeze/drain the bag, and put the bag in another kettle of 170F water, and stir.
Then, squeeze/drain the bag again and add the sparge water to the kettle as it boils.
BIABACUS allow you to hold back water from the Mash, and use it finish the Boil, over time.
You can Download a copy at http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1869
Post #8 made 10 years ago
That's correct thinking BG. Some of the above thread, while very correct, is very confusing to read. It is much easier if you start with the right tools so...BrewGoblin wrote:I would prefer not to sparge when doing BIAB if I can avoid it.
Before your next brew, start a thread of what you want to brew and what your equipment is and we will be able to sort you out very easily using the right tools.
Primitive so-called BIAB calculators all use numbers pinched from our (my) early BIAB, "The Calculator" but all of these 'simple' calculators have Grand Canyon size holes in them. For example, the one you linked above, like all the others in that vein, fails straight away and completely because it does not even ask you what Original Gravity you need for your brew. (In fact, the one you linked is astonishingly bad in it's estimates).
Let's make your next brew work properly
,PP
Last edited by PistolPatch on 27 Dec 2014, 00:10, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #9 made 10 years ago
Sounds good to me PP, thanks for the advice. I have still been making tasty brews indeed but I strive for excellence in taste and consistency/ease of replication. I feel like BrewToad works well with 5 gallon batches but the scaling feature is out of control on it. I now have the BIABacus and plan to get a friend to show me how to use it well. I plan on doing both mash tun and BIAB brews as I see them as equally great but different ways to make the elixir we are all wanting.
