Right... other things being equal, with a longer boil time, in order to reach the same final volume, you would need a higher starting volume. A higher starting volume could mean less grain needed but yes it's complicated (for one, enzymes needed for conversion are also diluted). A half gallon difference in starting volume is really not that much. I also used a hop sack. Also this time I tried to be true to the BIAB method and did not do any additional rinsing of the grain bag with sparge temp water. It didn't really help my efficiency in the past anyway. I did do a brief mashout at 175F and then suspended the grain bag above another kettle for about 30 minutes and added what was collected to the boil kettle. Usually that runoff has a higher gravity than the pre-boil gravity.
Seems like I have more sediment in the fermenter than usual even though I used whirlfloc and a bazooka filter in the boil kettle. Fermentation is pretty much done but I'm debating whether to transfer to a secondary for a week before bottling.
Post #27 made 9 years ago
Superiorbrew, I think your Mashout is supposed to be no more than 170 deg F... 
Oops! Life goes on. I'd shoot for the 167-170 degree range when you do a Mashout.
I have certain grains that seem to give more sediment. From the brew kettle if you let it settle for 30 minutes before going into the fermenter it helps drop a decent amount of debris.
It is easy to clean up lots of the trub if you are able to cold crash before packaging. Sounds like that may not be possible... (?) If you are able to get there it would be a great help! In my view, yeah a secondary helps a little...but not near as much as cold crashing, if you are able.
Oops! Life goes on. I'd shoot for the 167-170 degree range when you do a Mashout. I have certain grains that seem to give more sediment. From the brew kettle if you let it settle for 30 minutes before going into the fermenter it helps drop a decent amount of debris.
It is easy to clean up lots of the trub if you are able to cold crash before packaging. Sounds like that may not be possible... (?) If you are able to get there it would be a great help! In my view, yeah a secondary helps a little...but not near as much as cold crashing, if you are able.
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Post #28 made 9 years ago
Thanks for the info Scott. I decided to do the mashout on the spot and thought I recalled some people doing in in the mid 170 range - Two mistakes: deciding to do something on the spot and going off memory! Since, from what I've read, the point of the mashout seems to be to denature the enzymes and help make the wort more fluid for draining hopefully the higher temp I used doesn't negatively affect things.
I should have waited for the cooled wort to settle before transferring to the fermenter. I will be more patient next time! I can't cold crash yet but have chest freezers and refrigerators on my craig's list search... there must be a thread on this site regarding which one (freezer or fridge) is better for fermentations and cold-crashing.
Thanks for the advice - appreciate it!
I should have waited for the cooled wort to settle before transferring to the fermenter. I will be more patient next time! I can't cold crash yet but have chest freezers and refrigerators on my craig's list search... there must be a thread on this site regarding which one (freezer or fridge) is better for fermentations and cold-crashing.
Thanks for the advice - appreciate it!
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Post #29 made 9 years ago
Want to use a freezer with a temp controller. I have a chest freezer and it works well. Had difficulty finding a decent used one on Craig's List...and got new one at Best Buy, low priced chest freezer.
EDIT: I've read the same...not super clear verbiage on the mash out. Pat says in the tests he's ran, you get an extra point or two by doing a mashout, so I take it that we are extracting the last little bit of goodness out of the grain, at a different and higher temperature before the boil... But if it's done at too high a temp, it will break down the Alpha Amalyse - and doesn't seem possible to extract more gravity from the process. I'm not an expert in this, but that's my understanding. For sure don't worry about it, and expect your beer to be okay.
EDIT: I've read the same...not super clear verbiage on the mash out. Pat says in the tests he's ran, you get an extra point or two by doing a mashout, so I take it that we are extracting the last little bit of goodness out of the grain, at a different and higher temperature before the boil... But if it's done at too high a temp, it will break down the Alpha Amalyse - and doesn't seem possible to extract more gravity from the process. I'm not an expert in this, but that's my understanding. For sure don't worry about it, and expect your beer to be okay.
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- SVA Brewer With Over 50 Brews From United States of America
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