BeerBorg

I've been using BIAB to brew all-grain since my 5th batch of beer, and it's definitely an easy, feasible way for me to brew in this manner because I don't have the equipment or space to brew AG with traditional methods/equipment.

Now, normally, BIAB AG brewing requires mashing with a ratio well over 2 quarts (even 3 quarts or more) of water per lb of grain, in order to make up for the lack of a sparge step, and to make up for the absorption of water by the grains. I, however, mash with a ratio of 1.5 qts/lb, and then I'll squeeze the water out of the grains in the bag into the pot w/ the rest of the wort. Then I'll rinse with some more water at 168*F, and squeeze the water out of the grains back into the pot again. Using this technique, I've achieved average efficiencies in the neighborhood of 75-80%, and my highest at 86%.

I think that is pretty close to what we are doing but with 8 quart pots we still do mostly partial mash with a late extract addition.

We use one pot as brew kettle, mash in a preheated oven and dunk sparge in the 2nd 8 quart pot.

I guess it is not a true BIAB but might work for other small pot stove top brewers out there who want to give it a try.

Yep, mine is a 12 qt pot, and the last beer I did in it really pushed the limit of how much grain I can brew with in it. Using water calculations from BeerSmith, I ended up filling my 3 gallon pot nearly to the brim.



I kept a spray bottle w/ water handy so that once the boil started, I could shoot it with a few sprays to keep the hot break at bay, and it worked. No boil over.

Yup That. The first time that happened to me I was freaking out and cursing my co-brewer.

Thank goodness for the spray bottle.

So far no boil ove.... oh wait that would jinx me wouldn't it.

Interesting...

I've wanted to try a partial mash for a while but I only have a 5 gallon kettle...
So this thread gives me hope, maybe I should just make some 2.5 gallon batches instead of 5 gallon....never seems like enough beer though when I only make a half batch.
I might be best getting an electric turkey fryer to do 5 gallon BIAB.

Russki had a thread on that other forum about his turkey fryer setup that had me considering it...
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... =firefox-a

Wow, phil, you were really pushing the envelope with that boil! Good job, avoiding a boilover.

I tried my first BIAB this summer (for an LBK-sized batch), and I came close to the top of my 4-gallon kettle with everything in there. BeerSmith and another website both told me I'd be able to fit all the water and grain in there -- I was skeptical, but the calculators were right.

My version of BIAB includes a 1-gallon top-up after the boil, similar to a MB extract batch. I guess that's one of the beauties of BIAB -- there's lots of different variations you can throw at it, depending on your equipment and inclination.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your methods are similar to mine ... and now I feel sane, sane, sane, sane ....

I thought few people did this ... but results have always been so freaking good, I've stayed with it, pretty much but not exactly the same as yours.

I use a 16qt pot, and I thought maybe I was nuts. But, I know what you mean, if you pay attention to squeeze, sparge, etc. you can get great results ... and topping off the fermenter with cold water like MrB is NOT A CRIME.

I love it.

BTW, I took pictures of my last brew ... but I have to find the time to lay them out and comment before I upload a page to my site. I'll link it here when I do. It's not much different ... except my sparge dohickey is kind of cool.


I LOVE IT!

I still consider what I do to be BIAB even though I sparge. BIAB is a great simplification of the needed equipment.

Tabasco wrote:...topping off the fermenter with cold water like MrB is NOT A CRIME.

Not at all. Sometimes I have just too much grain where BeerSmith will tell me I need a bigger pot to do a full volume boil, so I just mark 1 gallon to the fermenter top-off box, and I gain some wiggle room so that after the boil, it takes into account the water I added into the fermenter and my OGs are still on the mark. Plus, that also helps when you wanna cool the wort down a little sooner to pitching temp, by using refrigerated water to top the fermenter off.

philm00x wrote:

Tabasco wrote:...topping off the fermenter with cold water like MrB is NOT A CRIME.

Not at all. Sometimes I have just too much grain where BeerSmith will tell me I need a bigger pot to do a full volume boil, so I just mark 1 gallon to the fermenter top-off box, and I gain some wiggle room so that after the boil, it takes into account the water I added into the fermenter and my OGs are still on the mark. Plus, that also helps when you wanna cool the wort down a little sooner to pitching temp, by using refrigerated water to top the fermenter off.

Exactly!

I wouldn't be able to do a full-volume BIAB -- even in an LBK -- with the equipment I have, so I use the 1-gallon fermenter top-up to reduce the size of the mash so that it fits in my 16-quart pot, and as a bonus, by chilling the top-up water, it brings me to pitching temps sooner.

"It's all good!"

So true Tabasco.... I have a 20 qt pot and will do a 4 gal batch and top off to 5 gal using the Brewmate calculator . I actually find it better than most out there that I have used .

I also do "Partial Volume BIAB Partial Mashes" (late extract addition) for batches > 2.5 gallons due to my pots and heat sources ability to boil anything bigger then 12-16Q. And I have good results, so I live with it vs. spending $$$ on new pots, a big burner, and propane. If I decide to spend $$$ it will be on an e-BIAB rig.

Even for the LBK size, my 2-gallon mash tun means my mash is partial volume, but with 1 to 1.5 quarts if water per lb of grain, it's good for 5 lb of grain. Then repeated sparge steps bring my hop boil up to full volume in my 3-gallon pot. Heating it toward boiling while adding the 160 degree sparge water means the hot break has time to settle down before the boil volume would risk a boil-over. The sparge steps need to stop before SG of sparge water gets down to about 1.010, but I haven't reached that point even in a low OG style.

I did a batch this way Thursday. 20qt pot let me mash in 3 gallons with 7lbs+ of grain, dunk sparge in 1.5g hot water (170). Then squeeze in a colander. This made about a four gallon boil, topped off to 4.5 with tap water after. If my gravity were low I would have added some extract. My new stove will boil 4+ gallons set on "Speed Heat". I may never start 5 gallon batches, saving the required purchases of a burner, bigger kettle, ferment fridge, Johnson controller. Probably $200 that will buy ingredients instead.