First time BIAB tomorrow

Northern Brewer General
1

I’m brewing in a bag for the first time tomorrow (I’ve only don’t extract before) and I have a few questions.

  1. The only hops I’m putting in are going to be a whirlpool (I’ll also be dry hopping). Since I won’t be boiling any hops, do I still need to do a 60 min boil after my mash is done?

  2. I’m pretty sure an hour is standard for making the mash. Should I check my sugar around then and see if my OG is close to my target? If it’s not should I boil more and/or add more grains?

  3. I’ve heard squeezing the bag at the end can create an off flavor, but I’ve also read it’s a myth. Thoughts?

I’m sure I’ll have more questions in a bit.

Thanks in advance

2

You can shorten the boil if your not adding bittering hops. You can definitely squeeze the bag.

4 Likes
3

See my answers above.

1 Like
4

I have only ever done BIAB and think it’s very convenient. I squeeze the bag as much as I can and have never had an issue that I can detect. One word of advice that helps my efficiency is to do a mashout with BIAB. Once you are done mashing, turn the heat on and constantly stir the mash until you reach 170 degrees farenheit. Then cover your kettle and let it rest for 10 minutes before pulling the bag. I neglected to do this once and missed my OG by about 10 points so it is a must do for me now. Hope this helps.

3 Likes
5

I always do a 10 minute dunk sparge and my efficiency is always around 85%. And to hijack a sneezles term, I squeeze the bejeezus out of it! Love the BIAB method.

Cheers,

Ron

2 Likes
6

I’m all BIAB… You should do as if you were doing a traditional brew… I will mash an hour… AS I raise the temp to 170… Stir and use that wort to rinse your grains… I have mine suspended and use a pump to recirc through the grains… I use a basket and will squish the living bejesus out of the grist! :sunglasses: Boil for an hour… I wouldn’t add whirlpool pool hops… rather… add hops at the beginning… You are trying to balance sweet with the acidity of the hops… Dry hop with any style brew AFTER the fermentation is complete… There is where the hops leave a nice aroma flavor… Sneezles61

1 Like
7
  1. I’ve heard squeezing the bag at the end can create an off flavor, but I’ve also read it’s a myth. Thoughts?

There are a few people(supertasters?) who may have an enhanced sense of taste. I don’t doubt this. Thankfully I’m not one of them. They believe they can discern a BIAB off taste…whether you squeeze or not. I remember @dannyboy58 mixing it up with a supertaster a few years back :joy:

I BIAB because of space limitations primarily. If I ever moved back to Ohio or points north, I might go MLT(someplace where basements exist and the garage doesn’t melt your face. )

3 Likes
8

Your stuck down there …(was going to abbreviate your name… but that DOESNT look good) Voodoo… :stuck_out_tongue: Sneezles61

1 Like
9

And he’s the only person I’ve ever heard say they can taste tannins from BIAB, even if it’s not squeezed. I mean c’mon…gravity pushes the fluid out when you pull the bag…what’s the difference in draining a mash tun? It’s eaither gravity or a pump and a pump probably creates even more force…JMHO…BS

Tannins are a product of improper mash pH. The end.

3 Likes
10

I don’t mashout but I BIAB with traditional grain to water ratios then after i pull the bag I run sparge water through it. This gives me very high efficiency and allows me to do 10 gallon batches with a 16 gal MT/BK.

So I sparge then twist the bag a bit just to get to my pre-boil volume.

11

Do you guys use a false bottom on the kettle when doing BIAB? I only tried biab a couple of times and I think the first time I may have "toasted " my grains at the bottom of the bag a bit without realizing when trying to maintain mash temp. It may be why this batch with multiple pitches of yeast I would not get the FG below 1.020 (for an Irish red that is typically 1.009).
I was thinking of getting something to keep the grain bag a few inches off the bottom so I can put a little maintenance heat on when needed. I like the process but admit I am still a little gun shy due to my own process.

12

I sometimes use a false bottom on 5 gal batches if I want to recirculate or apply heat but on 10 gal batches the false bottom pushes the limits of my kettle to keep the grain submerged. In those cases I just raise the bag a little from the bottom but I have a hoist setup above my kettle so it’s easy and I don’t have to hold it up manually.

I wrap my kettle in an old sleeping bag and generally am able to hold mash temp within 1-2 degrees even in the coldest weather.

13

See, I have a false bottom BECAUSE of my electric element… So a friend always burns his grain bag too… I suggested to him to get a false bottom… Brewhardware has many and I feel they have the best to offer… Sneezles61

14

Again, you nailed it! Sneezles61

15

I never burn my bag or grain but always stir constantly when heating and my bag lays on the bottom of my 10 gallon kettle using a propane burner.

20180330_163645.jpg1808×2419 2.08 MB

actually making a Flanders red tonight as we speak.

1 Like
16

I can’t tell from the picture but you must have a nice home brew in your hand

1 Like
17

Of course. It’s a saison

1 Like
18

7000CDEA-30D5-494B-8367-81BECDCE0F02.jpeg3024×4032 2.73 MB
Thanks all! Just brewed 2 different 1 gallon batches They look kinda weird tho…I shook them around a bunch to oxygenate it and then pitched the yeast. As soon as I stopped mixing it looks like this (even before the yeast is reacting)…is this normal?
EDF18131-D8A4-4C1E-AC7D-CB0D28316900.jpeg3024×4032 2.78 MB

1 Like
19

Yes that’s normally what I do

1 Like
20

Yea the thick looking stuff is trub. It will settle to the bottom.

1 Like