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Who’s Tried BIAB? Let’s Share Experiences to Boost Efficiency!
Hello, recently I came back to brewing all grain and doing more grain mashes also for distilling. Since this is quite a long process I started to look for some improvement methods (time wise). First which I took under consideration was B.I.A.B (beer in a bag).So far I did one mash (for beer). I went for all volume no sparging but efficiency was very low. Since recently I made my grain mill I want to do the following.1. Mill grains twice.2. Add acid to lower Ph of mash water3. Decrease water volume around 5-6l to do sparge – on partially open (from the top) bag on a oven rack4. Increase mashing time to 60′ (last time I was following YT vid and mash only for 30′)5. Stear grains 2-3 time and for sure before taking the bag out.6. Squeeze the bag using lid – on an oven rackAny way this method has IMO big potential since it is not requiring 2 or 3 vessels. I can later boost my SG by adding table sugar. I’ve also found very nice yeast strain (used for my 9% stout) which is really giving clean alcohol profile (no harsh smell or taste). Also having this partial mix mash of barley/sugar is not requiring additional yeast nutrition since grains have all the stuff needed by yeast.I’ve bought bag from Aliexpress for ~5$ to fit my 50l pot. Only lasted one batch and I have to repair it – now this should be fine.In near future after fine tuning this metod I will DIY garin basket.Any additional tips for me to consider doing next trial?
Edit: Maybe I will mash at lower temp ~65C.Went thru my notes and from 4.27kg of grains (brown ALE) I’ve got 24l of 7BLG (1.028) worth. To compare for Weizen from 4kg of grains I’ve got 22l 10BLG (1.040).Vodka consumed wisely is harmless even in large amounts.My all stainless 2″ VM stillMy all stainless 2″ pot still with Dimroth condenser SS Pot Still My malt mill – two roller – DIYMy keggle – mash/filter tun
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13 Replies
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I have never done Biab (only 3 vessels), from what I know he does not have an excellent efficiency, I sòche some people make a small sparge to increase the efficiency a little.
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On YT and on the internet everybody is getting super efficiency. Maybe that’s because of malts – like maybe they have better diastatic power or are more loose IDK. I will try to improve the method. Also some guys claim that with grain basket efficiency is also better because you can do almost normal sparge. Upside of BIAB for sure is time, and grains after squizin are much more dry then for example on false bottom.Vodka consumed wisely is harmless even in large amounts.My all stainless 2″ VM stillMy all stainless 2″ pot still with Dimroth condenser SS Pot Still My malt mill – two roller – DIYMy keggle – mash/filter tun
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BIAB is nice and simple but the grains in the BK reduces your brew lenght (volume). Myself runs a Brutus 20 or these days kettel RIMS. I have a 80 lt brew kettel and a 60 lt mush tun. Only the brew kettel is heated. I circulate between BK and MT with a pump… MT gravity feed to BK. But if you do not circulate you could sparge with a bucket. The 2 vesels allows for a larger brew lenght or bigger beers because your grains are seperate from your BK. The rest of the process is BAIB.My first fluteMy pressMy twinsMy controllerMy wife tells me I fell from heaven covered in white. Why did they let me fall?
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BIAB you can crush finer and that will also help will efficiency.. Also sparge a little will help some too.For a recirculating system you want a coarser crush for BIAB you want it finer. But not so fine you have a stuck sparge. Stirring a few times like every 20 minutes during the mash can help with efficiency also. Brewfather or something similar might be helpful to estimate ph in the mash. Mash ph is important!For your roller mill use a credit card and just a bit tighter than that likely be good. If recirculating exactly a credit card is great most the time. Every system is a bit different so you need to play a little one way or the other to optimize efficiency. BCranky’s spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
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Hello, actually I heard about this credit card thing. I’m also aware of the fact that most of automated all in one systems are some form of pseudo BIAB. What ph should I aim for ~5 i guess, right? I got 75% phosphoric acid so i plan to add in steps of 0.5ml to get to desired level. I ordered PH meter Apera PH20 today. Hopefully it will arrive before the weekend. It would be the best to get 25kg of base malt and do some experiments with one variable at a time.Vodka consumed wisely is harmless even in large amounts.My all stainless 2″ VM stillMy all stainless 2″ pot still with Dimroth condenser SS Pot Still My malt mill – two roller – DIYMy keggle – mash/filter tun
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If you are using a BIAB for distillation, ferment on grain. Pull the bag after the fernment is complete. Any enzymes keep working during ferment. I am a proponent of yellow label yeast. Huge time saver. Mash and pitch at 35* C and do the above. Takes about an hour with clean up.”What harms us is to persist in self deceit and ignorance”Marcus AureliusI’m not an alcoholic! I’m a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings!
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When I started brewing I used BIAB. I would put the bag of grain in a cooler and add the mash water. That held the temperature for an hour at least. I would drain the bag as best I could by hanging the bag for 5 to 10 minutes then empty the cooler. Add the sparge water to the cooler and swirl the bag around in the water, mashing it with a large spoon and getting the water over and in the bag. Once again drain the bag and then squeeze. I used to lids to do that. I could get in the upper 70 to low 80% efficiency doing that. Later using a mash tun with a drain on the bottom and a batch sparge only increased efficiency by a couple of %
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Normally aim for about ph 5.5 like I do for beer. comment like above of fermenting on the grain can work also. But if trying to make like a scotch they typically are not fermented on the grain.BCranky’s spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
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Perfect, I will try something similar this weekend. I’ve also checked that my grains hold (after squeezing) 0.7l/kg. What kind of software or website you use to check efficiency?Vodka consumed wisely is harmless even in large amounts.My all stainless 2″ VM stillMy all stainless 2″ pot still with Dimroth condenser SS Pot Still My malt mill – two roller – DIYMy keggle – mash/filter tun
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I use beersmith and let it calculate efficiency. But it is pretty easy to calculate. Look up the theoretical points in your grain. (Using US units) Multiply by lb of grain to get the total potential points. After mashing, take the gravity points of the mash and multiply by the gallons to get the collected points. Collected points / potential points = efficiency. Example 20 lb of malt of 36 points per lb gives potential of 720 points. If I collect 8.5 gallons of 1.060 liquid I have collected 510 points so my efficiency is 510/720 = 71%
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1: Just set your clearances up in the mill properly, it will give you a more consistent crush, that will help make sparging suck less. I hit pretty good efficiencies at 0.027-0.030″ (just use a credit card to set the gap, easy). 2: No. A proper all grain should end up between 5.2 and 5.6, this is a great range for the enzymes to work. The grain acts as its own pH adjustment and buffer. If you haven’t done a water analysis your shooting in the dark and can cause problems in the ferment stage. Either do a water analysis or leave the acids and salts out. 3: Set your mash to about 1.25 qts/lb of grain. Then sparge. If you aren’t boiling this might give you a little excess volume, I would simply move up in fermenter sizes. Sparge water at 168°f, it will thin the sugars and help your extraction. 4: Try a minimum of 90 mins at ≈147°f, this isn’t beer, we are trying to extract everything in beta glucan rest, no need to leave extra body.5: Stir like a madman as you are adding the grain to the hot water at the beginning, make sure you don’t have dough balls. Then let it sit for the 90, covered. You need to maintain that mid-high 140° temp, and that’s difficult if you are constantly messing with it. Seal up the vessel and if it isn’t insulated wrap in blankets or a sleeping bag. Use this time to clean fermenters, watch tv, whatever. Let nature do its thing. 6: Sure. You can also just suspend it and let gravity do the work. I kind of like this better as draining through free air will give you some cooling. It will really help you to get the mash temp down as quick as possible if you aren’t boiling. Will also give you some oxygenation, which yeast need for the breed cycle at the beginning of ferment. On yeast, a flavorless yeast that is great for a west coast style stout might not make the best whiskey. Yeast selection can really help fill out the pallet of a brown liquor.:)
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1: Just set your clearances up in the mill properly, it will give you a more consistent crush, that will help make sparging suck less. I hit pretty good efficiencies at 0.027-0.030″ (just use a credit card to set the gap, easy). 2: No. A proper all grain should end up between 5.2 and 5.6, this is a great range for the enzymes to work. The grain acts as its own pH adjustment and buffer. If you haven’t done a water analysis your shooting in the dark and can cause problems in the ferment stage. Either do a water analysis or leave the acids and salts out. 3: Set your mash to about 1.25 qts/lb of grain. Then sparge. If you aren’t boiling this might give you a little excess volume, I would simply move up in fermenter sizes. Sparge water at 168°f, it will thin the sugars and help your extraction. 4: Try a minimum of 90 mins at ≈147°f, this isn’t beer, we are trying to extract everything in beta glucan rest, no need to leave extra body.5: Stir like a madman as you are adding the grain to the hot water at the beginning, make sure you don’t have dough balls. Then let it sit for the 90, covered. You need to maintain that mid-high 140° temp, and that’s difficult if you are constantly messing with it. Seal up the vessel and if it isn’t insulated wrap in blankets or a sleeping bag. Use this time to clean fermenters, watch tv, whatever. Let nature do its thing. 6: Sure. You can also just suspend it and let gravity do the work. I kind of like this better as draining through free air will give you some cooling. It will really help you to get the mash temp down as quick as possible if you aren’t boiling. Will also give you some oxygenation, which yeast need for the breed cycle at the beginning of ferment. On yeast, a flavorless yeast that is great for a west coast style stout might not make the best whiskey. Yeast selection can really help fill out the pallet of a brown liquor.2 is going to really depend on your water. You might need some lactic or phosphoric acid to push mash ph down some. My well has a ph over 9 GH and KH are through the roof. I have to adjust the ph or get crappy efficiency. A ph meter if pretty important if your water is unknown.. And water parameters are pretty important depending on what you are trying achieve. This is why different beer and whiskey around the world is different. Different water dictates what can be brewed without RO water or a bunch of additions assuming your city has soft water etc.You will get different esterification depending on the end ph also when you distill.BCranky’s spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
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Hello, I’ve made small test batch today of Dark Czech Lager. I did it splitting needed water in half and sparging second half on open grain bag. I’ve also did double squzing the bag with pot lid. Beersmith calculated efficency to be 70%. I’m quite happy with the results also comparing to full volume no spare to have efficency ~50%. Next time I will try to mill grains on smaller gap in the mill. Also mash turned out to be less clean then with using false bottom. That’s also acceptable since this is dark beer.Vodka consumed wisely is harmless even in large amounts.My all stainless 2″ VM stillMy all stainless 2″ pot still with Dimroth condenser SS Pot Still My malt mill – two roller – DIYMy keggle – mash/filter tun
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