BIAB - Mash temperature

[PaulCa]

Hi.

I was brewing a recipe from a local brew shop yesterday and encountered the first time I needed to raise the mash temperature.

The recipe said to bring 19L of water to 50*C. Stir in the grain slowly and let it sit maintaining 50*C for 45 minutes. Then raise the mash temp to 68*C for a further 75 mins.

I have a variable voltage controller on the boiler. It's a full bottom enclosed element (Tea Urn style). So I don't mind running it at very low voltage if I seen the temp drop below 50*C when I checked up on it.

However the raising the temp to 68*C I had to use quite a lot of "throttle" to raise it and that caused cavitation sounds (bubbles) which must mean something, somewhere was getting too hot, but turning the boiler down until this stopped and the temp would not rise.

When I finally got it to 68 ish, I wrapped the boiler in an old quilt and managed to get through the 75 mins with only one top up on heat.

Are there any easy / easier solutions to this? Would it not help to split the strike water, starting at 50*C and then adding water at 75*C to bring it up to the full 19L?

Also, I currently brew in the garage and the ambient temp is around 10*C which I suppose doesn't help me keep mash temp.

EDIT: Not the only thing to spoil this brew. I also started too late and ended up rushing the cooling and settling stage before putting in the fermentor. So it will probably suffer chill haze and cloudiness.

 

[PaisleyExport]

I mash in a cool box and do it exactly as you say. I get it to first step then hold (I lose a degree or two) then add boiling water stir, measure, add boiling water, stir, measure until I’ve hit the next step. Basic but works for me.

 

[PaulCa]

Yea. Maybe it is time I bought/make a mash tun and leave BIAB behind. What's one more bit of home brew equipment anyway.

 

[Gerryjo]

Your bubbling is due too your bag is too close to the base retaining the heat which is then trying to escape.Use a cake stand or similar to raise the bag off the base when raising temps though with modern malts there's not much call for step mashing due too such good conversion by malting techniques nowadays.

 

[Galena]

What recipe was this, was there unmalted wheat or a lot of adjuncts in the brew? Otherwise as @Gerryjo said, there is not much need for a protein rest, just go straight for a single step infusion.
Nothing wrong with BIAB though, it's a perfectly good way to brew, maybe fit a false bottom or make sure the bag doesn't reach the element? I only use a 900w element to apply any heat during the mash and recirculate to even out the mash temperature.

 

[PaulCa]

This is the recipe: Massey Red Irish Ale All Grain Ingredient Kit - 23 Litres 5.8% - Get Er Brewed

Not vastly detailed, but it came with an A4 print out with more.

I normally strike at 75, poke out the lumps and by that time it's usually down to high 60s, so I wrap it in a fleece or blanket and leave it for an hour and I'm done. I thought I'd try and follow the recipe though.

I'm searching for ways to make brewing easier. Mashing in the 30 litre boiler has done me so far, but I'm considering an incremental step of a cooler box with a tap fitted. Still using the bag as the filter as in BIAB ... just changing the mash vessel to a cooler box.

I have a few other ideas to smoothen off a few tedious areas in my brew setup, but I'll put those in a new thread.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I'm considering an incremental step of a cooler box with a tap fitted. Still using the bag as the filter as in BIAB ... just changing the mash vessel to a cooler box.

You might be interested in my post..
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/a-simple-false-bottom-for-coolbox-mash-tun.92168/