First AG (BIAB method)

[Graeme]

I will be carrying out my first AG brew tomorrow and am going to use the "brew in a bag" method.

I am going to brew a Pale Ale (recipe from "The Big Book Of Brewing" by Dave Line)

I have a Bruheat boiler and a brewing bag.

I think I know what to do from reading various threads on here. I'll run through my plan -

1. Fill Bruheat bucket with water to maximum level.
2. Fit empty bag into bruheat.
3. Bring water temp to 65 degC (150 degF).
4. Add grain and leave to mash at steady temperature for 3 hours(?).
5. Remove bag of grain, squeeze and discard.
6. Add hops and boil (should I reuse the bag to put hops in or just let them loose?)
7. Remove hops.
8. Strain wort into FV, cool and pitch yeast.

I'll try to remember to take photos throughout to post here.

Please correct any mistakes/suggest improvements.

Thanks.

 

[Graeme]

Also, I forgot to buy campden tablets and irish moss from my LHBS today and they are shut tomorrow.

Can I make do without them? Or can I get them from boots/wilko etc?

 

[Wez]

Hi Mate

A couple of things that I can add

The water will need to be hotter than your intended mash temp, this is because when you add the cold grains it will cool the water 74c should give you 65c.

3 hours is a long mash, 90 mins should be fine.

If you don't have a hop strainer use the bag, otherwise you will clog your tap

How are you cooling, naturally or do you have something you can use like an IC immersion cooler?

Wez

edit - not using campden could leave you with a tcp type taste to the beer as you are not removing the cholrines. Irish moss is needed to coagulate the break material, the worst that will happen is the beer may have a haze.

Wilko will probably do campden tablets but not Irish Moss (but you never know)

 

[Graeme]

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply to questions Wez. :thumb:

I don't have an immersion cooler, I was just going to allow it to cool naturally.

I don't have a hop strainer so I will use the bag.

One thing I can't really get my head round is the lack of sparging. Do I need to adapt the recipe/process at all to compensate? or is this acheived by having the bruheat full of liquor during the mashing stage?

Sorry for all the questions, just don't want to mess up my first effort!

Many thanks.

 

[Wez]

We have two people in chat right now who do BIAB and can help better than me, pop in click on the RED link under the sponsor banner at the top.

 

[corby_brewer]

graeme BIAB is easy, this link will help - http://realbeernz.ning.com/profiles/blo ... iled-style

Dave

 

[Graeme]

All went well (I think) with my first AG brew. FV cooling in the bath now. :thumb:

I don't know what I was so worried about.

Sorry, no pics as no batteries in camera and I didn't want to delay brewing to get some!

Cheers for your advice. :drink:

 

[corby_brewer]

Im glad everything went acording to plan Graeme. :thumb:

But ill tell you this now!!!! AG is very adictive, next you will be getting a mash tun and HLT :party:

 

[commsbiff]

Excellent to hear Graeme - keep up the good work!

 

[lazydog]

nice one Graeme keep us informed as i might try this myself :thumb:

 

[tubby_shaw]

Welcome to the Darkside Graeme :party:
Now we've got you there's no going back

 

[Reviled]

Awesome stuff mate!! :thumb:

Theres no turning back now

 

[ni9e]

Glad it went well for you :thumb:

 

[A T]

Well done Graeme :clap:

 

[commsbiff]

You've just made me post a wanted add on Freecycle for a tea urn! Churning through eBay too... ya blighter!

 

[Wez]

Nice one Graeme :clap:

 

[Muddydisco]

Good one Graeme. No stopping you now, onward and darker!