Mashing biab

[liamf89]

Hi was just wondering if I'm mashing in my peco boiler should I use my inkbird to control temp of mash by turning element on and of or am I better of just turning boiler of at desired temp and insulating boiler and putting lid on.. also should I put a colander or steam basket over element to avoid burning bag or grains

 

[Leon103]

I insulate my mine with a sleeping bag and find it doesn't drop temperature unless it's really cold outside and then it's a degree drop. If you did use your inkbird you would need a false bottom to keep the bag off the element.

 

[Spapro]

I do same as Leon - read somewhere about creating hotspots in the mash if you cycle the heat on/off.

Heat water to 71-72° then turn off the heat, add BIAB bag securely around rim of boiler, slowly pour in your grain stirring as you go to avoid dough balls, once grain added should be around 65-68°C for the start of mash, pop the lid on the boiler and wrap/insulate well. You should only lose 1 or 2 degrees over a 1 hour mash. Never felt a need to heat during the mash if you get everything right.

Good luck with it.

 

[liamf89]

I do same as Leon - read somewhere about creating hotspots in the mash if you cycle the heat on/off.

Heat water to 71-72° then turn off the heat, add BIAB bag securely around rim of boiler, slowly pour in your grain stirring as you go to avoid dough balls, once grain added should be around 65-68°C for the start of mash, pop the lid on the boiler and wrap/insulate well. You should only lose 1 or 2 degrees over a 1 hour mash. Never felt a need to heat during the mash if you get everything right.

Good luck with it.

I have two old exercise mat should that do the job. Do you still need a false bottom to stop it burning..also would you stir the mash every 15mins or so seen people do that..

 

[Spapro]

No, if you turn the element off before adding the bag and adding your grain - I do that and never burnt or scorched the bag.

A stir halfway through would help efficiency - I've never bothered though, I just leave it well wrapped up for 1 hour, quick stir at the end before liffting the grain bag out.

If you keep opening it up you will lose heat so I've always thought leaving alone durnig the mash was the best way to go.

Googd luck with it and enjoy your brewday.

 

[Robin54]

I do same as Leon - read somewhere about creating hotspots in the mash if you cycle the heat on/off.

Heat water to 71-72° then turn off the heat, add BIAB bag securely around rim of boiler, slowly pour in your grain stirring as you go to avoid dough balls, once grain added should be around 65-68°C for the start of mash, pop the lid on the boiler and wrap/insulate well. You should only lose 1 or 2 degrees over a 1 hour mash. Never felt a need to heat during the mash if you get everything right.

Good luck with it.

Ive found, for me at least, its best to put the grain in the bag and then add to your water source. Give it a good prodding, lift in and out a few times and no dough balls. Seems to work for me.

 

[liamf89]

No, if you turn the element off before adding the bag and adding your grain - I do that and never burnt or scorched the bag.

A stir halfway through would help efficiency - I've never bothered though, I just leave it well wrapped up for 1 hour, quick stir at the end before liffting the grain bag out.

If you keep opening it up you will lose heat so I've always thought leaving alone durnig the mash was the best way to go.

Googd luck with it and enjoy your brewday.

another question do you add you specialty non ferment able grains for the full hour or do you put them in for just half hour because I read places that when you steeping specialty grains for an extract brew half an hour is loads as if you do longer it produces of flavours

 

[Leon103]

I add all mine for the hour, stiring half way through. I set up a pulley to lift the bag up when I raise the temp at the end of the mash.

 

[Spapro]

All the grain together - I weight it all out at the start of the brewday while the boiler is heating the water ready for the mash, and dump all the grain together ino a spare FV, make sure the FV is clean and DRY.

Then I pour it in from the FV slowly into the grain bag in position in the boiler, stirring as I go, all grains added for the full hour - never heard anyone on here is adding speciality grains half an hour into the mash.

 

[jayjt29]

I used to turn my boiler off mate, like everyone else has said. I wrapped it in a sleeping bag and a few blankets, Yes it dropped a few degrees but never had a problem with the finished product :)

Cheers
Jay

 

[IainM]

Ditto for turning the boiler off. I do, however, put a cake stand on the bottom so that I can mash out at the end.

 

[hoptoit]

Get a lkea frying spatter guard and some foil insulated bubble wrap from b and q. Fits perfectly in bottom of peco and the insulation I have found doesn't even drop half a degree over an hour.

 

[Leon103]

My wife as one of those spitter things. Might have to borrow that

 

[JapanBrew]

It depends on what you're aiming for. If you want wheat in your beer or other unmalted grain, you have to protein rest it at 50 degrees for a period then raise the temp.
I use mine as a recirculating mash. I can set my temp to 64 degrees and pull out a lot of beta amylase. Then start stepping it up after 30 minutes till I hit mash out. This is called step mashing. Gives you different body and characteristics.

 

[Cwrw666]

The problem with using the heater during the mash is that all that grain clogs up the water and stops it circulating heat like just a boiler full of water would do. So the bottom gets quite hot while the top remains cooler.
bearing in mind that they say that most of the mash conversion occurs during the first 10 minutes, then a few degrees drop in temperature over an hour or so is hardly likely to matter. So the most important thing would be to make sure that the initial temperature is spot on.