Jack Hackett
Active Member
Hi folks,
I want to move on from using kits, I've honed my skills at cleaning, sanitizing, re-hydrating yeast etc and think I should extend my skills and learning a bit.
I have the usual ancillary equipment, thermometer, Hydrometer, large paddle/spoon
I dont, as yet, have a insulated coolbox/mash tun, or a chiller.. but this is the equipment I do have.
Ritchie/Bruheat boiler - came with a mash bag
another large 'fine mesh' nylon bag
3x25L FVs with taps
1x10L FV no tap
A couple of basic camping mats - I can use these as insulation.
I have read about BIAB but it seems to be pretty inefficient with the Liquor:Grain ratios so I would prefer to do some kind of separate mash technique with what I have.
If I insulate a 25L FV, line it with my mash bag, add water at 70°, then add grain, cover and leave for the required mash time would that be OK? How much liquor should I add ? Do I add ½ of my brew length for the mash, drain and then sparge with the remaining ½ of my liquor, jiggling the bag about to get the remaining sugary wort out of the grain?
I do not yet have a hop strainer for the boiler, I have seen hop bags at my LHBS, are these any good, what are the pros/cons?
After my boil, considering I have no chilling device, can I transfer the hot wort to FV and seal it and let it cool over night? I have heard the Aussies do this. I would be careful during transfer as not to get much, if any, air into the wort by using a pipe from the boiler tap to the bottom of the FV. Hot Side Aeration you guys call it.
I think that about sums it all up at the moment, please let me know if Im on the right track or not.
Do any of you do full BIAB, is it a way to go?
Any of you in Birmingham? Apart from the campden tablet, what water treatments do I need to use?
Am currently scouring Freecyle/Freegle groups for an old coolbox
Regards
Jack
I want to move on from using kits, I've honed my skills at cleaning, sanitizing, re-hydrating yeast etc and think I should extend my skills and learning a bit.
I have the usual ancillary equipment, thermometer, Hydrometer, large paddle/spoon
I dont, as yet, have a insulated coolbox/mash tun, or a chiller.. but this is the equipment I do have.
Ritchie/Bruheat boiler - came with a mash bag
another large 'fine mesh' nylon bag
3x25L FVs with taps
1x10L FV no tap
A couple of basic camping mats - I can use these as insulation.
I have read about BIAB but it seems to be pretty inefficient with the Liquor:Grain ratios so I would prefer to do some kind of separate mash technique with what I have.
If I insulate a 25L FV, line it with my mash bag, add water at 70°, then add grain, cover and leave for the required mash time would that be OK? How much liquor should I add ? Do I add ½ of my brew length for the mash, drain and then sparge with the remaining ½ of my liquor, jiggling the bag about to get the remaining sugary wort out of the grain?
I do not yet have a hop strainer for the boiler, I have seen hop bags at my LHBS, are these any good, what are the pros/cons?
After my boil, considering I have no chilling device, can I transfer the hot wort to FV and seal it and let it cool over night? I have heard the Aussies do this. I would be careful during transfer as not to get much, if any, air into the wort by using a pipe from the boiler tap to the bottom of the FV. Hot Side Aeration you guys call it.
I think that about sums it all up at the moment, please let me know if Im on the right track or not.
Do any of you do full BIAB, is it a way to go?
Any of you in Birmingham? Apart from the campden tablet, what water treatments do I need to use?
Am currently scouring Freecyle/Freegle groups for an old coolbox
Regards
Jack