Need some advice on first BIAB!

[will4009]

Hello

I have managed to get my hands on a very cheap 30l buffalo boiler, and want to try my hand at something different than brewing from a kit.

I want to try and do this with as little hassle/equipment as possible and have one or two questions.

1. I have had a look at lots of biab videos etc. And the simplest looks like the no sparge method. By using this method, and being limited to a 30l boiler, what volume of beer can i expect to produce?

2. I think i will opt for the no chill method, or chill in a ice bath. I have read mixed reviews on the chill vs no chill options.

3. Can anyone recommend a very simple recipe? As its my first time doing this, I want to try an extremely simple recipe so that I don't over complicate things.

4. I have read that the buffalo boiler can on occasion cut out mid boil? Should I worry about this? Or does it just happen to a minority of people.

5. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced and good quality bag?

Thanks alot, would be grateful of any advice!

 

[itbrvilla]

Quick Calc. I lose about 0.7-1 per kilo of grain I mash. and lose between 4-5 litres of beer per hour during the boil. I drain most of my wort including the gunk into the bucket and lose 2-3 litres. With those you could expect between 18-21 litres.

 

[meryvn]

I got my bag from brewinabag.co.uk they were pretty cheap and good quality so far. Simplest recipes are just an easy single malt and single hop, try searching for smash recipes.

 

[will4009]

I got my bag from brewinabag.co.uk they were pretty cheap and good quality so far. Simplest recipes are just an easy single malt and single hop, try searching for smash recipes.

Thanks for that, have looked around and a few people recommend them.

I am still trying to get my head around just how much water to put in my boiler before adding the grain. I am unsure how to work out the ratios and what my 30l boiler is capable of?

 

[Simonh82]

I have 30 litre Burco and really like it. I've not had any problems with cut outs.

Depending on how much grain you are using will depend on how much water you can fill it with to begin with and how much you will get at the end. Larger grain bills need more space so less water to begin with (strike water) and will also absorb more so you will get less wort when you remove the bag of grain.

For a typical 4.5kg grain bill I normally fill the the 24L fill mark on the inside of the boiler. After adding the grain this is almost at the brim.

Depending on how hard you squeeze the bag you might get about 22L pre-boil. I've not exactly worked it out yet, but I think I lose about 5L per hour from boiling and then a litre and a half to trub losses and dead space at the bottom of the kettle. I think you will be lucky to get 16-17L into the fermenter and you will lose some more to trub and yeast at the end of fermentation.

I would really recommend you consider adding a quick sparge stage with 6-8L of water. Just use the fermentation vessel you are going to brew in and dunk the grains in some 75-80oC water. I dunk in 4L of water then use a couple more to rinse the grains with the bag sat in a big sieve. Then I squeeze the daylights out of the bag to get it as dry as possible. This takes about 15 minutes but means I start with a full boil and a little bit extra to top up with as it evaporates. I can then get 22-23 litres into the fermentation vessel. You would be waiting this length of time for the wort to boil anyway so you might as well use it to sparge and get as much beer out of the process as possible.

I also always recommend Brupaks antifoam which allows you to top up the kettle to almost the brim and boil without it foaming over.

 

[GHW]

Thanks for that, have looked around and a few people recommend them.

I am still trying to get my head around just how much water to put in my boiler before adding the grain. I am unsure how to work out the ratios and what my 30l boiler is capable of?

I've boiled 27L in a 33L pot, it was dangerously full though. So you'll probably be able to do a 20L boil with no issues, a bit more with practice.

Be careful though, to do a 20L boil (which will give you 16-17L in the fv), doing full volume biab, you'll need more like 24L mash water, plus grain which might be a tight squeeze.

Another option is to do a not quite full volume mash, then do a small sparge. This is sort of what I do, especially if I'm doing a 20L+ brew.

This site might help you: biabcalculator.com

 

[wfr42]

In my 2 biab brews to date I've mashed in 22 and 25 litres (last brew had a 7kg grain bill) then sparge and squeeze with 10 litres to get upto 27 litres preboil.
My peco boiler has 2.5 litres of dead space and loses between 5 and 6 litres in an hours boil.

 

[will4009]

I have 30 litre Burco and really like it. I've not had any problems with cut outs.

Depending on how much grain you are using will depend on how much water you can fill it with to begin with and how much you will get at the end. Larger grain bills need more space so less water to begin with (strike water) and will also absorb more so you will get less wort when you remove the bag of grain.

For a typical 4.5kg grain bill I normally fill the the 24L fill mark on the inside of the boiler. After adding the grain this is almost at the brim.

Depending on how hard you squeeze the bag you might get about 22L pre-boil. I've not exactly worked it out yet, but I think I lose about 5L per hour from boiling and then a litre and a half to trub losses and dead space at the bottom of the kettle. I think you will be lucky to get 16-17L into the fermenter and you will lose some more to trub and yeast at the end of fermentation.

I would really recommend you consider adding a quick sparge stage with 6-8L of water. Just use the fermentation vessel you are going to brew in and dunk the grains in some 75-80oC water. I dunk in 4L of water then use a couple more to rinse the grains with the bag sat in a big sieve. Then I squeeze the daylights out of the bag to get it as dry as possible. This takes about 15 minutes but means I start with a full boil and a little bit extra to top up with as it evaporates. I can then get 22-23 litres into the fermentation vessel. You would be waiting this length of time for the wort to boil anyway so you might as well use it to sparge and get as much beer out of the process as possible.

I also always recommend Brupaks antifoam which allows you to top up the kettle to almost the brim and boil without it foaming over.

Thanks, thats some really great advice.

I think i will sparge as you advised due to only having the 30l boiler. So, to basically sum up your sparge method. You dunk the grains in 4l of 75-80oC water, then hold above the fermenter in a sieve and sparge another couple of litres over the bag? Do you add that sparged wort directly in to the boiler at the start of the boil?

Also have you modified your tap on your boiler, I was unsure if I will be able to use the tap to drain directly in to the fermenting bin, or if a syphon would be better.

Thanks

 

[Simonh82]

Thanks, thats some really great advice.

I think i will sparge as you advised due to only having the 30l boiler. So, to basically sum up your sparge method. You dunk the grains in 4l of 75-80oC water, then hold above the fermenter in a sieve and sparge another couple of litres over the bag? Do you add that sparged wort directly in to the boiler at the start of the boil?

Also have you modified your tap on your boiler, I was unsure if I will be able to use the tap to drain directly in to the fermenting bin, or if a syphon would be better.

Thanks

Yes, that's basically it. I actually keep the sieve over the fermentation vessel that I've dunked the bag in. Purely because this is on the floor and easier than sparging over the boiler which is up on my counter top. Then you just add it to the rest of the wort before you start the boil.

You may end up with a bit of extra that won't fit in at the beginning of the boil. This is fine in my opinion as long as you get it in before the half hour mark, so that it gets a reasonable boil. Some people boil it at the same time in a separate pot but that seems like overkill to me.

I replaced the standard tap with a ball valve. This may not be necessary but you will need a hop filter of some kind at the minimum, to stop the tap getting blocked.

 

[Toffee]

I've got a 30L buffalo. If you search, I think I started a thread with my experiences. But basically:

max fill line is 27L
fill to there and bring to strike temp
Mash in, cover in sleeping bag etc and leave for an hour
Dunk sparge with 7L at 80c
Top up back to max fill. At this point I still have 3l left over
Boil. Add the 3L during first 40m of the boil to replace evaporated wort. I do this a little at a time, using microwave to heat up left over sparge water in a smaller jug

This process tends to give me 21 L in the FV , more or less. Depends on the grain and hop bill.

Basically, try it, make lots of notes, work out your volumes with a measuring stick or similar and then tweak for next time.

 

[Toffee]

Ok maybe I didn't start a thread before.....But if you need more info on volumes, timings etc just let me know

 

[will4009]

I've got a 30L buffalo. If you search, I think I started a thread with my experiences. But basically:

max fill line is 27L
fill to there and bring to strike temp
Mash in, cover in sleeping bag etc and leave for an hour
Dunk sparge with 7L at 80c
Top up back to max fill. At this point I still have 3l left over
Boil. Add the 3L during first 40m of the boil to replace evaporated wort. I do this a little at a time, using microwave to heat up left over sparge water in a smaller jug

This process tends to give me 21 L in the FV , more or less. Depends on the grain and hop bill.

Basically, try it, make lots of notes, work out your volumes with a measuring stick or similar and then tweak for next time.

Thanks for that.

Yep, I will go forward with a dunk sparge.

Have you made any modifications to your boiler? I was hoping to leave the tap as is, but i have realised that it might need a hop filter, or leave as is and add my hops in muslin bags? Having never done this before i presume that you get some gunk at the bottom of the boiler that might block the tap or drain into the fermenting bin?

Looking to do a very simple recipe, maybe just one grain, one hop. I am still unsure on the quantities of grains and hops.

 

[Toffee]

I replaced the tap and added a hop filter as per guide on this forum. Works well. Never had any cut out issues, but I do put it on a work bench (black and decker style) to ensure good airflow around the base.

 

[lukehgriffiths]

Could pick up homebrewcompany kit. The extract ones come with grain bags so the AG might too... maybe pick a couple to try. Or get an extract one too to bridge the gap.