Released: My first BIAB

[calumscott]

Nice one Bob!

I'll use placeholders for now then and we can just hold off publishing until the new search is rolled out. :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

Right, I think that should just about do it.

I've taken out the chilling bits as there is too much variation between chillers it was too cluttered.

I've got a few pics that I want to get my hands on but they'll take a wee while - basically until I get another brew on!

I need to gather some more links - I remember a great counterflow chiller build, a really nice immersion chiller one, someone had one with a bewildering array of hydrometers...

If you know of good ones that would fit with any of the themes post them please! :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

Having a good read through this now, will edit into here with things I find

The pot.
Your single vessel can be as simple as just a big pot. I did my first Brew In A Bag with just that – a big pot on the hob, no tap or hop stopper or any other bells or whistles – and it produced a perfect pint.

Produces..unless you don't use it anyomre :grin:

The only really BIAB-only piece of kit you’ll have to invest in is a grain bag. There are commercial models available but they won’t fit a big pot, you’ll have to befriend a seamstress to get one made.

You can buy them though for smaller brews THBC linky

Hydrometer and trial jar
Essential in all grain brewing to make sure your mash has been efficient enough and to help hit the gravities specified in your recipes.

Mention of refractometer possibly.

Software
Most brewing software can handle BIAB equipment and mash profiles. Personally I chose Beersmith and, with some tweaking here and there, I’ve got profiles that are starting to work well with my equipment.

Mention of free trial versions possibly, forum calculators

the complete grain bill crushed finer than three vessel brewers like

Most AG brewers don't know there's a choice and standard crush is medium, not really a choice as such when HB shops don't supply fine unless asked :hmm:

So, fill your pot with 35.5l litres of water and add a crushed Campden tablet to drive off any chlorine.

Does it drive it off or neutralise it (I don't know :grin: )

The actual temperature you are looking for is 66.7C but just keeping it in that range should be fine.

Surely that depends on the style being brewed :hmm:

Once you are down to the required pitching temperature of your yeast, you need to aerate your wort (you want to see a really good foamy head), pitch your yeast, add your lid and airlock if you use one and tuck it up at 18 degrees to ferment.

Not really a point just, I found that adding dry yeast to foam delays fermentation start, adding yeast to wort then aerating led to a faster start, horses for courses :grin:

After 5 or 6 days rack to a clean FV and add the final batch of hops, then leave it alone for a further 10-14 days.

list of alternative methods perhaps

Down to addenda for now :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

Having a good read through this now, will edit into here with things I find

The pot.
Your single vessel can be as simple as just a big pot. I did my first Brew In A Bag with just that – a big pot on the hob, no tap or hop stopper or any other bells or whistles – and it produced a perfect pint.

Produces..unless you don't use it anyomre :grin:

That's just it, I don't. I now use the same big pot fitted with a tap and hop stopper... I'll edit to make that clearer.

The only really BIAB-only piece of kit you’ll have to invest in is a grain bag. There are commercial models available but they won’t fit a big pot, you’ll have to befriend a seamstress to get one made.

You can buy them though for smaller brews THBC linky

Yup, I'll do sponsor links for all equipment.

Hydrometer and trial jar
Essential in all grain brewing to make sure your mash has been efficient enough and to help hit the gravities specified in your recipes.

Mention of refractometer possibly.

Aye.

Software
Most brewing software can handle BIAB equipment and mash profiles. Personally I chose Beersmith and, with some tweaking here and there, I’ve got profiles that are starting to work well with my equipment.

Mention of free trial versions possibly, forum calculators

Yup, I'll add clicky linkies for the commonly mentioned ones...

Beersmith, Brewmate, Brewtarget, THBF recipe do-dah, what others do we know about?

 

[graysalchemy]

Beer engine totally free.

here

 

[Moley]

An excellent “How To” - I'll be giving this a try myself :thumb:

Simply cut a circle 5cm larger diameter than your pot, then a rectangle about with one edge about 10cm longer than your pot is high and the other edge about 5cm longer than the diameter of the circle you just cut: so that's length = (Pi x (pot diameter + 5) ) + 5.

Shouldn't that be the circumference?

Also, there might be a few readers who haven't got a clue what Pi is or only have a basic calculator.

Length = ((pot diameter + 5) x 3.142) + 5

 

[calumscott]

Shouldn't that be the circumference?

Damn fine spot sir!

]Also, there might be a few readers who haven't got a clue what Pi is or only have a basic calculator.

Length = ((pot diameter + 5) x 3.142) + 5

*nod*

 

[calumscott]

the complete grain bill crushed finer than three vessel brewers like

Most AG brewers don't know there's a choice and standard crush is medium, not really a choice as such when HB shops don't supply fine unless asked :hmm:

BIAB is clearly starting to get a following here - the demand will increase LHBS's who crush to order will have to start offering it...

So, fill your pot with 35.5l litres of water and add a crushed Campden tablet to drive off any chlorine.

Does it drive it off or neutralise it (I don't know :grin: )

Hmmm... haven't got a clue...

The actual temperature you are looking for is 66.7C but just keeping it in that range should be fine.

Surely that depends on the style being brewed :hmm:

That section is a walkthrough of a beer - like brewstew's rauchbier 3 vessel one. Perhaps I should make it clearer though...

Once you are down to the required pitching temperature of your yeast, you need to aerate your wort (you want to see a really good foamy head), pitch your yeast, add your lid and airlock if you use one and tuck it up at 18 degrees to ferment.

Not really a point just, I found that adding dry yeast to foam delays fermentation start, adding yeast to wort then aerating led to a faster start, horses for courses :grin:
[quote:ao9mxlft]After 5 or 6 days rack to a clean FV and add the final batch of hops, then leave it alone for a further 10-14 days.

list of alternative methods perhaps[/quote:ao9mxlft]

Of dry hopping?

Down to addenda for now :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

After 5 or 6 days rack to a clean FV and add the final batch of hops, then leave it alone for a further 10-14 days.
list of alternative methods perhaps

Of dry hopping

Sorry, I meant differing alternatives of racking, ie, 7-10 days straight, rack to dispensing vessel etc...not everyone uses a secondary. Perhaps there needs to be a racking how to :lol:

 

[graysalchemy]

Perhaps there needs to be a racking how to

Added to Calums to do list. :lol: :lol:

 

[Vossy1]

:lol:

 

[calumscott]

Perhaps there needs to be a racking how to

Added to Calums to do list. :lol: :lol:

Maybe not a racking how to but a "basic operations" one maybe?

Covering racking, priming, siphoning, sanitisation etc?

 

[BigYin]

Simply cut a circle 5cm larger diameter than your pot, then a rectangle about with one edge about 10cm longer than your pot is high and the other edge about 5cm longer than the diameter of the circle you just cut: so that's length = (Pi x (pot diameter + 5) ) + 5.

"a rectangle about with one edge about" - er, definitely one "about" too many :lol:

 

[calumscott]

Simply cut a circle 5cm larger diameter than your pot, then a rectangle about with one edge about 10cm longer than your pot is high and the other edge about 5cm longer than the diameter of the circle you just cut: so that's length = (Pi x (pot diameter + 5) ) + 5.

"a rectangle about with one edge about" - er, definitely one "about" too many :lol:

About that many too many, yes. Sorted, thanks!

 

[calumscott]

I've put in a few minor edits as suggested.

Also forum sponsor links for equipment and I've got The Homebrew Company to add the recipe as an "off-the-shelf" AG kit! I've asked Rob to do the same, I'm sure he will but I think he's away skiing at the moment.

So that leaves me with:

Grain bag picture and template diagram to create and add
Full kit picture to create and add
TMM recipe link when he puts it online
Brewsheet and download link - I'm going to make a dedicated brewsheet with spaces to write the crucial readings and stuff - do any of you have your own template? I just use the beersmith one and scribble on it. It would save me doing one from scratch.
Unhooking and lifting pictures - I don't have any, I'll get SWMBO to take some next brewday
Draining and collecting pictures - as above


Any more for any more?

 

[Vossy1]

I like it up to the addenda...then it gets scary :shock: :lol:

 

[calumscott]

I like it up to the addenda...then it gets scary :shock: :lol:

Yeah, I should probably tidy some of those up a bit and make them more user friendly...

The list is now:

• Grain bag picture and template diagram to create and add
  Full kit picture to create and add
  TMM recipe link when he puts it online
  Brewsheet and download link - I'm going to make a dedicated brewsheet with spaces to write the crucial readings and stuff - do any of you have your own template? I just use the beersmith one and scribble on it. It would save me doing one from scratch.
  Unhooking and lifting pictures - I don't have any, I'll get SWMBO to take some next brewday
  Draining and collecting pictures - as above
  Make Addenda clearer

 

[calumscott]

I've just built a BIAB BrewDay BrewSheet in Excel...

Would you kind chaps care to road test it for me? <<clicky>>

I don't actually mean go and brew it BIAB style, just have a play. Does it make sense? Are the instruction panels clear enough? etc etc...

Thanks!

 

[calumscott]

I decided that the first version was rubbish.

So I did it properly.

I think it's not bad now - http://www.calumscott.me.uk/tools/BIABBrewsheet.xlsx

I think it all works properly... please play!!

 

[calumscott]

Right, but for a few more pics which I'll do next brew and edit it, I'm done.

If you are happy that there aren't too many lies or errors then I guess it's good to go.

I would like someone to test that spread sheet though, just to make sure I haven't got any calculations hopelessly wrong...

I take it one of you Mod types just shifts it from here, deletes all the comments and whatnot?

Or do I just start a topic in the How To section and paste in the BBCode?

Cheers

Calum