stiffness of mash for BIAB
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aletaster
stiffness of mash for BIAB
Mashed today with 4. 25kg grain. Recipe suggested 11litres of liquor. However this was stiff so I topped up with hot water. Had a nightmare as I wrongly read the thermometer f/Celsius! Panicked and added too much boiling water so had to add cold. Managed to stabilise temp within 15 mins. The resulting mash was quite runny but, after 90 min, I ended up with a of of 42. So my question is - is the amount of water critical to the mash?
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Jocky
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Re: stiffness of mash for BIAB
It's only a problem if you are at extremes.
Very thick mashes can have lower efficiency, and can also give you a less fermentable wort - the latter can be used to make beer with plenty of residual sugar in the body.
2.5 litres/KG (aka 1qt/lb) is around the thickest mash you'd want without issues.
Too thin mashes can extract astringent tannins. I don't know how thin is too thin - this is more of a problem with over sparging.
Very thick mashes can have lower efficiency, and can also give you a less fermentable wort - the latter can be used to make beer with plenty of residual sugar in the body.
2.5 litres/KG (aka 1qt/lb) is around the thickest mash you'd want without issues.
Too thin mashes can extract astringent tannins. I don't know how thin is too thin - this is more of a problem with over sparging.
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Beer O'Clock
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Re: stiffness of mash for BIAB
How big is your pot ?aletaster wrote:Mashed today with 4. 25kg grain. Recipe suggested 11litres of liquor. However this was stiff so I topped up with hot water. Had a nightmare as I wrongly read the thermometer f/Celsius! Panicked and added too much boiling water so had to add cold. Managed to stabilise temp within 15 mins. The resulting mash was quite runny but, after 90 min, I ended up with a of of 42. So my question is - is the amount of water critical to the mash?
As for runny mashes, I use 4.5Kg of grain in 35+ litres of water. THAT's always going to be runny. This is BIAB at it's basic philosophy. All the water and all the grain in the same pot. Remove bag and boil up remainder.
Both of your posts confuse me.
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paulg
Re: stiffness of mash for BIAB
beer o clock
I too regularly have 38 litres water with 3 or 4 kilos malt ,maybe a mild or bitter with some sugar in the recipe giving a ratio of nearly 12 to 1 with no problems except when I screw up acid additions
I too regularly have 38 litres water with 3 or 4 kilos malt ,maybe a mild or bitter with some sugar in the recipe giving a ratio of nearly 12 to 1 with no problems except when I screw up acid additions
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aletaster
Re: stiffness of mash for BIAB
Thanks. It turned out well. The sparking went well too. Managed to hold the bag in place and flow was good. Beer fermenting nicely at 68F. I'm mashing in a 3 gallon pot with element didn't measure volume of water added,but I filled the pot to brim with 4,25kg grain. Like I said, must have the mix about right.
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Cpt.Frederickson
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Re: stiffness of mash for BIAB
Sounds like unnecessary complication. Pure, full volume BIAB. Keep it simple. All the water, all the grain just as Beer O'Clock said. I don't even waste time sparging, although a short mash out is about as much effort as I'll go through. Gives a few extra gravity points usually.
The Hand of Doom Brewery and Meadery
Fermenting -
Conditioning - Meads - Raspberry Melomel yeast test, Vanilla Cinnamon Metheglyn, Orange Melomel.
Drinking - Youngs AAA Kit; Leatherwood Traditional Mead, Cyser, Ginger Metheglyn.
Planning - Some kits until I can get back to AG, then a hoppy porter, Jim's ESB, some American Red.
Fermenting -
Conditioning - Meads - Raspberry Melomel yeast test, Vanilla Cinnamon Metheglyn, Orange Melomel.
Drinking - Youngs AAA Kit; Leatherwood Traditional Mead, Cyser, Ginger Metheglyn.
Planning - Some kits until I can get back to AG, then a hoppy porter, Jim's ESB, some American Red.
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timbo41
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Re: stiffness of mash for BIAB
The biggest problem I have is the Max my boiler can take is 7 gallon. What I do is heat maximum volume to strike,then remove a couple gallon to account for grain displacement, then when doughed in I add ad much of the removed water back in for the mash. Its normally fairly loose. Then when mashout complete, I pour any remaining water back in, get the boil going while the bag drains into boiler....I have a pulley..not Popeye arms!!
Just like trying new ideas!