Mashing in the boiler

[KevP]

Hi folks
Having a good few AG brews under my belt before times changed I was wondering what the deal was with regards to mashing and sparging in the boiler (a Bruheat one at the mo)
I know its a matter of making do and all the associated hazards such as scorch and lack of volume etc but surely it can be done successfully?
Is anyone mashing and sparging in the boiler? My replacement Bruheat even came with a free Mashing and Sparging bag designed for the boiler!

I am basically trying to cut down on equipment needing storage for personal reasons but want a cheaper and tastier brew than my recent extracts.

[Fatgodzilla]

I don't know what the Bruheat boiler is, but if aMashing & Sparging bag is supplied, then the BIAB (brew in a bag) method popular in Australia and now gaining a foothold in the USA is for you. If you want more research log onto the AHB site (AussieHomeBrewer) and type in BIAB and you'll see a multitude of answers. Best to go to the Articles and read the excellent description there. It will explain clearly and precisely the differences you must make to your water volumes etc to adjust for this type of brewing.

As said by self, watch for scorching bag and said by Chris x1 be careful on the limitations of your boiler to maintain temperatures.

Hundreds of Aussies use the BIAB method and its fast gaining new converts.
Note, its not perfect for ALL types of beer.

Good brewing

[grubac]

Hey

I've been using the same 60 Litre inox pot for my last few brews. I mash and boil in it. I've had no volume issues and, as far as I know, no scorch issues. The only negative aspect I noticed is that when I sparge into it I can't avoid areation because the bloody thing is so tall. I mean, it is avoidable, I just haven't done anything yet to combat it.

If cutting down on equipment and expenses is your goal, just try it and see what happens.

good luck

grubac

[arturobandini]

I used the BIAB method not long ago and found it pretty hassle free. You'll effectively need a vessel that can hold your grain, water lost to grain retention and pre boil volume of water so it certainly isn't economical space wise. You get much simpler results using a grain bag in a converted FV, which has been insulated, using batch or fly sparging. I see the idea behind BIAB but I don't see the point.

[Fatgodzilla]

Some people walk in the rain with an umbrella and no raincoat, some prefer wearing a raincoat and no umbrella. Either way its personal preference and the idea is to get to the destination dry. BIAB as its morphing now is popular with some, many who haven't seen it personally criticise it as a .. well whatever they want. Its just a way of doing things. It aint the be all and end all, its just another way. Suit yourself. I don't BIAB .. but I have a BIAB bag (manufactured especially for beer brewing) a boiler that holds 50l and a beam in my shed that I can attach ropes to. I'll give it a try and see if its any easier one day when I'm ready to do it. Its fun to experiment.

[PureGuiness]

I'm looking at using a mashing / sparging bag, atleast initially. Is the suggestion that this would produce worse results than having a seperate mash tun? Or is it just that it's best to insulate the vessel rather than using and relying on the thermostat to control the boiler elements during the mashing process?

[PureGuiness]

Thanks for the detailed reply. Most helpful.

[Maltloaf]

I went through a period of mashing in a bruheat with a grain bag. I added a seperate mash tun because I got bored juggling the wort and water back and forth.

It does work though. I made sure I mashed thin and moved the grain around occasionally, using a thermometer to check it was still ok. I guess my efficiency was lower, about 70% compared to 80% in a picnic box mash tun.
One plus is you can play with mash temperature very easily, so you can try for drier or sweeter if you like. You can also play around with temperature steps for making better lagers.
Certainly better than making extract (bleurgh!) brews, which was the OPs predicament.

ML.