A couple of questions before i start

[Bazz]

I'm just about ready to start my first brew using BIAB and have a couple of questions to ask just to help clarify things for me.

Firstly sparging, i've watched a couple of videos and read a couple of guides and some seem to say to sparge and others don't, so should i or shouldn't i and how much water to sparge with, or do i just take a hydrometer reading and go by the gravity?

Secondly my yeast, in the past when making wines i have used Girvin yeasts and despite the packet saying to just sprinke over the top i have made a starter by adding the yeast to half a sterilised jam jar of cooled boiled water with a tablespoon of normal sugar dissolved into it and then left for 24 hours, this has always worked well for me. I also have a Girvin yeast for this brew should i do the same or definitely not or will it make no difference?

Thanks for your help.

[Clibit]

I sparge. Which means I use some of the water for mashing and the rest for sparging. True BIAB involves no sparge, all the water goes in at the start. Take your pick.

I doubt you'll notice the difference between dehydrating and sprinkling the yeast, don't worry.

[Dave-Leeds]

What size kettle u got bazz?,

brewing anything good for ur 1st go?

[6470zzy]

I'm just about ready to start my first brew using BIAB and have a couple of questions to ask just to help clarify things for me.

Firstly sparging, i've watched a couple of videos and read a couple of guides and some seem to say to sparge and others don't, so should i or shouldn't i and how much water to sparge with, or do i just take a hydrometer reading and go by the gravity?

Secondly my yeast, in the past when making wines i have used Girvin yeasts and despite the packet saying to just sprinke over the top i have made a starter by adding the yeast to half a sterilised jam jar of cooled boiled water with a tablespoon of normal sugar dissolved into it and then left for 24 hours, this has always worked well for me. I also have a Girvin yeast for this brew should i do the same or definitely not or will it make no difference?

Thanks for your help.

No need to sparge with true BIAB, it is one of the beauties of the process

[Cpt.Frederickson]

1. For ease, no-sparge. Full volume BIAB. You could do a mash-out (raise bag, heat water to 76-78c, steep bag again for 5-10 mins), this usually gets me a few more sugars from the grain but isn't a big deal. I've sparged before, but again the difference was negligable and involved more faff. For a first brew, I'd keep it simple.
2. Rehydrate your yeast; a good rule of thumb is 10 times the weight of water (eg. 10g yeast, 100ml water) at 30-35c, sprinkle yeast and gently stir in. Leave for 15 mins, stir gently, add a little cooled wort (10-20ml), wait 15mins and pitch it.

[BenB]

My understanding of dry yeasts is that because they have a higher count than a vial or smackpack of liquid yeast they don't need a starter. Rehydrating them prior to sticking them into the wort gives them a flying start and is a bit kinder on them. If you brew a really high OG beer you might need more cells but dried yeast being cheaper many people just pitch a couple of sachets which might be more cost prohibitive with liquid. Doing a full on starter won't do any harm although it does obviously introduce another opportunity for infection to get in....

No idea re BIAB

[Bazz]

Thanks for all the replies.

Dave-Leeds, I got a Biab starter kit for Christmas and it has a 32 litre Peco boiler, first recipe is the all grain kit that came with it, an American pale ale by the name of Hoppy.

[Dave-Leeds]

I have the same size boiler and usually mash in around 26 lts and do a sparge with 6ish ltrs.

normally get between 21.5 ltr and 23 ltr of wor after boil. I have a large dead space in my boiler so have started tilting it slightly to get that little extra

[Bazz]

Thanks for the tip, can't wait to get started.

[injac]

I'm awaiting the same start up kit Baz - let me know how you get on with it. Equally confused by the to sparge/no sparge question.

[Clibit]

I use a sparge when I mash in the kettle because I don't own a pot big enough to put all the water in. With true BIAB you use a pot much bigger than the final brew length so that it will contain all the water and the grain at the start. The level then drops when you take the grain out, and again when you boil, due to evaporation. I use a separate pot to heat the sparge water, and move the bag into that for ten minutes, then combine the wort in the first pot.

[Bazz]

Injac - when I have my brew day (hopefully Sunday) I'll do a full write up in the relevant section of the forum.

[injac]

Cheers Baz that will be very handy in getting an idea of the volumes of water going in and out of the boiler before and after brewing!