BIAB number 2 in the barrel

[brewcot]

Greetings all.

My second attempt at BIAB is now in the barrel. I can't get over how simple this method of brewing is. I had always wanted to set up a 3 vessel system, but I really don't see the need since I discovered BIAB. I get 75% efficiency, I have minimal equipment ( which keeps SWMBO very happy!), and the beer I have produced so far is fantastic.

Happy days.

[jimp2003]

Nice one brewcot!

Whats the brew?

Jim

[brewcot]

Hi Jim,

It's just a simple Summer Ale. Pale malt only, with goldings and fuggles. I only have an 18L boiler,so I mashed 3.5 Kilos of malt, and then added 1 kilo of dry malt extract near the end of the boil. That gave me a strong wort (1.080), and I did a post boil dilution to fill the fermenting bucket. OG in the fermentor was 1.050, which beer engine tells me will be 5% ABV. I couldn't resist sampling it when it went into the keg, not bad at all!

[RdeV]

Great stuff brewcot, that's one fantastic and heart- warming tale! Well, that may be tearing the fork out a little, but you get my drift!
There's a lot to be said for keeping spousie pleased with your brewing, while apartment dwellers would appreciate not having to accommodate loads and loads of kit. As your experience highlights, with the BIAB route the risk to the novice brewer trying their first mashing method is minimal too, if they're already making kits, just the boiler and bag is usually all that is required to give mashing a whirl. As is the case here, the results are usually very encouraging, some brewers use BIAB as a step towards conventional multi- vessel all- grain brewing, I'm like you though, I don't see the need to move to 3V even though I've already got a pair stainless firkins and most of the kit to do so. I'm well pleased with things how they are, while the results have been overwhelmingly good, including competitively, so I'm not likely to change any time soon, if ever.
A Partial Mash such as you've done there is an excellent means to trick up a pack of malt extract for a full batch. If you would like to use that same boiler for 23L of All- Grain (i.e. with nil malt extract), perhaps check out the Maxi-BIAB method linked below, the only additional equipment you'll need is a 12- 15L sparge bucket, while in some ways the method is even easier than stock BIAB. Having said that, there's nothing wrong with Partials at all, some of my best and most memorable beers have been based on a Coopers tin (usually Lager) from the supermarket.
Simple recipes take some beating, a great way to get familiar with ingredients but also showcase good quality stuff too.

[brewcot]

Thanks RdeV. I think MAXI-BIAB will be the next thing I try, but I wanted to get a couple of standard BIABs under my belt first, just to get used to the technique. On my first attempt at BIAB, I didn't add any extract, but by then time you account for trub loss in the fermentor, I ended up with a very small batch. It was good beer, but it ran out far too quickly for the effort I put into making it. MAXI-BIAB=more beer, that can only be a good thing in my book!
I agree with you about simple recipes, grain brewing is new to me, and this way I can make small changes to the recipe and understand the ingredients better. I'm not trying to clone any particular beers, I'm just trying to make my own beer which I like to drink. That said, it seems to have gone down well with friends and family so far, so I must be getting something right!
I'll post up the results of my next attempt when I get it done.

[Lugsy]

Hi brewcot

I started BIAB the same way as you, three or four small batches in a 20l pot before moving on to Maxi-BIAB. Now I get full 23l brews for pretty much the same amount of effort as the 12l I used to get. I've found that my efficiency is really good now (above 80%) and I can mash up to 6.5kg of grain which can make a strong beer at full volume (my American Amber yielded 22l with an OG of 1.057 and I've even managed 15l of Imperial Stout at 1.099 )

I too was thinking that BIAB would be a forerunner to 3V brewing but now I'm not so sure - my results are good and I have minimal equipment cluttering the place up. My only possible plans to change my method would be to get a larger pan (either 33l or 50l) but that would mean I'd have to stop boiling on the hob, get a larger burner and start brewing outside - nice in the summer but not much fun for the rest of the year and I don't want my brewing to be weather dependant!

[brewcot]

Nice one Lugsy.

We are clearly on to a good thing, why would we need a 3V system when we get good beer from BIAB? I love the simple approach to brewing, if it was complicated, I would probably need to sober-up to do it, and that doesn't sit well with me....

Cheers BIABers,
Brewcot