Achieving desired BIAB OG questions

[undergroundbrewer]

Hey all,

So I recently got back into the brewing world and whipped up an extract batch w/ specialty grains 2 weeks ago, working out the rough patches of my technique in the process (lessons are sometimes best learned the hard way right?). Now with the fever in full force, I wanted to step up to BIAB but had some questions.

Using Brewers Friend, I plugged in the details of my recently ordered cream ale kit from Northern Brewer. With an assumed efficiency of 80%, I set the batch size at 5 gallons, boil size at 6.8 gallons per the following rationale: 1.75 qt / lb of grain (8 lbs total, 14 qts or 3.5 gal), .8 gal for grain absorption, 1 gal for boil off (60 min, 1 gal/hr), and 1.5 gal for top up h20. Total water again = 6.8 gallons.

I'll be honest, I have no clue if this is the right way to input the info. My plan was to mash the 8 lbs of grain at 150 for 60 minutes, mash out at 170 for 10 minutes, squeeze the grain and then go about brewing as normal. I made the assumption that I can add the top up water after the mash is complete with no ill effects...is this going to throw my calculations off? I didn't want the water/grist ratio to be too high (heard that a beer can taste 'thin' if it is...no idea if its true). I know efficiency can increase with a higher ratio, and I certainly have room to up the water amount if I will benefit (8 gal Megapot 1.2).

Long story short, I just want everything to go smooth like everyone does. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

undergroundbrewer

 

[Hujo]

Everyones technique and setup are different, but i always do a thick mash, and then dunk sparge with the remaining water to get to my preboil volume, accounting for grain absorption.. That gives me an efficency around 80-85. Without the dunk sparge i can't get that high, and i wouldn't be able to do the thick mash either. So, i'd use the top up water for sparging instead. Good luck


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[pdxal]

You'll probably have less absorption of water by the grain, too, when you squeeze the bejeezus out of the bag after mashing/dunk sparging. I agree with the top up idea- use that water to sparge and extract more sugars instead.

 

[Larso]

There is no need to sparge and no downside to full volume BIAB mashes in terms of beer quality. Check out biabrewer.info . PP on there has done plenty if side by side experiments on this. Also in my experience full volume mash doesn't affect beer 'body'

 

[Pkrd]

I mash with the right amount of water so that I have the post boil volume right after the mash. Take a gravity reading and then sparge with the top up water if I need a few extra points. Squeeze if needed.
My efficiency is all over the place because I use different grain suppliers/crushers so this method lets me tune things on the fly.