Adding malts in a biab bag to strikewater?

[HemanBrew]

Hi.

Can put all my malts in a biab bag and when the water is at strike temperature I just put the bag in to the kettle (and stirr the malts)??
Everywhere is said that biab bag should be in place when adding grains at strike temperature, but I dont really understand why it has to be this way?

What are the problems with this technique?

 

[soccerdad]

Try it. I scoop mine in with heat off and the bag in place, but I could be adding o2 this way, even though I add gently and stir gently.

 

[Cato1507]

I put the bag in once strike temp is reached and then pour in the grains from a 5 gal bucket.
I'd think the powdered grain flour would make a mess if you poured the grain in the bag first.

 

[Carolina_Matt]

I've been doing it this way recently. You just need to make sure you stir well, because it will clump up a lot when you first add it to the water.

I line a bucket with my Wilser bag, then mill the grains directly into the bag. When I reach strike temperature, I slowly lower the bag into the kettle and spend a minute mixing everything with a huge whisk. Then I pour any dust from the bottom of the bucket into the kettle and give it one more stir.

I haven't noticed any drop in efficiency by doing it this way, and I find it a lot easier than holding the bucket under my armpit and trying to slowly pour the grains into the kettle.

Edit to add: The first time I tried this, it didn't work as well. I used a normal mash paddle and it didn't break up all of the clumps. The whisk did a significantly better job at breaking up the clumps.

 

[LittleRiver]

I grind my grains into a 5gal bucket, then clip the handle of the bucket to the overhead rope/pulley I use to raise the grains after mashing.

The rope holds the weight of the bucket, so it's easy to slowly tip it with one hand while I stir with a whisk with the other hand. I've never had a dough ball.

 

[GrowleyMonster]

I use a Corona mill and it just has open wheel, not a spout, so it goes everywhere when grinding outdoors so I tie a trash bag neck around the grinding head, supported by a chair. Water is heating while I am grinding. When all is milled, I dump into a clean bucket. I set up the bag in the mash kettle which is also my brew kettle. I scoop the grain with a 4 cup measuring cup and pour as I stir, instead of pouring from the bucket (heavy) or using a scoop. (Messy.) I have never tried just dunking the bag already full of grain into the water. I assumed it would clump together into a bunch of big chunky dough balls. I guess maybe I was wrong?

 

[soccerdad]

I use a Corona mill and it just has open wheel, not a spout, so it goes everywhere when grinding outdoors so I tie a trash bag neck around the grinding head, supported by a chair. Water is heating while I am grinding. When all is milled, I dump into a clean bucket. I set up the bag in the mash kettle which is also my brew kettle. I scoop the grain with a 4 cup measuring cup and pour as I stir, instead of pouring from the bucket (heavy) or using a scoop. (Messy.) I have never tried just dunking the bag already full of grain into the water. I assumed it would clump together into a bunch of big chunky dough balls. I guess maybe I was wrong?

Off topic, but do you motorize your mill? I hand crank mine (like yours, no spout) and it just drops nicely and politely into a bucket.

 

[McKnuckle]

Either way is fine and it makes little difference. There are minor differences, but it's functionally the same either way.

However, it's important that your bag is not tied up in a bundle. I have seen Youtubers doing that while they show us "how to BIAB," and it makes me cringe. The bag should ideally be exactly the same shape as the kettle, so that all of the water is inside with the grains. Aim for as close to that as possible.

 

[GrowleyMonster]

Off topic, but do you motorize your mill? I hand crank mine (like yours, no spout) and it just drops nicely and politely into a bucket.

No, at least not yet. It is kind of tiring, milling 16lb by hand, though. I think a gearhead motor and a 20:1 belt drive on an inductance motor powered by house mains would do fine, though. Let's see... 3600RPM / 200 = 18RPM. And by hand I am going about 40RPM so yeah that would work just fine. I could use an 1800RPM motor, for that matter. With no reduction except the belt drive a 20:1 belt drive would give me 90RPM at the mill. Not sure if that would overheat the grain or not.

Anyway yeah most of it goes in the bucket all right but not all, and if there is a breeze, all bets are off. There is nothing in the house I can effectively clamp the Corona to. I have mine bolted to some angle iron that I C clamp to my welding table outside. I need to sink a post in the ground and make a permanent base for it, I think. Then I can add a chute that will deliver the millings into a bucket clean and simple. Unfortunately all new projects go to the bottom of the list and the list is a long one. What I really need to do is get the GF to do the grinding for me. She can use the exercise and I can offer pointers while I drink beer in the shade.

 

[GrowleyMonster]

Either way is fine and it makes little difference. There are minor differences, but it's functionally the same either way.

However, it's important that your bag is not tied up in a bundle. I have seen Youtubers doing that while they show us "how to BIAB," and it makes me cringe. The bag should ideally be exactly the same shape as the kettle, so that all of the water is inside with the grains. Aim for as close to that as possible.

Oh no I don't bundle up the bag until I am removing it.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I grind my grains into a 5gal bucket, then clip the handle of the bucket to the overhead rope/pulley I use to raise the grains after mashing.

The rope holds the weight of the bucket, so it's easy to slowly tip it with one hand while I stir with a whisk with the other hand. I've never had a dough ball.

Holy crap why didn't I think of this. So simple it's genius. I feel really stupid for not thinking of that myself. Thanks.....yet another reason why I love this place!

 

[lump42]

Hi.

Can put all my malts in a biab bag and when the water is at strike temperature I just put the bag in to the kettle (and stirr the malts)??
Everywhere is said that biab bag should be in place when adding grains at strike temperature, but I dont really understand why it has to be this way?

What are the problems with this technique?

I haven't had any problems, but I've only done full volume BIAB. I lower mine in slowly so the air has a chance to escape and not create dough balls. I give it a stir after the bag is in and clipped to the sides to check for dough ball.

 

[tmendick]

LODO guys "underlet" water into their kettle that has the grain and bag in there first. I've seen them say that you can drop the bag with the grain into the water, but to avoid dough balls you have to do it extremely slowly.

 

[lump42]

LODO guys "underlet" water into their kettle that has the grain and bag in there first. I've seen them say that you can drop the bag with the grain into the water, but to avoid dough balls you have to do it extremely slowly.

It really isn't that slow from my experience. I lower it the bag and grist in over about a 2-3 minutes (I've never measured just a conservative estimate).

I'm not doing it for LODO. I just mill into the bag because it's one last time I have to transfer or the grains.

 

[BongoYodeler]

I grind my grains into a 5gal bucket, then clip the handle of the bucket to the overhead rope/pulley I use to raise the grains after mashing.

The rope holds the weight of the bucket, so it's easy to slowly tip it with one hand while I stir with a whisk with the other hand. I've never had a dough ball.

Major duh! moment. Why have I never thought of doing it this way? It's brilliant and so simple.