BIAB Full Volume Mash Mineral Additions Quantity

[Twang]

Water chemistry calculators base the mineral additions on the mash volume. So if you are doing a BIAB full volume mash the quantity of minerals will be much higher than if you were doing a more traditional sparge. Resulting in the finished beer having a higher mineral content.

Should this be taken into consideration when adjusting BIAB water? Base the mineral additions on a more traditional mash volume, and then adjust the pH w/ acid based on the full (actual) mash volume with those mineral additions?

 

[DurtyChemist]

Set sparge water to zero.
Set mash water to the volume you will be using.
The bruNWater spreadsheet allows you to do this on the Water Adjustment tab.

 

[Twang]

Set sparge water to zero.
Set mash water to the volume you will be using.
The bruNWater spreadsheet allows you to do this on the Water Adjustment tab.

Let me ask another way, with an example:

With a full volume mash at 2.54 qts/lb I get the following additions

• Gypsum 6.6g
• Epsom Salt 2.2g
• Canning Salt 0.9g
• Calcium Chloride 1.0g

Now, same recipe but I change the mash water to a more traditional 1.25 qts/lb I get

• Gypsum 3.2g
• Epsom Salt 1.1g
• Canning Salt 0.4g
• Calcium Chloride 0.5g

Both have the exact same ppm in the mash. Now if I brewed this same beer twice, one using full volume biab and another using a traditional batch or fly sparge. Those two beers will have different amounts of minerals in the finish product, giving a different flavor.

So when doing biab, should we base the mineral additions on a more traditional mash thickness so we don't end up with excessive minerals in the finished beer?

 

[fuzzy2133]

Yes you will have different beers if you do not add any minerals to the sparge water.

I brew BIAB and set the calculator like DurtyChemist said.

 

[MerlinWerks]

So when doing biab, should we base the mineral additions on a more traditional mash thickness so we don't end up with excessive minerals in the finished beer?

I'm going to say no, because regardless of your mash method, BIAB or traditional what I see recommended most often is that you treat the full volume of brewing liquor, mash and sparge water at one time.

 

[DurtyChemist]

Let me ask another way, with an example:



With a full volume mash at 2.54 qts/lb I get the following additions

• Gypsum 6.6g
  
• Epsom Salt 2.2g
  
• Canning Salt 0.9g
  
• Calcium Chloride 1.0g
  

Now, same recipe but I change the mash water to a more traditional 1.25 qts/lb I get

• Gypsum 3.2g
  
• Epsom Salt 1.1g
  
• Canning Salt 0.4g
  
• Calcium Chloride 0.5g
  

Both have the exact same ppm in the mash. Now if I brewed this same beer twice, one using full volume biab and another using a traditional batch or fly sparge. Those two beers will have different amounts of minerals in the finish product, giving a different flavor.



So when doing biab, should we base the mineral additions on a more traditional mash thickness so we don't end up with excessive minerals in the finished beer?

If you don't add minerals to your sparge water in the second batch you'll have different beers because the water into your boil pot will be different. You'll dilute the PPM calculations when you add another 3 or more gallons of water to rinse your grains.

Do an experiment. Tell the calculator you're only adding minerals to your sparge water and see how it comes out. The calculator will tell you the water is the same but mashing with no water and sparging with 9 gallons really won't work well if you want great beer.

 

[mabrungard]

Yes you will have different beers if you do not add any minerals to the sparge water.

Well, yes. Leaving out a bunch of your mineral additions will make a difference. But if you are adding the mineral quantities intended for the sparging water directly to the kettle, there shouldn't be a big difference.

 

[DurtyChemist]

Let me ask another way, with an example:

With a full volume mash at 2.54 qts/lb I get the following additions

• Gypsum 6.6g
• Epsom Salt 2.2g
• Canning Salt 0.9g
• Calcium Chloride 1.0g

Now, same recipe but I change the mash water to a more traditional 1.25 qts/lb I get

• Gypsum 3.2g
• Epsom Salt 1.1g
• Canning Salt 0.4g
• Calcium Chloride 0.5g

Both have the exact same ppm in the mash. Now if I brewed this same beer twice, one using full volume biab and another using a traditional batch or fly sparge. Those two beers will have different amounts of minerals in the finish product, giving a different flavor.

So when doing biab, should we base the mineral additions on a more traditional mash thickness so we don't end up with excessive minerals in the finished beer?

Same PPM in a different volume of water. You'll end up with a lot less beer in the second batch since you're not using any more water because you're maintaining the same ion concentration of the water.

Let me say it another way, why would you only change the ion concetration of half your water then dilute it? Why are you only focused on the mash and not all of the water you are using?

I'm going to bet if you use 1.875 quarts if water you'll add about
Gypsum: 4.8
Epsom:1.6
Canning salt 0.65
CaCl 0.75

It's math so the concentrations should be very close but you're not accounting for any spare water when you're using less than the full volume of water. Add in your spare water and tell me what happens to your water levels.