Potential Complications from a BIAB Setup

[darthkotor]

I just sold my Keggle because it was bulky and heavy. I will now be using my previous HLT as a single vessel BIAB system (13 gallon Kettle, Aluminium). Of which I will be brewing a Marzen for its maiden brew tomorrow.

I know decoctions are quite beloved around here, but I am somewhat limited on time so I do a modified Hochkurz mash (30 min @145, 45 @ 158, sparge/mashout). This allowed me to get 85% attenuation from W34/70, and led to a pretty malty beer still.

I have made good beer with my system, both BIAB and traditional 3 vessel brewing, but I am looking to make *great* examples of German beer. I just wanted to hear you're thoughts on investing the time to do decoction, or will BIAB be enough to obtain the fermentability and flavor profile I am after?

Thanks -

[Bryan R]

I wouldn't say decoction is beloved around here.. We have all done them, sure, but I would not say its NEEDED. We all do Hochkurz at 40-60@62, and 60+@72. Malt is just too modified to really do any more work to it. I will however speak out against BIAB, I hate, hate, hate, it. Is it an easy way to make beer, sure. But in my tests, I couldn't even get close to the same level/quality of wort than I could with other methods. The lifting of the bag, not matter how gently you do it, is enough to bring all sorts of unwanted "stuff" in your wort. Cheaper, faster, better, pick 2 applies here.

[darthkotor]

Fair enough.

I noticed in one of your brew day posts that your first runnings and post boil wort was pretty damn clear. How much to do vorleuf or recirculate to strain out the particulate?

In my cooler mash tun, I usually add boiling hot water to hit my steps. Again I wanted to double check that here, because in most of the American Literature its fine to make American beer.

[Bryan R]

Well I recirculate the entire mash time, and I use a false bottom, and a custom made bag I use as a mash filter. All german literature says the raise your steps no more than 1c/min.

[hafmpty]

You should both check this out:

http://brulosophy.com/2014/06/02/the-gr ... ts-are-in/
http://brulosophy.com/2015/03/22/the-im ... t-results/

The XBMT concerns the flavor & clarity impact in the final beer when a ton of "stuff" is transferred to the fermentor vs. running clear beer into the fermenter.

[Bryan R]

With all due respect, no.

[caedus]

[Techbrau]

Low oxygen is such a game changer that many previous experiments should not be assumed to apply to low oxygen processes until demonstrated otherwise.

[Bilsch]

I had been doing a modified BIAB before switching to low oxygen mashing with circulation using a pump. It's really not hugely different just changing out your bag for a false bottom. and you will need another kettle for boiling. Chugger pumps are reasonably priced and I am much happier now with the change. In addition I've cut a lot of time from my brewday as well as vastly improving the clarity of the wort.
On a related note my first low oxygen batch had only 1/3 the amount of hot and cold break proteins then before lodo, making it a veritable non issue to rack off.

[Owenbräu]