BIAB Top Off Sparge?

Brownyard

Brownyard

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I'm doing a 3 gallon BIAB Founders Breakfast Stout clone (https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1399170/founders-bs-3-gal) in a 5 gallon pot, and am trying to use the recipe builder to accurately calculate water requirements. My plan to make it work in the small pot, is to mash with 3 gallons of water, rather than the recommended Quick Water Calc of 4.39G, and pour water over the bag after mashing to bring to target pre-boil volume of 3.63G.

Questions:
1. Is there a particular way I should be entering this info into the recipe builder? I specified 3 gallon mash water, with 1 gallon sparge, but the quick water requirements doesn't seem to be affected by this, and still wants 4.39G.

2. How will using only 3G of mash water affect the ph differently than shown in the recipe calculator? Should I be concerned?

3. Pour over water - heated or not?

Other thoughts?
 
I normally use another program for brew day and use this one to check some of my numbers. I have done something similar before. I also withheld water until the whirlpool the last time so I could conveniently add blueberry puree.
In my other program for BIAB, I would and did calculate water based on the total that I needed at the boil if adding it squeezing out the bag. If I withhold water from the mash, the only thing I change is my strike water temperature calculation. I use spring water, so I don't care about PH calculations and never have at this level. You may have a little bit of an OG difference, but it is homebrew, and if that is the only way it is going to work, go for it. If that doesn't work, I'm sure others will chime in.
 
I would probably input everything for the volume you want to end up with.
Then use what you can for the mash and the rest for sparge. Maybe a bit less and adjust after the boil and before pitching yeast.

Alternatively, add the excess water during the boil in small bits.

I've read somewhere that the sparge water should not be too hot due to tannin? extraction.
I use tap water as I squeeze the bag with my hands and I am not fire proof
 
Brownyard said:
I'm doing a 3 gallon BIAB Founders Breakfast Stout clone (https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1399170/founders-bs-3-gal) in a 5 gallon pot, and am trying to use the recipe builder to accurately calculate water requirements. My plan to make it work in the small pot, is to mash with 3 gallons of water, rather than the recommended Quick Water Calc of 4.39G, and pour water over the bag after mashing to bring to target pre-boil volume of 3.63G.

Questions:
1. Is there a particular way I should be entering this info into the recipe builder? I specified 3 gallon mash water, with 1 gallon sparge, but the quick water requirements doesn't seem to be affected by this, and still wants 4.39G.

2. How will using only 3G of mash water affect the ph differently than shown in the recipe calculator? Should I be concerned?

3. Pour over water - heated or not?

Other thoughts?
Click to expand...
2. Don't be concerned. Or: Yes, but the effect can be ignored.
3. Yes, heat it. Not totally critical, but I suggest either mash temperature or a little hotter, maybe 170 F. Pour slowly, try to get it to run through the middle of the bag, not the outside. Cold is not harmful but warm is better.
 
Zambezi Special said:
I would probably input everything for the volume you want to end up with.
Then use what you can for the mash and the rest for sparge. Maybe a bit less and adjust after the boil and before pitching yeast.

Alternatively, add the excess water during the boil in small bits.

I've read somewhere that the sparge water should not be too hot due to tannin? extraction.
I use tap water as I squeeze the bag with my hands and I am not fire proof
Click to expand...

Gloves help alot. just remember to cuff them or the water will run down your elbows... I use Showa Black Knight Gloves. Cheap, tough, chem resistant, the lining helps ward off heat.
 
Brownyard said:
I'm doing a 3 gallon BIAB Founders Breakfast Stout clone (https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1399170/founders-bs-3-gal) in a 5 gallon pot, and am trying to use the recipe builder to accurately calculate water requirements. My plan to make it work in the small pot, is to mash with 3 gallons of water, rather than the recommended Quick Water Calc of 4.39G, and pour water over the bag after mashing to bring to target pre-boil volume of 3.63G.

Questions:
1. Is there a particular way I should be entering this info into the recipe builder? I specified 3 gallon mash water, with 1 gallon sparge, but the quick water requirements doesn't seem to be affected by this, and still wants 4.39G.

2. How will using only 3G of mash water affect the ph differently than shown in the recipe calculator? Should I be concerned?

3. Pour over water - heated or not?

Other thoughts?
Click to expand...
I shoot for 170F for sparge water. The temp really helps with washing the sugars out of the grain.

3. I would hang the bag open if you can and pour hot water over it.

One easy way todo that would be to use a plastic bucket and drill a few holes into the bottom of it NOT a ton of them, you want to be able to add water faster then it drains out.

You could do this into another plastic bucket and then transfer that into the kettle or just straight over the kettle. Might be easy to use a 3 gal bucket(grey ones from HD) with small holes in it over top of a 5 gal or 6.5 gal bucket.

This is sort of what a false bottom Lauter does.

I would do this while the kettle is on full heat.
 
Brownyard said:
I'm doing a 3 gallon BIAB Founders Breakfast Stout clone (https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1399170/founders-bs-3-gal) in a 5 gallon pot, and am trying to use the recipe builder to accurately calculate water requirements. My plan to make it work in the small pot, is to mash with 3 gallons of water, rather than the recommended Quick Water Calc of 4.39G, and pour water over the bag after mashing to bring to target pre-boil volume of 3.63G.

Questions:
1. Is there a particular way I should be entering this info into the recipe builder? I specified 3 gallon mash water, with 1 gallon sparge, but the quick water requirements doesn't seem to be affected by this, and still wants 4.39G.

2. How will using only 3G of mash water affect the ph differently than shown in the recipe calculator? Should I be concerned?

3. Pour over water - heated or not?

Other thoughts?
Click to expand...
Put your sparge volume amount in the sparge section in the water calc and the mash volume in that section then when calculating water salts you ca either use a blend or salts straight to mash only.

Remember don't fill your pit too high as you might get boil overs.

Easy way to think about your mash /kettle pot make it twice as much as your target volume and you'll be apples:).
 
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