Recipe Format Question

wharf_rat_brewer

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Total noob here, but I'm struggling to correctly interpret some info I have seen in recipes here. In one of the BIAB recipes I am interested in trying, the mash guidelines dictate 10qt, type is "Temperature" at 148° for 60 minutes, then it states 4qt, type is "Infusion" at 160° for 20 min (see image below). But, I'm not certain I understand what that means. None of my searches have yielded and easily understood explanation for a beginner. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

8skAt89
Capture.JPG
 
Probably heat 4 quarts on the stove to get mash to 160 add to the mash at 60 minutes. There is a calculator to help with what temp.
 
I BIAB all the time and I have no idea what this means.

Mash guidelines for BIAB should be incredibly simple.
Since it’s a full volume Mash, I would expect something like:

Amount - 14 qt (or whatever the full volume is needed for the mash)
Description - BIAB
Type - Single Infusion
Temp - 148 (or whatever temp you want to mash at)
Time - 60 (or however long you want to mash)

I believe there is a software update coming to simplify or improve the mash guidelines. Not sure what the status is.
@Pricelessbrewing
 
This may not answer your question directly, but there is a very good resource here for the new brewer. I highly recommend going through it,and referring to it often.
When I first started I brewed recipes that my local home brew shop offered, they also offered some guidance.
I would also recommend going on YouTube and looking at BIAB videos.
 
Whole bunch of ways to interpret those instructions. Doubt any of them will cause any big pluses or negatives, so do whatever you think is going to be your process. Mine is to add all the water, heat that to the mash temp, add the grains. Pull the bag when time's up, give it a decent squeeze and start heating to a boil.

Plenty of people change that by adding around 70% of the water, heating that to the mash temp, adding the grains. Pulling the bag when the time's up, drizzling the remaining water over the bag and start heating to a boil.

For the drizzle, some do it in a separate bucket and add that back into the main kettle. Others drizzle it over the bag while it's in the main kettle. Also some will use warm water, others will use room temperature water. You'll get a little bit more sugar with the warm water.

There's some slight increases or decreases in the amount of sugar you extract with these variations. Whether it's worth the effort is completely up to you. I doubt the differences in efficiency add up to more than extra cents, not dollars, in grain costs. The chances that any of these variations change the quality of your beer have got to be close to zero (i.e. it won't be the process, just your ability to do it consistently).

Though there's a few styles of beer or types of grains where targeting specific mashing processes can be important. But not something to worry about when you're starting out.
 
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Whole bunch of ways to interpret those instructions. Doubt any of them will cause any big pluses or negatives, so do whatever you think is going to be your process. Mine is to add all the water, heat that to the mash temp, add the grains. Pull the bag when time's up, give it a decent squeeze and start heating to a boil.

Plenty of people change that by adding around 70% of the water, heating that to the mash temp, adding the grains. Pulling the bag when the time's up, drizzling the remaining water over the bag and start heating to a boil.

For the drizzle, some do it in a separate bucket and add that back into the main kettle. Others drizzle it over the bag while it's in the main kettle. Also some will use warm water, others will use room temperature water. You'll get a little bit more sugar with the warm water.

There's some slight increases or decreases in the amount of sugar you extract with these variations. Whether it's worth the effort is completely up to you. I doubt the differences in efficiency add up to more than extra cents, not dollars, in grain costs. The chances that any of these variations change the quality of your beer have got to be close to zero (i.e. it won't be the process, just your ability to do it consistently).

Though there's a few styles of beer or types of grains where targeting specific mashing processes can be important. But not something to worry about when you're starting out.

Thanks for the reply. I do have minimal experience brewing BIAB, partial mash, and all grain recipes. But, it's been 6-7 years, so to rebuild my confidence in the process I'm going back to BIAB with minimal equipment. I think I'm going to ignore the strange notation on the recipe and go with a traditional BIAB approach like you described. Fingers crossed it's at least drinkable.
 
This may not answer your question directly, but there is a very good resource here for the new brewer. I highly recommend going through it,and referring to it often.
When I first started I brewed recipes that my local home brew shop offered, they also offered some guidance.
I would also recommend going on YouTube and looking at BIAB videos.

Thanks for the reply. It seemed like there was supposed to be a link in your response maybe? I couldn't find the resource to which you referred.

I do have minimal experience brewing BIAB, partial mash, and all grain recipes. But, it's been 6-7 years, so to rebuild my confidence in the process I'm going back to BIAB with minimal equipment. I think I'm going to ignore the strange notation on the recipe and go with a traditional BIAB approach like you described. Fingers crossed it's at least drinkable.
 
As long as the recipe volume amounts matches your equipment, I would also follow what @Megary said.

Mash with ~14qts of water at a temperature of X in order to hit a mash temperature of 148F.
Pull grain bag, squeeze the bag to minimize absorption losses and raise your efficiency, and proceed to boil.
 
Once the Mash Guidelines project/update is in a state for public beta testing, I will update the forum thread below.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum/threads/upcoming-project-mash-guidelines.13535/

In the mean time you can view and use the update in it's current state at beta.brewersfriend.com if you're interested, please realize it is not yet completed and there will be some discrepancies and issues. If you're interested in being a beta tester, please let myself or @Yooper know and we would be happy to include you in the beta testing subforum.
 
I'd hazard a guess it means to mash at the first temperature and then use 4qt of heated water to move the mash to the next temperature.

Which is not something I would bother doing, just mash the whole damned thing at 148 and call it good.
 
I'd hazard a guess it means to mash at the first temperature and then use 4qt of heated water to move the mash to the next temperature.

Which is not something I would bother doing, just mash the whole damned thing at 148 and call it good.
and why complicate things, right!
 
Yup. When you are comfortable messing with things then go for it, but don't make it any harder to do than necessary.
 

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