Using the Digiboil

[Brew Cat]

Are you going to basically do a BIAB in the digital?
When I used the malt pipe, There was 6.75 liters below the malt pipe, so mashes could get pretty thick on anything over 5%

Yeah BIAB with sparge. I didn't get the malt pipe option or a false bottom. I mash indoors now and insulate my BIAB kettle, never needed to add heat. If I step up I use infusion.
I do a lot of devotions come lager season

 

[Brew Cat]

Decoction not devoted

 

[Craigerrr]

I tried doing it with just a bag, no malt pipe for a few brews, when pulling the bag out it kind of bulged out like an all the way around beer belly over your belt. Then of course that lovey sticky wort ran down the sides a made the kind of mess that is just so much damn fun to clean up (being facetious of corse). They are tall and narrow.

 

[Brew Cat]

I tried doing it with just a bag, no malt pipe for a few brews, when pulling the bag out it kind of bulged out like an all the way around beer belly over your belt. Then of course that lovey sticky wort ran down the sides a made the kind of mess that is just so much damn fun to clean up (being facetious of corse). They are tall and narrow.

yeah I worried about that with the narrow kettle. my old kettle was narrow. That's one reason I do a dunk sparge and use only half the water in the kettle you don't need to pull the bag over the top to drain. I'll fool around with it, like I said probably just use it for 3 gallon batches if it makes it to complicated. I have some 3 gallon kegs anyway

 

[Craigerrr]

yeah I worried about that with the narrow kettle. my old kettle was narrow. That's one reason I do a dunk sparge and use only half the water in the kettle you don't need to pull the bag over the top to drain. I'll fool around with it, like I said probably just use it for 3 gallon batches if it makes it to complicated. I have some 3 gallon kegs anyway

There ya go!

 

[Donoroto]

I start with 8.25 gallons, about 30 liters, for a 5 gallon (19 liter) batch. There are losses involved.

 

[Brew Cat]

Well unpacked it today
Here are some take aways
I filled it with 4 gallons which will be my mash volume and set it to 170° with both switches on and it took 42 minutes starting from 56°
I calculated along the way and it was constantly heating at 2.5°/minute
The thermostat is off a bit the unit read 170 my thermometer read 172
So I will heat my sparge water to 200° and infuse which will get me Back to 170°
With the the 2.5°/minute calculation I should reach boil in 20min from 70°

 

[Brew Cat]

I need to see about pulling the bag in the narrow kettle

I want to be able to drain right into that fermenter to chill

 

[Brew Cat]

May need a stool
More to follow Monday when I put her through her paces

 

[Brew Cat]

The other thing that's cool is my Chapman lid fits on it so I can pressure ferment right in it for a one stop brew

 

[Brew Cat]

 

[Donoroto]

Well unpacked it today
Here are some take aways
I filled it with 4 gallons which will be my mash volume and set it to 170° with both switches on and it took 42 minutes starting from 56°
I calculated along the way and it was constantly heating at 2.5°/minute
The thermostat is off a bit the unit read 170 my thermometer read 172
So I will heat my sparge water to 200° and infuse which will get me Back to 170°
With the the 2.5°/minute calculation I should reach boil in 20min from 70°

Temperature can be calibrated I believe. I did that and now it is spot on.

 

[Craigerrr]

I was thinking that 4 gallons seems awfully low for mashing, but it works out a out. I usually mashed with about 5.8 gallons, but there is about 1.8 gallons of dead space below the malt pipe.

 

[Brew Cat]

I was thinking that 4 gallons seems awfully low for mashing, but it works out a out. I usually mashed with about 5.8 gallons, but there is about 1.8 gallons of dead space below the malt pipe.

It works with BIAB because no dead space
That always annoyed me in the days before BIAB "dead space" don't even like the sound

 

[Brew Cat]

I was thinking that 4 gallons seems awfully low for mashing, but it works out a out. I usually mashed with about 5.8 gallons, but there is about 1.8 gallons of dead space below the malt pipe.

It doesn't matter you can use more water but I'm trying to keep it low to have room to pull and drain the bag a bit before pulling it all the way
I may up my water after playing around with this thing. Of course with more water per pound won't need to strike at 170°

 

[Craigerrr]

Is your bag long enough?
This can be taken so many ways...

 

[Brew Cat]

[ATTr

ACH=full]33687[/ATTACH]

Room to spare

 

[Brew Cat]

I also checked if I have enough room above the kettle
I mounted my pulley and checked and it does
I have a smaller pulley I can use. I could of course set the kettle lower and pump it into the fermenter but I'm hoping to eliminate parts
When I started with this brewing I kept adding parts until I talked to some people and heard about BIAB
" Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication"

 

[Brew Cat]

Another thing I can do is collect my water the evening before
The water will get to room temp of 70° so 15° warmer at the start so that should save 4 minutes of strike heating time

 

[Brew Cat]

I was thinking that 4 gallons seems awfully low for mashing, but it works out a out. I usually mashed with about 5.8 gallons, but there is about 1.8 gallons of dead space below the malt pipe.

I have mashed in small kettles before and am aware of the hazards you mention. I am more concerned with the volume I boil
the main reason I think this kettle is only good for 3 gallon batches
my rule of thumb is is double your boil volume for your kettle
so boiling a full volume 6.5 gallons you need at least a 13 gallon kettle IMO, I use a 15 gallon kettle normally so I plan on doing this batch like an extract with top up water
going forward with this kettle after this test batch would be a) 3 gallon or extract batches neither of which I do b) HLT which I don't really need or c) put it up the attic