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A false bottom or a wire rack that is safe for the heat. Clips to hold it up a touch could work too I do that.
 
I don't use clips on the bottom. I just use office clips for the bag to hold it on top of the kettle. The round part of the false bottom is curved. I just drop in that portion just so the bag doesn't touch the very bottom of the kettle directly. The bag kind of floats with liquid, and you pull the bag to empty the grains before you put heat on it again.
The bag should mostly float with just the strike water in it. I do not use heat at all during the mash, but I only do single infusion.
 
I use a false bottom in my SS 5.5 gallon kettle that I got from Norcal Supply. It keeps the bag 2.5 inches off the bottom.
 
Too much spot heat can scorch the wort liquid too.
 
It's still a little hot around Austin, but the temps are about as good as they get in September - low 90s during the day and 70 at night. I can get through a brew day if I finish up before mid-afternoon. Fortunately, I've got Uni-tanks with good temp control.
I'll have time on Sunday to set up and brew my Corn Star Cream Ale. I'll try the Apex Berlin Lager yeast that's supposed to be the same as S-23.
 
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Sandy Feet said:
You can use at least the top round piece of a false bottom in the kettle if you are concerned about scorching.
I use a bigger kettle, but I do use a Hellfire. I have only turned it all the way up once. As far as mashing BIAB with that thing, it is fairly easy when you have normal ambient temperatures.
The Hellfire has a huge surface area, so your kettle should be evenly heated. Use the software computations for strike water, turn off the heat when you get it there, cover the kettle with the lid and two towels, and leave it alone. When you take a temperature reading after the mash, you should be damn close given ambient temperatures are on the normal side.
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Thanks for the advice! And to everyone else who chimed in. I hadn't thought about using a false bottom before. I often find that my wort is like -3-4F from when I start my mash. I do take it off the burner when I begin the mash though, because I'm afraid of scorching the bag, so this might help.
 
After some comments here, I'm considering changing my IPA to a pale ale. I already milled the grain, but might cut out the dextrose which means it will be about a 5.5% pale ale with 95% Root Shoot English Pale Malt and 5% Rahr white wheat, Columbus, Chinook, and Simcoe, US-05. Kind of bare bones grist but a lighter hoppy beer sounds nice right about now and I would like to maybe see how these malts work together without drying it out too much. Hopefully I'll be able to make it this weekend or next at the latest. Meanwhile, my Ofest is lagering.
 
Making a hazy pale ale for some friends that are visiting next month. 2 row, carahell, and flaked oats. Citra, Idaho 7, and El Dorado hops. Fermenting with SO4 under pressure at ambient temps. Adding more acid to the mash than I normally do to help keep it hazy.
 
Sunfire96 said:
Making a hazy pale ale for some friends that are visiting next month. 2 row, carahell, and flaked oats. Citra, Idaho 7, and El Dorado hops. Fermenting with SO4 under pressure at ambient temps. Adding more acid to the mash than I normally do to help keep it hazy.
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That hop combo looks really nice for a hazy. All three strong on the tropical fruit and the Citra and Idaho-7 bringing citrus and stone fruit, respectively.
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I have a Octoberfest, Vienna lager and Brown lager on tap so I'm brewing an Amber bock
 
Sunfire96 said:
Anybody have a recipe for a nut brown ale that they like?
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I just made my Butthead Brown Ale a public recipe...I'll probably tweak it a little but it's pretty simple and solid. I use whatever hops I have so I probably have it set up with Magnum and Willamette but I like Phoenix as a finishing hop when I can find it and obviously the EKG and Fuggle routine is on brand for the style. :)
 
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