BIAB Newbie

[RichieBeer]

Hi

I've done plenty of extract kits over the last few years and have been generally happy with the results. I'm now looking to try BIAB. I've acquied an electric boiler (33L), chiller and other equipment so I'm good to go.

To start, I want to try a simple pre-assembled kit bought online, so my question is is there anything specifically I should look for BIAB or can I use any kit listed as "All Grain Kits" such as these All Grain Kit Beer Kits. Any recommendations of an easy one to start?

thanks

 

[AdeDunn]

The problem with kits is they genuinely assume a certain brewhouse efficiency, BIAB may not hit those exact figures, especially your first brew. Can be better to get a recipe and use software to adapt it to say 60/65% efficiency, and the alpha acids of available hops, then order a custom kit I found. Same ease of having everything all weighed out for you already, but customised for the probably lower efficiency you are going to get. The down side, kits cost more (even custom ones) than buying base malt in bulk and weighing your own grain out yourself. It's a way to find out it's definitely for you though before buying a sack of base malt for sure.

 

[terrym]

Set yourself up with the basic ingredients for a SMASH beer and go from there. Or buy a copy of Greg Hughes Home Brew Beer (costs about £14) and pick a simple recipe from that, there are loads to choose from.

 

[Galena]

I would follow terrym's suggestion, buy Greg Hughes book and pick a recipe from there, then not essential but you could perhaps put it into free software like Brewfather and then perhaps order a custom all grain order from somewhere like Geterbrewed so you only need to order exactly what you need.
The English IPA recipe is a good one to start with if it suits your taste.

 

[Moe]

For your first brew I’d just buy a kit and brew it.
All the points above are valid, but they are things you can do for future brews.
Order a kit and get it brewed, this will allow you to get used to your equipment and experience the process all the way through before you start adding extra steps like weighing and milling your own grain.

Sites like the malt miller and Geterbrewed have a good selection of AG kits. True your efficiency won’t exactly match theirs, and your beer won’t be exactly the same as theirs, but unless you make a huge mistake you’ll still make a decent beer.

 

[AdeDunn]

Efficiency can actually be quite a big deal Moe, especially if you are brewing something with a lower target ABV, such as an ordinary bitter or the like. It can mean the difference between beer, and hoppy water. My first AG ever, I only hit 59% brewhouse, fortunately I was brewing a Saison with a larger grain bill and higher ABC, so it still came out fine. A lot of experienced AG brewers, especially those experienced with BIAB, will tell you the same, the norm for first goes around is around the 60% mark until you get used to the process and equipment, which is around 15% lower than that used in most ready made kits.

Didn't even suggest weighing own grain (although it's not exactly hard to do, if you have ever cooked or baked you've already done similar) as you can order custom kits once you have a recipe and have adapted it using free software.

Oh and yeah, first brewing book I bought was the Greg Hughes one, 2nd book was Brew Your Own British Real Ale by Graham Wheeler, etc etc etc.... A single malt, single hop recipe can be good though for sure, especially if you know what kind of beer you usually drink.

 

[Moe]

Like I said your points are valid, however I stand by my suggestion.
For someone trying their first AG brew the best, and easiest, thing to do is buy a pre crushed & ready weighed ingredient pack and brew it.
To immediately start suggesting scaling recipes for efficiency and AA% can seem very complex, and sometimes off putting to someone about to attempt their first AG brew.
These are all things that can be done for later brews.

 

[Jim Brewster]

As I see it there's not really any difference in materials for a brew in a bag vs a conventional brew other than perhaps the efficiencies could be lower therefore you could have a lower ABV, or compensate with extra sugar, however I've had good efficiencies with BIAB, except for my wheat beer which was significantly below the target but no real bother to me as long as it tastes good.

My start into AG was a SMaSH (single malt and single hop), using a base malt like Maris Otter (or as I did 2 row pale malt) and a suitable hop for bittering and also towards the end of the boil. A kit would be fine too but what influenced my decision is the 1 gallon kits I was after were marked up quite a lot vs. the normal price per kilo, the kits you link too actually seem like fairly good value although showing as out of stock.

There's a thread for simple AG recipes that will he helpful whichever route you take.

 

[samale]

Like I said your points are valid, however I stand by my suggestion.
For someone trying their first AG brew the best, and easiest, thing to do is buy a pre crushed & ready weighed ingredient pack and brew it.
To immediately start suggesting scaling recipes for efficiency and AA% can seem very complex, and sometimes off putting to someone about to attempt their first AG brew.
These are all things that can be done for later brews.

I agree people get obsessed with numbers. Buy a kit get it brewed. It's like riding a bike, you can read up about it all you want. You learn more by jumping on the saddle.
You will get a feel for it. Be prepared that you will make mistakes. I am still making them 5 years in. Look at it as a learning curve.
I started of on kit's then moved to all grain kits. Eventually you will get to learn what you like. You will end up brewing to suit your own taste. That could range from lov abv pale ales to high alcohol sweet stouts.
Let me know how you get on. I would be more than happy to do a beer swap so you can compare. Remember bottom line it's all about the enjoyment.

 

[samale]

By the way I have never bothered working out efficiency. I only recently bought scales for hops before I used to eye ball it. I still don't use recipe calculators. To me experience of your brew system is more important.
I use biab with a burco boiler, and a thermometer.

 

[RichieBeer]

Thanks for the advice (conflicting as it is)

I think I'm just going to buy a kit and brew it as per the instructions and see what happpens. I often see posts explaining how "simple" the move from extract kits to basic all grain is, and now to hear suggestions that I should consider making fine adjustments to allow for % brewhouse efficiencies on my first brew doesn't seem that straightforward after all.

Summer Lightning is one of my faviourite beers so I'm going to have a go at this one Hopback Summer Lightning AG Recipe Pack - at least I know what the finished product should taste like.

 

[terrym]

I think I'm just going to buy a kit and brew it as per the instructions and see what happpens. I often see posts explaining how "simple" the move from extract kits to basic all grain is, and now to hear suggestions that I should consider making fine adjustments to allow for % brewhouse efficiencies doesn't seem that straightforward after all.

Dont get too concerned about brewhouse efficiencies at the moment. Everyone seems to get something different.
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/ag-brewhouse-efficiency-what-do-you-get.87273/Even the AG kit you intend to buy will be based on general assumptions about BH efficiency and your outcome is likely to be different.
So its something that you adjust as you get experience of your own set up.
But getting your technique right is the most important thing at the outset.
Otherwise hope your first brew works out.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Thanks for the advice (conflicting as it is)

I think I'm just going to buy a kit and brew it as per the instructions and see what happpens. I often see posts explaining how "simple" the move from extract kits to basic all grain is, and now to hear suggestions that I should consider making fine adjustments to allow for % brewhouse efficiencies doesn't seem that straightforward after all.

Summer Lightning is one of my faviourite beers so I'm going to have a go at this one Hopback Summer Lightning AG Recipe Pack - at least I know what the finished product should taste like.

I’ve always found the English Pale Ale/Bitter kits from these people really good and very reasonably priced too:

https://www.worcesterhopshop.co.uk/copy-of-hops?Custom Filter=Pale Ale & Bitter Kits