BIAB vs Blichmann Boilcoil (No false bottom)

[@DuetToIt]

Thanks for all the incredible content. I've been BIABasket home brewing for 3 years. I began working at the local homebrew shop. I was blessed to have the 20G Blichmann HERMS Pilot System thrown on my lap. Even having the ability to brew large batches at work I still grabbed an Anvil Foundry 6.5 so I can still fit 3 gallon batches in my mini fridge to lager at home. The reason I've been able to do all these things with confidence is because you are an excellent teacher and technician. I was an electrician until I ruined my back. I didn't feel like giving up so I taught myself how to brew, and I've never been happier. Thanks for all you do.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Great video coach! I'm actually doing my first BIAB on Wednesday so this is perfect timing for me. Cheers Braj!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Hell yeah Braj!! 👍🍻

[@s31109am]

Thanks for the video and for risking your gear to test for us! I have my old 15 gal kettle I used pre-electric and I’ve been contemplating adding a boil coil so I can do higher gravity BIAB batches. I actually designed my brewery with two outlets so I could brew two batches at once - a BIAB and a breweasy! I think you and the other commenters here have convinced me to go for it!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Do it!! Let me know how it turns out! 👍🍻

[@BEERNBBQBYLARRY]

Good vid. The contact heat of the boil coil is why I choose to sous vide in the mash tun of my BrewEasy. Looking forward to see what basket Blichmann is going to sell.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Same!! Thanks Larry! 👍🍻

[@dhoward7524]

Another data point here. I've been doing the same with my high gravity brew system (has the Blichmann boil coil) for 20 + batches. I have done a mash out on occasion but have always stirred while doing so. No problems at all.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Cool!!

[@jymferrier]

Ditto. Threw out the basket from mine and just use the bag now.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Nice! Good to hear. Do you ramp up for mash out?

[@dhoward7524]

I do on occasion and have done a step mash but I always stir while ramping up. The stirring may not be necessary but I haven't been that bold yet.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@dhoward7524 gotcha.. wise decision!! 👍🍻

[@92path]

This is exactly what I do. I bring the water up to strike temp, add the bag, add the grain, recirculate through the kettle lid, leave element on and haven’t had an issue after 26 batches. I also mash out at 170°F. I use the 200micron by The Brew Bag.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Nice! More data. Thanks for sharing! 👍🍻

[@ajoyce]

I used to recirculate to the top but the last few beers I've just ran the WP port with my BIAB (basket + bag) and it seems to keep a temp well enough for a mash. All the numbers are being hit. I just have to stir every 15 like you to even out the heat. Not a big deal. It certainly beats messing around with with a sparge arm. Cheers!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Definitely. I liked the results I got. It was super easy brew day! 👍🍻

[@ajoyce]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Exactly. If I can take the step when I mess about the sparge arm I will call it a win. Plus, ever since I focused on yeast health and water chem the mash almost seemed to fall to the bottom of whats important (to some degree at least)

[@ajoyce]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers I brewed today and just recirculated through my counter flow chiller the entire time during the mash. When it came time to chill I just hit the water valve. Takes the step out of setting up the chilling mid boil. Its already setup from the start.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@ajoyce good idea!

[@willocraig]

Great video (as always) Brian. I’ve recently been considering this setup, so this was a very welcome insight in to the possibilities and it looks like it’s totally viable! Very excited to hear about Blichmann’s grain basket. If it’s a true grain basket, I wonder if they’ll make it in to a single vessel system to compete with Clawhammer, Unibrau and the Spike solo. Thanks for the video, and keep up the great work sir!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I'll let everyone know as soon as I get the info! I was definitely impressed with the results! 🍻👍

[@willocraig]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers awesome, looking forward to that and your G4 review. All the best, Philip.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@willocraig 👍

[@Beerjunkieguy]

To add to David Howard's point, I have a High Gravity system and while I like the basket for ease, David from High Gravity has stated a few times that the boil coil is safe on bags. I was concerned about the weight of the grain possibly loosening the seal and causing a leak but I'm a bit OCD. Regarding bags, I love both the Brew Bag and the Wilserbrewer bag but find when I use my HG system and recirculate, the Wilser bag, the recirculation is a bit better. I've found with the Brew Bag that I have some compaction due to the pump suction that I just don't get with the Wilser bag though they both seem to be very similar in construction. Just my 2 cents.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I appreciate the confirmation and feedback! 👍🍻

[@ElementaryBrewingCo]

Good experiment Brian!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Thanks Brian!! 👍🍻

[@nicksymons635]

Thanks for the video Brian. Just thought i'd mention, to avoid the paranoia of a ripped bag from a thermometer/probe tearing as it's being pulled up....just slide on a silicone stopper to the tip (i have a ss brewtech thermometer that is super sharp at the end, so it would easily rip the bag if i wasn't careful). Silicone stoppers are resistant to extreme heat, around 300c I believe. The stopper for me at least, makes no difference to the temp reading, as i've tested it against other calibrated thermometers.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Oh cool!! That's a good tip! Thanks for sharing! 👍🍻

[@freshcleanair]

Great video, Brian! Thanks..Happy Father's day to you. 🍻

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Same to you!! 👍🍻

[@mikeolivier6794]

White Labs also recommends letting the fermentation pressure build naturally.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I did not know they recommended that.. I like doing it right and not knowing it...lol 👍🍻

[@SentinelThe]

Grate video, Something I have been wanting to try for a long time. Is there any reason why you did not recirculate through the bag?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

With the bag draped over the kettle I didn't really have a good way to do that and use the whirlpool port. You could make a recirculation arm for the exterior and not use the Whirlpool port. I just kind of wanted to use what I had but with the efficiency that I got I'm not complaining!! 👍🍻

[@SentinelThe]

👍

[@jonmccombs1711]

Great job! I always wondered i the false bottom was needed and if the brew bag would get damaged. Thanks for the post.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Yeah me too John! I read so many varying opinions online. But no real evidence or direct statements saying you could or could not do it that way. I found it my duty to test it!! 👍🍻

[@jonmccombs1711]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers I was thinking of transitioning to a basket instead of a bag and false bottom.

[@jonmccombs1711]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Also is there some benefit where ythe whirl pool is started such as the top of pot, middle or bottom?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@jonmccombs1711 I did mine from the top by adding a hose. Personally I think there's some benefit to directing the recirculation to the top of the mash, That way the liquid is moving up and down in the kettle and helps prevent stratification. But I have no testing to back that up. Just my thought process. 👍🍻

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Yeah I think this proves you really don't need a false bottom. As I said in the video I definitely wouldn't try to ramp up for a mash out. Aside from that I would say it's processes normal!

[@burglesbrewing5621]

I’d be intrigued to see how the bag holds up during a boil. I believe the brew bag people have suggested using the bag in the boil as a hop filter.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

It would be fine as long as it doesn't lay against the element. 👍🍻

[@rcbran]

Always wondered if that would work!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Now you know!

[@dr.t6034]

So you are back to the tea urn and bag method.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Not sure what you mean by that?

[@dr.t6034]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Well, it's like you have a really expensive piece of kit to do what we all do (in the UK at least) when starting out all grain brewing. Buy a tea urn and a bag. Just seems a step backwards.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Oh ok. Well I'm all about exploring options for people and trying new things. I understand your point though. I'm not going to be using this method predominantly. 👍🍻

[@dr.t6034]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers nothing wrong with the bag method though. I use it with my brewzilla before inserting the malt pipe. Catches all the small bits that the false bottom misses. Kudos to big banana brewing for that tip.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@dr.t6034 Yes that is a good tip! 👍🍻

[@kevinrich5312]

Hey Brian. Thanks for the video. This has been helpful to me, as I have occasionally had some issues with the Blichmann false bottom. I am interested in a basket if they do come out with that. Does the whirlpool port work out better than the one that comes with the system? Is it just a SS elbow that you put on for the whirlpool port? I also have the brew bag, and am interested in trying this. Thanks for the experiment!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

The Whirlpool port I'm using is the one that's made by Blichmann. In the video you can see the interior part of the Whirlpool it's not just a stainless steel elbow it's actually a tube that's bent and uses the same type of connection as the dip tube does. On the exterior it's just a linear valve like the other valve that comes on the G2 kettles.

[@K5QBF]

That controller looks awesome.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

One off the best for BIAB IMO! 👍🍻

[@jduckett1985]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers that’s what I use based on your review.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@jduckett1985 it is a great controller! 👍🍻

[@steventrott8714]

All of that is really impressive!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

THANKS! 👍🍻

[@Soyacz93]

There is any diffrence in flavour and aroma between traditional brewing and brewing by BIAB method?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Not that I am aware of. Just a less time consuming process.

[@curtpick628]

Good one Brian.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Thanks Curt!! 👍🍻

[@PortlyGentleman]

Nice video BRIAN I really enjoy the style video.. i’ll be honest I really wanted to see it burn not that I wanted to see you fail 🍻

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Haha!! I'll try harder next time!! Cheers man! 👍🍻

[@canadianJaouk]

Interesting, you got 100% conversion efficiency. 20lbs of pils into 14 gallons gives a theoretical maximum pre boil gravity of 1.047. Brewfather under reports efficiency, your mash efficiency is over 85% with the numbers you have here. Pretty impressive for such a simple setup. How fine was the grain crush?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I don't know the gap measurements but it was pretty fine. Did you see the grain in the video? It is really crushed well. That's pretty amazing with the calculation you've stated. 🍻👍

[@BobbyFromNJ]

I've always heard that you can do this with the boil coil and I never doubted it but its nice to have one more data point. However, just because it can be done doesn't mean it's ideal. There is some merit to having an area of free wort in the heated areas so that heat doesn't build up locally. If you were able to have a few remote thermocouples down in the grain bag about a 1/4" away from the contact point of the coils, you'd likely find a pretty large delta over the mash temp. In addition there should be a more distributed path for wort collection. You could have easily had the bag get sucked against the drain port and your flow would be very diminished. I know you took some slack out and that likely helped a lot. So, my recommendation is to try to force a liquid only zone at the bottom however you can, whether that be a very careful removal of slack, maybe with a tight bungee cord around the kettle to hold it from slipping, or by using a makeshift false bottom that sits about mid way up inside the boil coil. In a perfect world, there would be a coarse false bottom about an inch off the kettle floor, and then a spacer about 1/4" inset from the coil. That would make the kettle perform more like a kettle RIMS or actual RIMS (tube) type system.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

All good recommendations Bobby! I was actually amazed that I didn't get the bag stuck in the dip tube as well. I had about three quarters flow on the linear valve for the Whirlpool port. All in all I'm pretty happy with how everything turned out. 👍🍻

[@kenfowler1980]

Great video

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Thanks!! 👍🍻