BIAB question: adding an additional lautering step

Straining the wort will result in what is termed Hot Side Aeration (HSA). It has been mentioned in the past (over ten years ago) that HSA can result in oxidation and consequent premature staling of the beer. There are many people who think that HAS/Oxidation is a myth and that it will not impact your beer. I do not know if there is anything definitive on this topic.

What is classically done to clarify wort is conducting a vorlauf. Below is a link detailing the vorlauf (recirculation) process. One way to ‘mimic’ this process as occurs using the BIAB method would be to place your bag in a ‘vessel’ which has a false bottom and a ‘spigot’ at the bottom. For folks who conduct partial mashes (i.e., smaller quantities of grain), a cheap/easy method would be to place the bagged grain in a colander and recirculate the wort through the grains and collect the ‘drippings’ from the colander. Maybe you could just use a portion of your grains (e.g., 4 lbs.) as a grain bed for conducting a recirculation via the wort? You could also add a type of fly sparging if you want to obtain some more extract from the grains.

Cheers!

http://www.brew-dudes.com/vorlauf/681

 

I have also thought of trying something similar, the best I could think of would be to draw off the wort into another vessel then using my autosiphon to run the wort back through the grain bag using a strainer like Jack mentioned. I have been planning to build some sort of strainer that sits over my main kettle, as this would also make sparging much easier than holding a hot grain bag!

 

Wort clarity has nothing to do with beer clarity. Boil vigorously, cool quickly . . . you'll have clear beer.

Also a temp drop before the boil is of no consequence, peeps (including myself) produce wort on the day prior to the actual brewday without significant consequences.

Vorlaf is for suckers.

 

What does boiling and cooling have to do with removing husk particles?

 

I knew you were going to comment, Ed Grimley. Husk particles have nothing to do with beer clarity. Protein coagulation relates to beer clarity.

 

You think there is only one thing that relates to beer clarity? Ok.

 

Once your grist and yeast are selected, yes.

 

Do you think grain husk particles can't make it into the finished beer? Or do you think they can, but can't affect clarity if they do?

 

I have zero desire to get in between the debate about beer clarity.

The issue that I would be concerned about with husks getting into the boil of the wort is tannin extraction from the husk. I prefer that my wort be clear of husk material since I do not want any tannins being extracted during the boil. I do not know for a fact that tannins are extracted from husk material during the boil but I am most definitely concerned about that issue. My solution is that I vorlauf to ensure that there is no husk material in my wort. I have never noticed any tannins in my beers and I think that the vorlauf helps in that regard.

Needless to say but YMMV,

Cheers!

 

Build a mash tun, it will save you a lot of mess and effort in the long run.

 

Having experienced many BiaBs...

What is this 'residue' about which you speak?
All wort carries some residue from the grist.
Wort residue is reduced with a vigorous boil and a speedy post-boil chill.

Also...
Highly flocculate yeast makes for clearer beer.
Finings added to the wort near the end of fermentation makes for clearer beer.
Cold-crash before bottling makes for clearer beer.
An 'extended' period of cold-conditioning makes for clearer beer.
No dry hops produces a more clear beer.

As for how a "(drop) in wort temperature...between mashout and the start of boil affect(ing) the final product"?
A: Nil.

 

If grain husk is making it into your kettle, it sounds to me like the mesh size (microns?) of your BIAB bag might be too porous? Did you make a bag out of Swiss Voile from a fabric shop? Did you buy a premade BIAB bag specifically designed for BIAB? Or are you using something closer to a paint strainer bag?

 

Perhaps the OP is re-imagining fish-net stockings?

 

I rarely vorlaf. I have husk particles in most of my batches of wort. I have NEVER had a husk particle in my finished beer. I have clear beer.

 

I guarantee you have had husk particles in you beer. We all have. Haze, however subtle, is not caused by particles big enough for you to see directly. They only have to be larger than the wavelength (about 400-700 nanometers) of the visible light that is therefore scattered by them. Vorlaufing reduces the amount of particles.

I am glad your beer is clear to your satisfaction.

 

Become educated: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokes'_law

 

Please explain how Stokes' Law applies to our discussion.