Single Step BIAB vs Step Mash for brewing a 1Gal Pale Ale

The recipe is not talking about a step mash per se. It's calling for a single infusion mash, followed by a crude fly sparge.

If well executed (i.e. evenly poured through the entire grain bed), this kind of fly sparge can increase your mash efficiency compared with a full volume mash with no sparge. If not well executed (e.g. if the sparge water "channels" through a small portion of the grain bed), it can actually decrease your mash efficiency compared to a full volume mash with no sparge.

Ultimately, it's your choice to try it or not.

Regarding Dextrine (or Dextrin) Malt (e.g. carapils or similar malt), yes, you mash it along with the other malts.

 

Since you are brewing a small batch an easy way to fly sparge is to place your bag in a colander which straddles a similarly sized pot and slowly pour the sparge water over the grains. This an easy thing to do. Entirely up to you whether you want to make the effort.

Cheers!

 

better efficiency and higher OG more likely with a 0.2G sparge rather than going for total boil volume of 1.4G in one step ...

 

I like the simplicity of a full volume single infusion mash with a single vessel BIAB system. If you have good temp control (e.g., an electric system) you can do step mash, but the need is not really there IMO. As for the need to do some sort of sparge, I never have, with BIAB. A good grain crush and a good squeeze of the bag after the mash will get you decent efficiency (I get about 70% for 2.5 gallon batches). I do recommend getting a pair of these or similar to protect your skin if you are squeezing the bag.

 

I was wondering what the squeezers recommend.
A guy I knew years ago from Ohio used to wash his vehicles, in the dead of winter. He'd put on some cheap, brown cotton jersey gloves for insulation, and pull some yellow dishwashing gloves over them. Seems that would work for a bit of added protection from heat, too.

 

The thermal insulation on the Blichmann gloves is sufficient for mash temps, but things can get warm. I wouldn't rely on them for burn protection at temps much higher than that.

 

If using bottled water, use distilled. Then you are starting with essentially no mineral content. Then use a water adjustment calculator to figure out how much of each salt you want to add. These programs can also be used to estimate your need to add acid for pH adjustment. I don't use a pH meter in my brewhouse so rely on the estimate, and still manage to make beer. Two calculators I have used are
https://www.brunwater.com/
https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/

 

I can buy a gallon of distilled water for less than a buck at Walmart. Is that too expensive for you?

Cheers!

 

Well, that is less than fortunate.

Best of luck with your 4 step process you outlined in post #11. I doubt that I could achieve here but perhaps you may have better luck in this regard.

As regards water and mineral salts, while achieving a proper mash pH is important folks will also consider the beer style and appropriate water profile for that beer style while building their brewing water.

Again, best of luck here.

Cheers!

 

I'd say your best bet might be to just try out that water as is, and then if you the need to make adjustments, go from there. Mineral profile is key to locking down a specific style, but you'll still make a drinkable beer even if things aren't ideal (provided you don't have too much metal dissolved in the water!) Keep in mind that sulfate will make it more crisp, carbonate will lessen acidity, and chloride will round things out.

Water is usually the last thing US homebrewers address within their systems.

 

You could check with the company that bottles they water you will use to see if the can share chemistry information. Perhaps they could provide their tolerance range for different ions. Or you could get water tested, but that will probably cost more than buting distilled.