BIAB - Custom Bags: For Coolers/Kegs/Pots/Etc.

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by homebrewcrew » Wed May 16, 2012 5:42 pm

Simplicity is the major reason for me.
JUST BREW IT

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by Jimmy » Sat May 26, 2012 3:51 pm

LeafMan66_67 wrote:
mr x wrote:I'm sticking with regular 3 vessel brewing, electric. Biab will be good for some people, but it's not versatile enough for me without heavy exract additions.
I've been doing partial mash with extract and near full boil volume for a bit now and am happy with the results. I'm looking at BIAB as a way to break into all grain without going the 3-vessel route. It has to do more with space constraints than anything else at this point.

X, you mention the lack of versatility without heavy extract additions - are you typically making bigger beers?

To anyone else out there, what type of efficiencies are you getting from BIAB? I think I recall someone mentioning 72% to 78%?

Thanks,

Derek
How's the bag fit Derek?

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by LeafMan66_67 » Sat May 26, 2012 3:54 pm

Hey Jimmy - Haven't had a chance to try it yet - will let you know tomorrow. Thanks.
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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by LeafMan66_67 » Sun May 27, 2012 1:16 pm

Jimmy wrote: How's the bag fit Derek?
Bag fits great. Thanks. You may be on to something with the tapered bag - maybe the bottom circle diameter should match the opening in the keg?
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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by Jimmy » Sun May 27, 2012 9:53 pm

Good to hear..Good luck!

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by bsmith » Wed Jun 13, 2012 4:54 pm

PM sent

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by ryantr0n » Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:55 pm

Are you guy's doing anything particular to keep hunks of grain out of the boil?
Does it even matter??

I notice a fair bit of junk staying behind after I drain my bag. I scoop as much as i can out while the boil starts to build but I've never been sure if this is good practice or worth it..

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by RubberToe » Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:39 pm

I don't normally get any large chunks staying behind. How coarse is your bag?
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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by Jimmy » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:04 pm

RubberToe wrote:I don't normally get any large chunks staying behind. How coarse is your bag?
I've never had anything escape the bag either.

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BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by LeafMan66_67 » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:17 pm

Have only done 2 brews, but no chunks left behind.
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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by sleepyjamie » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:05 pm

ryantr0n wrote:Are you guy's doing anything particular to keep hunks of grain out of the boil?
Does it even matter??

I notice a fair bit of junk staying behind after I drain my bag. I scoop as much as i can out while the boil starts to build but I've never been sure if this is good practice or worth it..
i get more haziness after chilling but nothing that is solidified.
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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by ryantr0n » Wed Jun 27, 2012 11:02 am

The post may have alluded to more grain loss than is actually happening.

Just flakes of husk and grain that are smaller than the holes I guess. If I had to guess, maybe a tablespoon or two worth of finely crushed husk and junk makes it into the boil. Probably half of that gets scooped out while the boil is heating up since it floats.

It's the big bag from NG, btw. Checked for holes last night too :p


I don't get anything left in the end beer, after irish moss and a quick crash, it's never crystal clear, but it's clear enough to see through. Little bit of chill haze and that's it.
More worried about off-flavors or anything like that.

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by RubberToe » Wed Jun 27, 2012 11:09 am

Ahh, I used to use the same bag and I can see how some small bits may make it through. I never had any large bits but wondering if doing a vorlauf / recirculation helped there.

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by sleepyjamie » Wed Jun 27, 2012 12:27 pm

ryantr0n wrote:The post may have alluded to more grain loss than is actually happening.

Just flakes of husk and grain that are smaller than the holes I guess. If I had to guess, maybe a tablespoon or two worth of finely crushed husk and junk makes it into the boil. Probably half of that gets scooped out while the boil is heating up since it floats.

It's the big bag from NG, btw. Checked for holes last night too :p


I don't get anything left in the end beer, after irish moss and a quick crash, it's never crystal clear, but it's clear enough to see through. Little bit of chill haze and that's it.
More worried about off-flavors or anything like that.

i used a bag from NG as well and the holes are much larger. if you buy one from jimmy the bag is much better, meaning smaller holes and the material also makes it easier for cleaning.
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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by ryantr0n » Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:13 pm

sleepyjamie wrote:

i used a bag from NG as well and the holes are much larger. if you buy one from jimmy the bag is much better, meaning smaller holes and the material also makes it easier for cleaning.
Yeah, I can even tell just by the snapshots that it's a better material. Sending a PM to Jimmy right now.

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by Jimmy » Sun Oct 28, 2012 8:26 pm

After much arguing and a pissed off girlfriend, the 70qt cooler BIAB bag is complete. :shifty:

I'm thinking I will add a couple of "tabs" to the edge of the bag and attach a couple of hooks (the double sided tape style) to the side of the cooler. Hook the bag through the hooks and it's not sliding anywhere.
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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by CorneliusAlphonse » Sun Oct 28, 2012 8:45 pm

I just use my biab pot bag in the cooler and it works fine, so that should work great! let us know!
planning: beer for my cousin's wedding
Fermenting: black ipa
Conditioning:
Kegged: barrel barleywine from 2014 - i think i still have this somewhere

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by Jimmy » Sun Oct 28, 2012 8:52 pm

CorneliusAlphonse wrote:I just use my biab pot bag in the cooler and it works fine, so that should work great! let us know!
How do you find that works? Does it keep the grain too "compact" and not spread it among the water enough?

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by CorneliusAlphonse » Sun Oct 28, 2012 9:10 pm

Jimmy wrote:
CorneliusAlphonse wrote:I just use my biab pot bag in the cooler and it works fine, so that should work great! let us know!
How do you find that works? Does it keep the grain too "compact" and not spread it among the water enough?
it has worked fine for me, but I've never brewed anything above ~1.065. my friend brewed a barley wine and it didn't work too well. I've never actually calculated my efficiency but I use 73% in beersmith and it comes out right on target.

occasionally I think a bigger bag would be easier just for the initial mixing.
planning: beer for my cousin's wedding
Fermenting: black ipa
Conditioning:
Kegged: barrel barleywine from 2014 - i think i still have this somewhere

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by Jimmy » Sun Oct 28, 2012 9:11 pm

CorneliusAlphonse wrote:
Jimmy wrote:
CorneliusAlphonse wrote:I just use my biab pot bag in the cooler and it works fine, so that should work great! let us know!
How do you find that works? Does it keep the grain too "compact" and not spread it among the water enough?
it has worked fine for me, but I've never brewed anything above ~1.065. my friend brewed a barley wine and it didn't work too well. I've never actually calculated my efficiency but I use 73% in beersmith and it comes out right on target.

occasionally I think a bigger bag would be easier just for the initial mixing.
Good to know. I'll see how this one works out and report back.

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags

Post by Jimmy » Sat Nov 03, 2012 8:10 pm

CorneliusAlphonse wrote:I just use my biab pot bag in the cooler and it works fine, so that should work great! let us know!
Brewed using this method today at Learn2Brew and it worked pretty good.

Mash efficiency was 82%, I didn't squeeze the bag to get the .5L that I was short, but could have. I did a full volume mash, no sparge-no mashout BIAB style in a cooler. I didn't bother lifting the bag to drain the mash tun,I just opened the valve with the bag in it and let er rip. Once it was empty I lifted the bag over the kettle an gave it a twist - that's it (I don't know if I'll even continue to do that)

I'm thinking I'm going to like this method as it reduces the need to lift a heavy-ish bag of wet grain and should hold mash temps pretty good...it also doesn't increase cleanup time by much over the traditional BIAB.

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags: For Coolers/Kegs/Pots/Etc.

Post by sleepyjamie » Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:51 pm

Nice. Now how much are these cooler bags? 8-)

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags: For Coolers/Kegs/Pots/Etc.

Post by Jimmy » Sat Nov 03, 2012 10:19 pm

sleepyjamie wrote:Nice. Now how much are these cooler bags? 8-)

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$30 for one the same as this, with the handles. There's 4 handles, 2 on each side.

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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags: For Coolers/Kegs/Pots/Etc.

Post by sleepyjamie » Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:14 pm

I get paid Friday!
Order me one!


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Re: BIAB - Custom Bags: For Coolers/Kegs/Pots/Etc.

Post by Jimmy » Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:18 pm

sleepyjamie wrote:I get paid Friday!
Order me one!


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Same size as mine, right? My plan is to use 2 bungee cords, hooked through the handles and under the bottom of the cooler to hold the bag in place.

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