Home of the BrewNosers

Simplicity is the major reason for me.

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?

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

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?

Good to hear..Good luck!

PM sent

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 don't normally get any large chunks staying behind. How coarse is your bag?

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.

Have only done 2 brews, but no chunks left behind.

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.

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.

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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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.

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.

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

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.

I just use my biab pot bag in the cooler and it works fine, so that should work great! let us know!

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?

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.

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.

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.

Nice. Now how much are these cooler bags?

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

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

I get paid Friday!
Order me one!


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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.