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**TopherM** · 10-10-2012, 02:03 PM

I've certainly seen more than a handful of traditional brewers call BIAB an "intermediate" brewing method, which usually illicits the BIAB defenders to speak up! I've never seen a BIAB brewer put down traditional brewing on any grounds besides the expense and space of the extra vessels and slightly longer brewday.

Point being, I've never seen a BIAB brewer call traditional brewing inferior on anything but the facts, but I've seen PLENTY of traditional brewers call BIAB inferior based on misinformation.

**usfmikeb** · 10-10-2012, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aubiecat

I thought most novice brewers were extract brewers. I didn't know most novices were starting out with the BIAB technique.
Is that like saying people with signatures the size of the Wall Street Journal documenting every beer they have ever brewed have L.A.M.S.?

You've misread my post. Most novice brewers do extract, and want to jump to AG. They start asking questions, and BIAB is a natural recommendation.

**usfmikeb** · 10-10-2012, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaconga

There is a difference between being passionate about something and being dismissive about anything that you are not passionate about.

Now you're describing 3 vessel AG brewers, who routinely dismiss anyone who do anything different than they do. Extract and BIAB brewers might have a chip on their shoulder that's created by people on this site that dismiss their method because they do it in a "more traditional" manner.

**usfmikeb** · 10-10-2012, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopherM

I've certainly seen more than a handful of traditional brewers call BIAB an "intermediate" brewing method, which usually illicits the BIAB defenders to speak up! I've never seen a BIAB brewer put down traditional brewing on any grounds besides the expense and space of the extra vessels and slightly longer brewday.

Point being, I've never seen a BIAB brewer call traditional brewing inferior on anything but the facts, but I've seen PLENTY of traditional brewers call BIAB inferior based on misinformation.

Agreed. I only see BIAB brewers recommending their method to people as an alternative to buying a much larger system. makes complete sense to me.

**unionrdr** · 10-10-2012, 02:26 PM

I did my 1st PM pale ale yesterday from a midwest kit. I figured that would be easier than trying to get the right amounts of what grains from scratch. Plus it came with a large grain bag,so I went for it. My new electric stove burners heat up faster & more evenly than the stock ones did. But harder to maintain temps than the old ones.
Worked out well,but I can def see where sparging may not be as good with biab vs traditional methods. But it's cheaper & easier to get started with mashing. Still added a couple hours to my brew day. But I have to say,the wort smells...cleaner. Hop aromas stand out a bit more defined in my experience with it. Now if the blow off would just start...

**aubiecat** · 10-10-2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottlebomber

Nah, I could never instigate something like that. Although I'll have to say, the BIAB attitude being discussed could be a knee jerk reaction to the attitude the "real" AG brewers give them. I know I've told people that IMHO BIAB sucks before lol. I tried it twice, and had an absolute nightmare with it. For me a cooler mashtun is easier and better on all accounts. That's me though. And passedpawn is right, as usual. We need to stick together as brew bros. Why, just a week ago a guy was having trouble hitting his FG, and I told him his problems would go away if he starting AG brewing. How douchey was that?

It's sometimes hard to tell the writer intent when reading their words in a forum.
I know you were being somewhat sarcastic when you said "real" brewers but the next guy might see it as an insult.
Giving a fellow brewer helpful information isn't being douchey if done in a non condescending way.

I personally dismiss any "advice" from the "my way or the highway people". I put people on ignore that talk down to others because their advice is useless. Pissing contests and troll threads are useless in a place where people are trying to get help and/or help others.

99.99% of the people are great and I love this site because I have learned a lifetime of knowledge in a short time.

MMJfan · 10-10-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopherM

I've certainly seen more than a handful of traditional brewers call BIAB an "intermediate" brewing method, which usually illicits the BIAB defenders to speak up! I've never seen a BIAB brewer put down traditional brewing on any grounds besides the expense and space of the extra vessels and slightly longer brewday.

Point being, I've never seen a BIAB brewer call traditional brewing inferior on anything but the facts, but I've seen PLENTY of traditional brewers call BIAB inferior based on misinformation.

Great point. I can't count how many times I've read comments from seemingly pretentious AG brewers questioning how good the beer you can make doing extract or BIAB brewing. Because some AG brewer didn't get good results trying BIAB somehow means that no one has great results?

My thing is, I could care less how you brew beer. I choose to do mostly extract due to time constraints and discovering BIAB has given me a way to expand into AG brewing while not expending the time and money traditional AG brewing requires. All that should matter is whether or not you are happy with whatever method of homebrewing you choose to use. If you are an AG brewer, and are happy with AG brewing, why feel the need to disparage or discredit other methods? And the same can be said for BIAB and extract brewers.

In the end, it shouldn't matter what method of homebrewing you choose. What matters is if you are enjoying that method and if you are making good beer...

**usfmikeb** · 10-10-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMJfan

In the end, it shouldn't matter what method of homebrewing you choose. What matters is if you are enjoying that method and if you are making good beer...

Fully agree!

**aubiecat** · 10-10-2012, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMJfan

Great point. I can't count how many times I've read comments from seemingly pretentious AG brewers questioning how good the beer you can make doing extract or BIAB brewing. Because some AG brewer didn't get good results trying BIAB somehow means that no one has great results?

My thing is, I could care less how you brew beer. I choose to do mostly extract due to time constraints and discovering BIAB has given me a way to expand into AG brewing while not expending the time and money traditional AG brewing requires. All that should matter is whether or not you are happy with whatever method of homebrewing you choose to use. If you are an AG brewer, and are happy with AG brewing, why feel the need to disparage or discredit other methods? And the same can be said for BIAB and extract brewers.

In the end, it shouldn't matter what method of homebrewing you choose. What matters is if you are enjoying that method and if you are making good beer...

You, sir, get a gold star.

Skelator · 10-10-2012, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xpertskir

There are lots of ways to skin the brewing cat and most of them are represented on here.

It seems like most of the people on here are pretty open minded about different ways to do things, except the BIAB crowd. Ok now that I think about it maybe there is a general lack of open minded-ness but the BIAB crowd seems to be the most vocal. Why is it that in any thread someone posts asking about their process the answer from this crowd is always "you should be BIAB"?

I'm sure its been said, but you can replace 'BIAB crowd' with 'AG crowd' and you'll still be right. i think it comes down to personal preference and perhaps some people doing BIAB have found quick success so they're subconsciously thinking they know it all... and want to pass their new knowledge to anyone who'll listen. Maybe they've long been the ones on here without a lot of information or knowledge to share and we're jealous of those AG brewers who know more and now have something to contribute?

Either way, BIAB is great just like AG is great. Personally, BIAB is a great way to practice and get some things dialed in BEFORE that leap to traditional AG. Learn how to mash consistently, sparge, and find what recipes work before you spend tons of cash going traditional (as in buying burners, propane, big kettles/keggles, sculpture, temp control, and whatever else traditional brewers use).