soupfist

Recipes 

So my life has been a lot easier since I discovered nylon paint strainer bags. With my limited equipment, it's allowed me to BIAB partial-mash beers up to 4 lbs of grain. But I also got the idea to use a sanitized strainer bag to strain the chilled wort as I pour it into the primary, which is a lot quicker than the crappy little stainless-steel sieve I used to use.

In both cases, despite a nagging voice in my head that tells me not to, I have resorted to "squeezing" wort both after sparging the bagged grain and when straining into the primary (to get that last cup or so of wort out). Is this a bad idea, and if so, why? I haven't reached any conclusions as to whether or not it's had an effect on my beer...I sampled a brown ale I recently transferred to secondary and though it's not finished, it doesn't seem infected or suffering from any off-flavors. So it's cool...right?

HerbieHowells

Recipes 

I believe the common explanation is that you don't want to do that because it adds tannins to your wort.

hoppymonkey

Recipes 

It doesn't matter on hops, but could possibly add more tannins from the grain or possibly contribute to chill haze. Personally I am off the school that if you like your results then screw everyone else.

Ozzfest05

Recipes 

To echo everyone it adds tannins and will make your beer quite a bit bitter.
You can do it but if you squeeze every last bit your getting stuff you font want in the wort

Cyclometh

Recipes 

When using a steeping bag I pull the bag out, let it drain by gravity, then gently squeeze the top above the grains, then move down and do it a few more times, until when I release my hand the bag doesn't drip for several seconds.

That way I'm gently squeezing the water suspended in the grains without squeezing out the nasties in the husks/hulls.

Seems to be working so far.

__________________
Primary 1: Moose Knuckle IPA
Primary 2: Ichabod's Saddle Pumpkin Ale

beergolf

Recipes 

Seems to be other thoughts on this with the BIAB crowd.

http://http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/do-you-squeeze-bag-biab-177051/

I have done several BIAB mini mash brews and I squeezed the bag with no bad tastes.

Psych

Recipes 

Yeah squeeze any bag (hops, grains, whatever) as much as you like. So long as said bag isn't boiling hot, you're fine. Tannins from grains that have never crossed 170f are a myth, or every BIAB'er has no taste buds or something

Squeeze squeeze squeeeeeeeze!

__________________
Single vessel E-BIAB setup

Donor Fridge Fermentation Chamber

LandoLincoln

Recipes 

Tannin extraction is a function of water pH and temperature, not pressure.

Monkey55

Recipes 

I read it somewhere here - "Squeeze that b!tch like it owes you money!"

For those who say that you'll get tannins, can you explain how and why other than "you'll get tannins."?

E

Ozzfest05

Recipes 

I was told by 3 different 15+ year brewers not to do this. I don't know if it was tannins or what the reason was exactly. All three did tell me I can do it just don't squeeze the piss out of it when it's hot.

These people were very knowledgable