BIAB Bag in contact with the element?

Do I need to care? It's been suggested by the wise that I should rig a false bottom, but it seems like if I do this I loose the bottom two gallons of space in the keg to keep the bag submerged in? Do I need a heat shield for the element itself then? Suggestions? Planning on recirc during mash and would like to maintain/adjust temps.

Some have seen some scorching on teh bag...some haven't. With my original setup, I chose not to press my luck and bought a cake rack to sit on the bottom of the kettle. This was before I have the heating element (still propane) but both the element, pickup tube and thermo all fit under the rack no problem. I have since moved to a steamer basket for my turkey fryer so I was able to ditch the cake rack altogether.

It would help to know the dimmensions of your kettle (diameter at the bottom) and we can try to find a cheap solution.

John

You can make a U-shaped cover for the element by bending some thin guage perforated stainless. Just an idea.

I use a SS steamer rack I bought at a restaurant supply store for $2.99. Clears the elements by about 1/2 inch. Works great.

I've thought about the U shaped perf stainless. The kettle is a Keggle. opening at the top is around 11 or 12? have to check. I have a turkey fryer steamer basket, and thought about that, but wondered if it would be big enough to hold a full AG grain bill.

i would not imagine that a BIAB bag would stand up to contact with a heating element. anyone who claims "but i did it and nothing bad happened" was just lucky.

Depends on the bag and the element watt density.

I have a polyester or some sort of non-cotton bag (voile curtain material) and a low density element, and no issues. It sort of stains the grain color on when I have it on the element while element is on for a while, but no biggee.

I do like to pin the bag to the edge of the kettle just a bit higher on the front and back of the element, so it sort of tents overtop of it naturally, but not necessary with this setup.