What bag do you use for BIAB?

I tried researching this before I started all grain BIAB and never really found a good, reasonably priced bag. Some people said go to a fabric store and make your own but unless I can just buy a sheet and not have to sew anything that is not an option for me.

I currently use these bags from amazon:



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002UXQ7QQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

5 different bags that I divide the grain into before mashing. It is quite tedious to fill, clean, and tie these so that no grain falls out the top. I found that these bags(each 12'' x 14'') gave me the larges bag volume at a reasonable price. I would much rather use just one large bag and was wondering if anyone had suggestions.

My LHBS carries them, so I pick one up every 2-3 months, depending on how long they last.

Voile curtain from walmart about $5. Wife sewed 3 bags for a 13 gallon brewpot with this material, super strong, so if you know someone with a sewing machine that knows how to use it you could have yourself a few bags made up for next to nothing.

I use a turkey fryer or a 20 qt stainless kettle for BIAB (depends on what size batch I want) and found that the elastic top paint strainer bags from Home Depot just fit and the elastic top stretches tight around the top so I can heat the water to strike temp and stir in the grains without holding the bag. These are easy to clean as when done I just turn them inside out for dumping the grain and rinse them in the sink. Wring out what water you can and hang them to dry, then brush off any remaining grain or husks before turning them right side out for storage. I can make quite a few batches before they need replaced too.

I use a rectangular piece of an old voile curtain. It isn't sewn, I just clip it to the sides of the pot and make sure that there are no gaps that grain can fall through

If sewing something yourself isn't an option, these are quite nice:
http://custombiab.blogspot.com/

wilserbrewer is a member on here who makes custom bags too. I haven't ever used one of his creations, but they get good reviews.
http://iam.homebrewtalk.com/wilserbrewer

I use a custom BIAB bag I made from Voile curtain material. Mine has a draw string for use with my massive 15 gallon kettle and strainer basket.

If sewing isn't your bag (pun intended) just lay the material out, place your kettle on flat material, gather it all up so your kettle is inside, and cut straight across. You should end up with a circle like object when laid flat again. No you have a semi-custom bag that fits your kettle specifically. When mashing out, gather the edges an tie off with parachute cord. The material has a tight enough weave that fraying shouldn't happen faster than you can brew 20 or so batches. $5 in the Walmart curtain section makes a lot of beers.

BIAB is amazing.

I also use the home depot paint strainer bags. Got two in a pack for I think like $5 or so? They are relatively big, though I don't remember the dimensions.

I use a nylon strainer bag. Not sure where it's from but I only use it on 1-2 gallon batches. Could be from home depot or a HBS.

onipar said:

I also use the home depot paint strainer bags. Got two in a pack for I think like $5 or so? They are relatively big, though I don't remember the dimensions.

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They are for 5 gallon buckets. I have a 20qt aluminum pot and it fits over the rim and lines to the bottom. I also have a 30qt turkey fryer pot that has the same diameter, the bag does not quite reach the bottom.

Another vote for the Home Depot paint strainer bags. $3.49 for two. Work great and are reusable.

kh54s10 said:

They are for 5 gallon buckets. I have a 20qt aluminum pot and it fits over the rim and lines to the bottom. I also have a 30qt turkey fryer pot that has the same diameter, the bag does not quite reach the bottom.

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Yeah, that sounds about right, because I use it in a 5 gallon pot and fits pretty well. I've only used it for partial mashes, but it looks like it'd be okay for say, a 3 gallon AG BIAB.

onipar said:

Yeah, that sounds about right, because I use it in a 5 gallon pot and fits pretty well. I've only used it for partial mashes, but it looks like it'd be okay for say, a 3 gallon AG BIAB.

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I use my paint strainer bag for 5 gallon batches in a turkey fryer (30 qt). If you go full amount of strike and no sparge it will be pretty full on a 1.050 batch. I've tried using a little less strike water and a dunk (cold water) sparge and it worked out better. It also upped my efficiency by 5%.

When I only want a 3 gallon batch I use the 20qt kettle because it is easier to handle on my kitchen stove.

djfriesen said:

My LHBS carries them, so I pick one up every 2-3 months, depending on how long they last.

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Same here. If you haven't asked, give yours a call.

Thanks for all the inputs. I know how to sew but do not have a sewing machine which is why I wanted to avoid that option. I will definitely check out home depot and walmart to get a new bag before I brew again.

Bed Bath Beyond has fine mesh laundry bags for $7 each, that are 24' x 36"
They come in some kind of synthetic material, and in cotton. (cotton is $1 more)

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=10214041

I use a wilserbrewer bag. Well made, works great...

I use the strainer nylon bags. They are tucked away somewhere in the paint section of home depot. I had trouble finding them but you gotta love finding really effective and inexpensive solutions at home depot.

I snagged some 5 gallon paint strainers for $0.45 each from Sherwin williams recently and they are pretty darn heavy duty

NCangler17 said:

I use a custom BIAB bag I made from Voile curtain material. Mine has a draw string for use with my massive 15 gallon kettle and strainer basket.

If sewing isn't your bag (pun intended) just lay the material out, place your kettle on flat material, gather it all up so your kettle is inside, and cut straight across. You should end up with a circle like object when laid flat again. No you have a semi-custom bag that fits your kettle specifically. When mashing out, gather the edges an tie off with parachute cord. The material has a tight enough weave that fraying shouldn't happen faster than you can brew 20 or so batches. $5 in the Walmart curtain section makes a lot of beers.

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I've been using the 5 gallon paint bags, but just got a 15 gallon kettle with straining basket. It's 19" wide, so the little bags I've been using don't even come close to reaching the edges. If I do what you laid out above, and instead of using the cord, clip the edges to the strainer basket like I see a lot of people do, I shouldn't have any problems, right? The fabric is just lining the strainer basket so it doesn't have to do anything but keep the grains from escaping. The basket has a handle, and I have an engine-lift rig built into the roof of my garage I'll be using to lift it with to drain.

Just wanted a quick sanity check, since I've been pondering how to make a big bag, until it dawned on me that I didn't actually need to.

I have this (http://tinyurl.com/7fq5ygo) and I'm buying these (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Una-Cortina-White-Panel/3861733)

-Andy

Andy,

Yes, you will be alright. Clipping it to the side of the strainer basket is no different really than using a drawstring.

The only thing I will caution you on is to be careful removing the bag from the strainer basket. Do this away from the boil kettle, as I' seen bags with no drawstring dump grain into the kettle. The person will attempt to gather all the edges, but will miss one. This piece acts like a funnel, sending grain into the boil.

An engine lift is genius, wish I had room for one.

Bed Bath and beyond (in some locationns)sells laundry bags like discussed here.
http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=1495
I have one that I have used for about 10 batches.

Yeah, except that after all the BIABers discovered them, they bought up the whole world's supply apparently. They are out of stock on the BB&B website and I checked at a store, too, and they were all sold out.

I'm looking for a bag big enough to fit around my keggle, but even the enormous bags at the LHBS are not big enough around. I don't like the walmart voile material because I think it's too fine-meshed.

NCangler17 said:

Andy,

Yes, you will be alright. Clipping it to the side of the strainer basket is no different really than using a drawstring.

The only thing I will caution you on is to be careful removing the bag from the strainer basket. Do this away from the boil kettle, as I' seen bags with no drawstring dump grain into the kettle. The person will attempt to gather all the edges, but will miss one. This piece acts like a funnel, sending grain into the boil.

An engine lift is genius, wish I had room for one.

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Yeah, the guy I bought the house from restored classic cars, so I've got a couple spots rigged for engine lifts, a mechanic's pit, and outlets prewired for large air compressors and welders. Aside from using the pit when I do oil changes, this is the first time I've taken advantage of any of it. And typical of home brewing, using it for something it wasn't intended for.

I won't be taking the bag out of the strainer basket inside the garage. Most likely will carry the basket by its convenient handle out to the trash or the compost heap and do it there.

-A

I paid good money for mine but I think I'll have it for life. I've only used it twice but it does make having to lift heavy, wet grain that much easier.
http://www.bagbrewer.com/order-a-bag.html

I got the last laundry bag at my bbb. It works perfectly for my needs. The drawstring is great too. It was only $3. Here it is in action on my 9 gallon kettle.

Bed Bath Beyond laundry bags.

Unfortunately the "good" synthetic laundry bags that cost $5.99 are no good for BIAB, the weave is too tight. The BBB near me doesn't have the $3 bags which do work.

Beer-lord said:

I paid good money for mine but I think I'll have it for life. I've only used it twice but it does make having to lift heavy, wet grain that much easier.
http://www.bagbrewer.com/order-a-bag.html

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Got mine from same site. Great product, especially if you plan on BIAB for awhile.

I have a 22qt pot that a paint strainer fits over. I was thinking of trying BIAB for a pumpkin ale this fall to avoid the potential for a stuck sparge due to the pumpkin in my cooler/mash tun. I don't have a recipe yet but think I would need to downsize to a 3gal. batch due to my pot size. Is that correct?

Can someone give me an idea of how many lbs of grain I can fit with the proper amount of water with this small pot? I don't want to buy a new bag to fit my 40qt pot.

TIA

I can do a 5 gallon batch in a 30 qt pot but it's pushing it. You have to be really watching it at hot break and keep the heat as low as possible during the boil because you can't have enough wort in the pot to be boiling off much.

I have the same 20qt SS stock pot I use for all my brewing,including PB/PM BIAB. I have a nylon bag 18" X 32". But the kettle seems to need one 24" wide to stretch over the lip of the kettle. Plus the 32" length is way too much. 24" length would be better. My bag is by LD Carlson. The 24" X 24" bags I see on brewing sites don't say what the material is. I wonder if paint strainer bags in nylon from Home Depot or Lowe's come in a 24" X 24" size? Anybody ever seen/found one??