Thinking about trying BIAB...

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

traviswalken

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2012
Messages
156
Reaction score
10
Location
Tacoma
I only have 2 batches under my belt, but I am thinking about trying my hand at BIAB. I did some sparging of grains in my second batch with the help/advice of my local brew supply joint.

BIAB seems like a simple way to go AG without breaking the bank. From what I have read on this forum, I could buy a turkey fryer (like this http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/app/3241781737.html) for $50, a mesh bag, and couple other minor items. BIAB brew day seems about as difficult as my first two batches (grains and dme).

My wife would probably appreciate getting the brewing out of the kitchen as well.

My birthday (40 :mad:) is approaching and I think I could spend a few bucks upgrading my brew hobby.

Am I missing anything? Is it more difficult or expensive than I am describing?

Thanks for the feedback.
 
Not really. You still have to mash. But if you do no sparge like I do its really like a long steep. You just have to hold the temp steady. I do this by putting a sleeping bag over my pot.
 
Try a small stove top BIAB batch first. If you are already geared up for brewing all you need is a mesh bag and something smaller to ferment in. I got a 5 gallon nylon paint straining bag and a 1 gallon glass jug both for under $10. I've done a couple of oatmeal stouts this way and they came out alright.

If you decide you like it then pull the trigger on some gear for full size batches.

That's my advice cuz I'm cheap. Dad hates going to Canadian Tire with me because I talk him out of buying things. If you got your heart set on some new gear then fill your boots.
 
Go ahead and try a BIAB...it is almost foolproof. Heat 7.5 gal to 160 degrees, add grain, stir, cover w/ blankets/towels for 60-90 min, stir again, remove bag, boil w/ hops.....AG BIAB done!:mug:
 
I made the swith to BIAB after 1 extract and 1 partial mash. I am not looking back at all.

The keys are the same as any brewing. there are a lot of good calculators on line to help you find your strike temps and gravities. It only takes about an extra hour or two as compared to extract too.
 
I have been doing BIAB for about 1.5 yrs now and would recommend using an ice chest to do the mash in. Screw all the one pot nonsense, yes its less transferring, but its a pain having to make sure the temp is correct, heating it up, then checking it over and over. With an ice chest It will hold temp for hours. One with a whole in the side is even better for transferring it back into the boil pot. Also do a longer mash (1.5hr or longer if you have the time) since you are not sparging to increase your efficiency.
 
I have been doing BIAB for about 1.5 yrs now and would recommend using an ice chest to do the mash in. Screw all the one pot nonsense, yes its less transferring, but its a pain having to make sure the temp is correct, heating it up, then checking it over and over. With an ice chest It will hold temp for hours. One with a whole in the side is even better for transferring it back into the boil pot. Also do a longer mash (1.5hr or longer if you have the time) since you are not sparging to increase your efficiency.

Well, if you were truly a Trueslacker, you would likely not feel this way about the "one pot nonsense". I call your bluff, and say that you are far from a slacker, more likely an obsessed homebrewer counting half degrees on your mash temps.:mug:

I do the "one pot nonsense" and after dough in I read about 154 degrees, and after an hour plus wrapped in a towel and blanket I am about 151...is this so terrible...I think not? The beer doesn't seem to really miss the 3 degrees, why should I?

When I use my ice chest to mash, I have it fitted w/ a braid and tubing to drain. Using a bag in an ice chest also captures the downsides of both methods. But brew on brother....there is no wrong way...just many different ones....cheers.
 
Thanks for the advice. I bought the turkey fryer and am ready to give it a try. Even if I don't like BIAB, my current "kettle" is only 4 gallons, so either way it was a good purchase.

I am pretty happy with the fryer pot. It came with a strainer (or whatever the internal pot with the big holes is called) and it appears to be 7.5 gallons to the top of strainer and about another gallon to the top of the pot. I think I will be able to put almost 7.5 gallons of water & grains in the pot and still have several inches to the top of the pot.
 
You must have a much better pot than I do (or thicker blankets). When I do the one pot method I will lose about 15-20 degrees over and hour. I would not care about less than 5 degrees change.
 
You must have a much better pot than I do (or thicker blankets). When I do the one pot method I will lose about 15-20 degrees over and hour. I would not care about less than 5 degrees change.

Wow, 15-20 degrees. That seems like a lot. I have a 62qt Bayou Classic and when I hit my mash temp, I put the lid on, wrap a sleeping bag around it and let it ride. I pile up the extra sleeping bag material on top of the pot since most of the heat is lost out the top. My last batch only lost 1 degree in 60 minutes.
 
You must have a much better pot than I do (or thicker blankets). When I do the one pot method I will lose about 15-20 degrees over and hour. I would not care about less than 5 degrees change.

I did my first 5.5 gallon BIAB in my cheap-o 10 gallon stainless kettle recently. Brewed outside (80*F). Sat the kettle (lid on) on two old comforters & wrapped it up with them. Mashed for 60 minutes & lost 3-5*. It was a pretty big grain bill (14 lbs), and I started with ~8 gallons h2o.

Not sure how this will work in the winter time....
 
I did that too and used tin tape for the flap and around the edges.

ForumRunner_20120910_183241.jpg
 
Back
Top