Lets talk AG...

To do AG, I will need a mash tun, right? Well let me ask this...instead of a modified igloo cooler or even a 10 gallon pot with the ball lever, etc, Can I just use a BIAB method in a regular cooler? If so, can you explain the procedure?

I wouldnt have to modify the cooler that I have and can just use the tap on the side of it to empty the wort into the boil pot or I could just use a racking cane to do it, right? Wouldnt this be the same as mashing all grain in the modified igloo cooler?

Any thoughts on this?

Yes, you can do this but consider 2 things
1) Size of your batch. You still have to lift the bag to get the wort to flow, so there might be a limit there unless you have something to lift with. I use this method to do 3 gallon batches with a 3 gallon unmodified gatorade cooler but that's 7.5 lb grain max.

2) Type of valve on the unmodified cooler. Mine has a flip type that will stay open. If you have the kind that you have to hold to keep open you're going to want to swap it out for something else like a ball valve, because holding that open while trying to hold up the bag would get old real fast.

mine is the flip...and couldnt i just tie the bag above the cooler on something to let it drain?

GeorgiaTiger said:

mine is the flip...and couldnt i just tie the bag above the cooler on something to let it drain?

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You certainly could, and I would recommend you have a hook of some kind rather than trying to hold it, because holding it gets boring and tiring very fast, speaking as someone who BIABs.

GeorgiaTiger said:

and couldnt i just tie the bag above the cooler on something to let it drain?

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Yes, I just wanted to make sure. Someone a while back was asking about using a cooler for BIAB instead of their kettle so they wouldn't have to lift anything, not realizing it doesn't really flow like that.

What you are describing is exactly how i started brewing all grain! Unmodified cooler with a fine screen large nylon mesh bag in it. If the cooler is rectangular shape it drains just fine (easy to slide away from the drain IF it ever blocks the whole). You certainly could tie a thin rope to one end (next to drain) to hoist up and tie off if you are having draining issues. I never had draining issues and never did any fancy hoist system! Pretty fantastic when you realize that all you need to go from extract to all grain (with what it sounds like you already have(full boil size pot is great if you don't have it)) is a nylon bag!!

conneryis007 said:

I never had draining issues and never did any fancy hoist system, its easy enough in a rectangular cooler to slide the bag away from the drain!

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ah, good to know then. I've only ever done this in a round cooler and I need to get the whole bag off the bottom to get it to drain.

My boil pot is 6.5 gallons so I figured that should work and I would just need the cooler, which I have (and yep, its rectangle). If push comes to shove, I could actually just tie the bag to the handle of the cooler. So, as it stands, just use the bag and start doing AG...I think I will do this for my next brew. Is there anything else that I need to have or think about?

Just make sure the cooler isn't too large for the bag. I tried that in a 70 qt Coleman Xtreme once... Didn't work that well. Switched over to a bazooka screen (with the ball VALVE, not lever )... IMO/IME, a ball valve is almost a critical addition to a mash tun (of any kind). While it seems that some are content by going too cheap and using what comes fitted to the cooler, the control you get there is horrid. Want to close it mid drain, hope you have good gloves on. Also hope you're pretty quick opening it, so you get your hand out of the flow (168-172 degree wort is not skin friendly).

Also, a 6.5 gallon pot for the boil is going to be damned tight for 5 gallon batches. IF you use fermcap and watch it like a hawk. Or you'll have to start the boil with less and top off (negating some of the benefits of the full batch boil).

Im not really trying to skimp on buying a mash tun or cooler for one and make it, but Im unemployed right now and at the moment, I DO need to go cheap. Believe me, when I do something, Ill do it right and go all out with it, but I have to have the money to do so. When Im gainfully employed again, Ill do this the right way and wont cheap out.

To help with drainage try a stainless steel pot scrubber between the bag an valve, that should give you enough space for good flow...I've used them over the end of pickup tubes to keep hop crud out.

Based on this, I would recommend just going all BIAB. I picked up a 40 quart pot and ended up adding a thermometer and a valve. I'm just now getting close to finishing a cooler I've been converting into a mash tun to try that as an alternate process. I keep looking at options at going "all-in" with all gain, but based on space constraints and the fact I'm consistently making great beer, I'm not in any big rush to change too many dynamics. Once you get back on your feet, you can use your BIAB nettle as a boil kettle, or some other component of the all-grain system you choose. Best of luck getting back on your feet, and making great beer!

GeorgiaTiger said:

Im not really trying to skimp on buying a mash tun or cooler for one and make it, but Im unemployed right now and at the moment, I DO need to go cheap. Believe me, when I do something, Ill do it right and go all out with it, but I have to have the money to do so. When Im gainfully employed again, Ill do this the right way and wont cheap out.

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You don't really need the cooler to try AG... just a boil pot and a bag.
Ideally, a big enough one to do a full volume mash, so a keggle would be perfect.
Direct-fire mash 12 or 14 lbs of grain, about 1 gallon of absorption, about 2 gallons of boil-off, so figure 8 gallons of water plus grain.
Pull the bag and squeeze, then start your boil in the same pot you just mashed in.
You can always step up to an insulated mash tun later, but you'll always need a good boil kettle, so that won't be a waste anyway you look at it.

I think the OP's question was could he proceed with what he has now and will it work. I don't do traditional BIAB but I think a 6.5 gallon pot is too small for him to use, isn't it? I see no reason not to go ahead with the bag in the cooler for now. If batch sparging, there is no need to control the flow, and I don't need gloves to turn my valve on and off. I have silicone tubing that fits snugly over the end of the spout. I just haven't bothered to switch to a ball valve since I haven't needed it. Guess I'm content "going too cheap" given that it works fine. (My other rig is a Morebeer 1100 sculpture, by the way).

I understand that folks want to offer suggestions and options, but I think it's frustrating sometimes for people to ask questions and get the "why don't you buy this instead" answer.