Trying BIAB Tomorrow - need advice

So I have read a dozen threads on this brewing technique and finally have my turkey fryer which includes a large enough pot to give it a go. I do have a concern or question I guess though. The pot that came with the fryer is very very thin and will not hold heat very well I do not think. Is it advised to try the method of covering with a blanket and to shut heat off when mash temp is reached or to turn burner down low enough to maintain the heat?

Also, can you get strainer bags big enough at a home depot or lowes?

A 5-gallon paint strainer bag is big enough for maybe 10 pounds of grain. I had one brew bigger than that when I did BIAB, and it was pretty much hell. Pots and pans all over the place. I always wrapped in a blanket and did just fine. I wouldn't worry about keeping the pot on the heat for the mash. Just hit your temp and cover.

Good luck!

I don't think you want to heat the mash; you risk getting too hot or burning the bag. I wrap my kettle in an old sleeping bag, secured with a bungee cord. I only lose 2 - 3 deg during a 60 min mash.

I wrap mine in beach towels with one folded on the top and do not lose much heat, I also stir the pot every 20 min during the mash.

Get yourself some voile curtain material and either just get a piece big enough to drape into the pot, or make your own bag.

I got the wife to make up a bag for me, works a treat.

Another thing to try would be to see if your pot will fit into your oven. If it does, you can set your oven to like 200 and it will hold the temp perfect.

EoinMag said:

Get yourself some voile curtain material and either just get a piece big enough to drape into the pot, or make your own bag.

I got the wife to make up a bag for me, works a treat.

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I did the same thing and it works great. i think the key to BIAB is fine crush. i just run mine through the mill at my LHBS twice, and have had great success with it. Also agree with the wrapping in a blanket, etc. instead of warming with the burner. i lose almost no temp over a 60 minute mash by using two beach towels over my pot.

Key to remember if you're doing No Sparge (aussie style) is that you'll not lose much temp when you add your grains, because there's more water there at the "strike" temp. For me I usually have about 7 gallons heated up to say 160, then add grains and don't see a drop more than 8 degrees. something i'm still fine tuning after a few batches this way. If you sparge then assume the typical 10-12*F loss when you add grains. I get right around 75% extract efficiency with no sparge though...so i dont see the need for it. Just one more thing for me to mess up i figure.

Last thing I'd make sure I had was a big colander you can stick on top of your pot so your grains can drain properly. squeeze the bag, etc. to get all of that good wort out you can. if you want to throw the grain bag onto a baking sheet or something that's fine, just do something to make sure you're getting all the wort out...that bag gets heavy after just a few minutes of dangling it above your pot.

Well guys I appreciate the advice but the homebrew shop guy talked me in to spending the extra 50 bucks to go the full way, mash tun and all. Had my first brew day yesterday using all grain and good lord was it a lot of work. Maybe it was the 100 degree heat and the fact I was working in a garage most of the time but I was pretty beat.

BIAB is VERY easy, 5 gallon paint bags are only $1.39 locally. So clean up is even easier if you don't want to re-use the bags. Even if you have a mash tun already, try BIAB once just to compare. I personally love it, not everybody does but, it fits my style perfect!

mrduna01 said:

Well guys I appreciate the advice but the homebrew shop guy talked me in to spending the extra 50 bucks to go the full way, mash tun and all. Had my first brew day yesterday using all grain and good lord was it a lot of work. Maybe it was the 100 degree heat and the fact I was working in a garage most of the time but I was pretty beat.

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3-vessel is also a lot more time and work than BiaB. I use the bag for about 85% of my brews and only break out the 3-vessel if there's a good reason to (e.g. 10 gallon batch or long complicated mash schedule).

mrduna01 said:

Well guys I appreciate the advice but the homebrew shop guy talked me in to spending the extra 50 bucks to go the full way, mash tun and all. Had my first brew day yesterday using all grain and good lord was it a lot of work. Maybe it was the 100 degree heat and the fact I was working in a garage most of the time but I was pretty beat.

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He was the one making money on it so of course he'll have been right

In any case, if you find you're not hitting 80% efficiency or over then maybe you'll wonder why you bothered with all the extras to have a lower efficiency.

Can someone post a link to the "5 gallon paint bags"? I am having trouble finding them on Lowes and HD websites.

TIA,

John

NM...I think I found them:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_126394-968-...L=/pl__0__s?newSearch=true$Ntt=paint strainer

Do these look right?

Do you have a Sherwin-Williams or other paint store near you? I'm sure they would have the bags. My LHBS has grain bags that look like they might even be larger than a 5-gallon paint bag.

johnodon said:

NM...I think I found them:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_126394-968-...L=/pl__0__s?newSearch=true$Ntt=paint strainer

Do these look right?

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That's what I bought - haven't used them yet, but they line my 5 gal cooler perfectly.