Bags, boilers, and mash tuns.

[Symbiote]

How many here use a grain bag to remove the need for a mash tun?

About to get into a rosemary gruit.

Using a grain bag it seems more efficient to lauter in the boiler and then lift the bag out and take it up to a boil.

Have you tried this?

If so, please share your experiences.

 

[EoinMag]

I do Brew in a bag BIAB quite a bit, works very well, removes the need for extra vessels, I just have the one electric boiler and a bag made of curtain voile, works really well for me.
I've done about 3-4 mini mashes and 3 full All-grain brews using the technique. I have only good results to report so far.

Have a look about on www.biabrewer.info for a lot more detail, it's a dedicated brew in a bag website.

It started with me just wanting to go all grain with no more investment, with a HERMS being the system I wanted eventually. Now I'm not so sure, if I can do some good pilseners with the technique then I'm not going to bother moving on to a 3 Vessel system.

 

[Symbiote]

Excellent post. That is very helpful. Thank you.

 

[user 53515]

I'm using Deathbrewer's Stovetop AG method using the grainbag and my brew kettle as a mash tun. I'm only doing 2.5 gallon batches right now, but they come out great at about 75-78% brewhouse efficiency.

I tried that method becuase I was cheap and didn't want to buy new equipment

 

[Symbiote]

I tried that method becuase I was cheap and didn't want to buy new equipment

Good stuff. In my book, frugality=nobility

Got a link to the method you mentioned?

Edit: Found the link, awesome post.

 

[user 53515]

Yea I love the method. I am doing 2.5 gallon batches becuase I don't have a 6+ gallon kettle to do a full 5 gallon batch boil.

However, I have done a full 5 gallon batch boil on my stovetop using Deathbrewer's method boiling the full volume split into 3 smaller pots. I had about 2.5 gallons in 3 different pots! It was awesome! It was a pain to cool since I don't have a chiller, I use just an ice bath. But it was a small price to pay to not have to buy more equipment.

 

[Symbiote]

Sounds like smooth sailing. Definitely going to try it on this gruit.

Best luck I have had cooling down is a bathtub full of cold water. Takes about an hour.