There has to be a better way to drain BIAB over a kettle at mashout without using a hoist

[MaxStout]

In cold weather months, I bring my brewing indoors. BIAB in an 8 gallon Megapot on the kitchen stove to do 5 gallon batches. Unlike with brewing over propane in the garage, where I have a hoist and pulley (and bigger kettles), in the kitchen I use a 10" strainer atop the Megapot to set the grain bag to drain. This usually creates a mess. With all but the smallest grain bills, the bag does a sort of muffin top effect, flattening out and rolling slightly over the sides, causing wort to run down.

This is the process I do:

After the sacc rest is complete, I pull tight the drawstring on the bag, lift the bag straight up and place the colander under it, resting the colander on the kettle rim. I set the bag in the colander, tie a prusic loop to cinch up the top of the bag as much possible, to tighten it up. I still need 3 hands to both hold the bag in place to keep it from rolling over the edges while squeezing it. Leaving it sit in the colander to drain by itself will not do, as it does the muffin top thing. I learned the hard away a while back to move the kettle off the stove top before doing mashout. I still get spillage on the counter and floor. Rigging a hoist in my kitchen is not an option, and I usually brew by myself, so nobody to lend a hand.

I've looked online for a larger colander (the Megapot is about 12.5" ID), but nothing looks like it would work. It would be nice to have some kind of conical structure (inverted frustum) made of sheet SS, with mesh attached to the aperture on the bottom and with horizontal bolts or studs protruding from the sides to allow it to sit on kettles of various diameters. If I had a sheet metal shop I'd build one.

Anyone have something better than what I'm doing? Maybe @Bobby_M at Brew Hardware has some ideas?

 

[MaxStout]

Maybe something like this. (badly-drawn sketch):

 

[bruce_the_loon]

I use a large version of the solid colander in this image. The handles support it on the sides of my kettle and the tapering accomplishes what you want to do.

 

[Bobby_M]

Is it really impossible to put a hook in the ceiling? The white hooks for plants would blend in pretty well.

If you move the pot to the floor, how about a 2x4 across the island and counter for a lift point.

 

[madscientist451]

I use a second pot for a dunk sparge. I pull the bag and let it drain for about 10-15 seconds then drop it into the second pot. I have an old heavy duty collander that fits a smaller 3 gallon pot perfectly, but it also fits in a small bucket, so after the dunk sparge, I pull the bag again and use the smaller pot/colander for the final drain.
Something like this should work in a smaller 12-16 quart pot:
https://www.amazon.com/Winco-ALO-16...wse:316625011&rnid=316624011&s=kitchen&sr=1-2

 

[Bad Bubba]

Check the web restaurant store. They SS colenders of all sizes.

 

[dwhite60]

I use a large version of the solid colander in this image. The handles support it on the sides of my kettle and the tapering accomplishes what you want to do.

View attachment 747917

I doing the same thing. Works very well.

 

[MaxStout]

Is it really impossible to put a hook in the ceiling? The white hooks for plants would blend in pretty well.

If you move the pot to the floor, how about a 2x4 across the island and counter for a lift point.

Not "impossible," but Mrs. Stout would not approve of such shenanigans.

The 2x4 idea would be doable.

 

[NTBeer]

I drain over a bucket instead of the pot. Larger diameter, less mess.

 

[marc1]

In cold weather months, I bring my brewing indoors. BIAB in an 8 gallon Megapot on the kitchen stove to do 5 gallon batches. Unlike with brewing over propane in the garage, where I have a hoist and pulley (and bigger kettles), in the kitchen I use a 10" strainer atop the Megapot to set the grain bag to drain. This usually creates a mess. With all but the smallest grain bills, the bag does a sort of muffin top effect, flattening out and rolling slightly over the sides, causing wort to run down.
View attachment 747915
This is the process I do:

After the sacc rest is complete, I pull tight the drawstring on the bag, lift the bag straight up and place the colander under it, resting the colander on the kettle rim. I set the bag in the colander, tie a prusic loop to cinch up the top of the bag as much possible, to tighten it up. I still need 3 hands to both hold the bag in place to keep it from rolling over the edges while squeezing it. Leaving it sit in the colander to drain by itself will not do, as it does the muffin top thing. I learned the hard away a while back to move the kettle off the stove top before doing mashout. I still get spillage on the counter and floor. Rigging a hoist in my kitchen is not an option, and I usually brew by myself, so nobody to lend a hand.

I've looked online for a larger colander (the Megapot is about 12.5" ID), but nothing looks like it would work. It would be nice to have some kind of conical structure (inverted frustum) made of sheet SS, with mesh attached to the aperture on the bottom and with horizontal bolts or studs protruding from the sides to allow it to sit on kettles of various diameters. If I had a sheet metal shop I'd build one.

Anyone have something better than what I'm doing? Maybe @Bobby_M at Brew Hardware has some ideas?

Have you considered draining the wort into a bucket or another pot, leaving the bag in the initial pot? Then you could add your sparge, if any, directly to the grains, then drain that to a bucket/pot (same one or a different one, your preference).

Then you could move your initial pot to the floor to handle the grain bag (buckets work great to drop it into). Pour, pump, or siphon your wort back to the boil kettle, and you're going.

This might be more work or time, but also seems far more relaxing (and potentially less messy) than wrangling a bag without a hoist.

 

[soccerdad]

I have a SS colander like Bruce posted. Cheap Family Dollar thing. The handles were spot welded on and I whacked them with a hammer. Came right off. The rim of the colander fits snug with my original 5G brew pot, so the bag goes there and drains while I do a couple other things and the wort in the larger pot heats up.

 

[MaxStout]

Have you considered draining the wort into a bucket or another pot, leaving the bag in the initial pot? Then you could add your sparge, if any, directly to the grains, then drain that to a bucket/pot (same one or a different one, you preference).

Then you could move your initial pot to the floor to handle the grain bag (buckets work great to drop it into). Pour, pump, or siphon your wort back to the boil kettle, and you're going.

This might be more work or time, but also seems far more relaxing (and potentially less messy) than wrangling a bag without a hoist.

That'd be a great idea (and probably the most elegant solution) if my brew kettle had a valve. I could drill and add a valve, but not sure I want to do that. Not that adding a valve is difficult--I've silver soldered them onto a couple other kettles. I'd just like to keep this kettle unaltered.

 

[MaxStout]

I have a SS colander like Bruce posted. Cheap Family Dollar thing. The handles were spot welded on and I whacked them with a hammer. Came right off. The rim of the colander fits snug with my original 5G brew pot, so the bag goes there and drains while I do a couple other things and the wort in the larger pot heats up.

I need to find a colander that works like yours did. One that fits snugly inside my kettle (if it sits higher, wort streams out the holes that are above the kettle rim). I've been looking on Amazon, but seems the largest ones are about in the 10.5-11" range, and not very deep. Need a little larger.

Another thought I had was to cinch a bungee cord around the "equator" of the grain mass, keeping it a little skinnier.

 

[soccerdad]

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/8-qt-stainless-steel-colander-with-base-and-handles/407C8QTS.html

 

[jtratcliff]

I use this large colander: Amazon.com: Excellanté 15-Inch Stainless Steel Colanders with 4.5 Millimeter Holes: Chinese Colander: Home & Kitchen

Manual lift... Two hands... Allow to drain enough to hold with one hand then quickly slide colander under the bag on top of kettle...

Judicious placement of colander prior to lift is a necessity...

When I asked a similar question a few years ago..@wilserbrewer recommend hiding an eyebolt in the cabinet over the range hood...

Never did it, but seemed like a good idea...

 

[MaxStout]

I use this large colander: Amazon.com: Excellanté 15-Inch Stainless Steel Colanders with 4.5 Millimeter Holes: Chinese Colander: Home & Kitchen

Manual lift... Two hands... Allow to drain enough to hold with one hand then quickly slide colander under the bag on top of kettle...

Judicious placement of colander prior to lift is a necessity...

When I asked a similar question a few years ago..@wilserbrewer recommend hiding an eyebolt in the cabinet over the range hood...

Never did it, but seemed like a good idea...

That thing's a monster. Chinese colander--never knew there was such a thing. For $8, I'll try it. Thanks.

 

[bracconiere]

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/12...gdH7cAXBY5HIF45o5WTrwf-SBqkPnbQxoCy4kQAvD_BwE
i had a thought of a seive as a flase bottom, drill a couple holes in the rim, and then use some small rope or something and a couple pullys with the pots handles to cinch it up out of the wort? i like the notion of using the handles and rope to pull it out to drain chineese colander or sieve.....



do they make some sorta like 14" compresion spring, but solid bar, you could put two under the basket when putting it in, then when you pull it up they'd pop out and you could just let it rest on them?

 

[bracconiere]

wait....there you go, some PVC pipe of two diferent sizes...with a 14" compression spring inside them and end caps, two of them under the sieve, attached somehow....press them in and drop the basket to the bottom of the pot...then when it's time to drain...just pull the basket up, and they'll pop out and you can just set it down on the rim?

 

[jtratcliff]

That thing's a monster. Chinese colander--never knew there was such a thing. For $8, I'll try it. Thanks.

There are some holes slightly up the sides... Not just the bottom...

So if it's slightly larger than your kettle there's a chance of oozing over the side unless you're careful... Ask me how I know...

But with a little bag management...

/begin Butthead
Heh. Heh. Bag management... Heh heh..
/End Butthead

It's doable.

 

[jtratcliff]

wait....there you go, some PVC pipe of two diferent sizes...with a 14" compression spring inside them and end caps, two of them under the sieve, attached somehow....press them in and drop the basket to the bottom of the pot...then when it's time to drain...just pull the basket up, and they'll pop out and you can just set it down on the rim?

Dude... Way too complicated...

Next thing you know, you're gonna ask him to malt his own grain..

 

[bracconiere]

Dude... Way too complicated...

Next thing you know, you're gonna ask him to malt his own grain..

for some reason i'm thinking it's not complicated and if i knew the name of them....like springs but their like ridged? just tie some string rope whatever to them...pull it up they pop out set on rim to drain? i swear they exist? i've seen them? or is this a mandela thing?

 

[jtratcliff]

I want what you're smoking

 

[jtratcliff]

Could be a thing.. I have no idea..

I'm just drinking apfelwien and grilling spatchcocked chicken...

 

[bracconiere]

I want what you're smoking

no, no man....they're like sorta compression springs, but with like overlapping rolls of spring metal?

 

[bracconiere]

wonderful human being (yes i know that will be auto corrected, which is why i use it but after 10 minutes of googling!! )

i knew i wasn't crazy!!!
Volute springs


get one about 14" long, or two.... attach with some thing to pull them up....get them thick enough to hold the weight easy peasy!!!

 

[MaxStout]

So the compression spring makes my BIAB just sort of pop out of the kettle?

 

[MaxStout]

There are some holes slightly up the sides... Not just the bottom...

So if it's slightly larger than your kettle there's a chance of oozing over the side unless you're careful... Ask me how I know...

But with a little bag management...

/begin Butthead
Heh. Heh. Bag management... Heh heh..
/End Butthead

It's doable.

Looking at the pic on Amazon, I thought about the holes on the side and realized I would need to tape them over.

That colander might just might do the trick.

 

[bracconiere]

So the compression spring makes my BIAB just sort of pop out of the kettle?

no? i was thinking

full height sieve 8" solid walls so it doesn't spill, kinda as a false bottom,...damn..i've been searching for a while trying to find a volute spring 14" long, seems like all they make are ones for garden tools....

https://www.labdepotinc.com/p-50243...9EbKq_bWd_H1kt6TDnYL0M6k3oz87XaRoCNscQAvD_BwE
but i was think putting two of the volutes on the bottom of something like that then just lift it out and then they'd pop as your third hand....they'd be tuff enough to hold the weight?

 

[MaxStout]

no? i was thinking

full height sieve 8" solid walls so it doesn't spill, kinda as a false bottom,...damn..i've been searching for a while trying to find a volute spring 14" long, seems like all they make are ones for garden tools....

https://www.labdepotinc.com/p-50243...9EbKq_bWd_H1kt6TDnYL0M6k3oz87XaRoCNscQAvD_BwE
but i was think putting two of the volutes on the bottom of something like that then just lift it out and then they'd pop as your third hand....they'd be tuff enough to hold the weight?

So, the sieve pan sits under the bag during the mash, then at mashout, the spring lifts up the pan and bag to allow the wort to drain?

 

[bracconiere]

So, the sieve pan sits under the bag during the mash, then at mashout, the spring lifts up the pan and bag to allow the wort to drain?

no if they made big enough spring like the volutes,,, you'd push the basket down, then hook up some sort thing where you could pull it up, and instead of need a third hand to slip something underneath the springs would just pop out and you sit the basket on the rim....this is the thread where said you needed a third hand to get the colander under the basket/bag right?

 

[MaxStout]

no if they made big enough spring like the volutes,,, you'd push the basket down, then hook up some sort thing where you could pull it up, and instead of need a third hand to slip something underneath the springs would just pop out and you sit the basket on the rim....this is the thread where said you needed a third hand to get the colander under the basket/bag right?

Getting the colander under the basket is relatively easy. I only need my 2 hands for that--lift the bag with one hand, place the colander under it with the other, lower the bag. What I need 3 hands for is the next step--holding the bag in place in the colander, squeezing it, all the while keeping wort from running over the sides. Having the right colander or similar vessel to better envelop the bag of grains would make the process more manageable.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Restaurant supply should have over sized colanders, but they are price, a couple years ago I purchased something made for preventing boil overs (colander like, but with large holes of various sizes) which I use to let grains drain.

 

[bracconiere]

Getting the colander under the basket is relatively easy. I only need my 2 hands for that--lift the bag with one hand, place the colander under it with the other, lower the bag. What I need 3 hands for is the next step--holding the bag in place in the colander, squeezing it, all the while keeping wort from running over the sides. Having the right colander or similar vessel to better envelop the bag of grains would make the process more manageable.

my mind is swiming in ideas of toy cherry pickers/engine lifts...hydraulic scissor lifts that would fit on a stove top.....having fun so far!!

 

[Stormcrow]

I've always thought about getting one of those turkey fryer steamer baskets and setting it on an old oven rack over my kettle to do something like this. I've also thought of just drilling a million holes in the bottom of an old turkey fryer kettle and doing the same thing. Just haven't got around to it yet. But kudos on raising awareness for BIAB "muffin top". Many of us have struggled with this and the ensuing mess for years. It's good to know I'm not alone.

 

[Stormcrow]

Have you considered draining the wort into a bucket or another pot, leaving the bag in the initial pot? Then you could add your sparge, if any, directly to the grains, then drain that to a bucket/pot (same one or a different one, your preference).

Then you could move your initial pot to the floor to handle the grain bag (buckets work great to drop it into). Pour, pump, or siphon your wort back to the boil kettle, and you're going.

This might be more work or time, but also seems far more relaxing (and potentially less messy) than wrangling a bag without a hoist.

I've actually been doing this too, and like it.
Whoops, read it again and need to edit. I've actually been lifting the bag and quickly moving it to a bucket after it's drained awhile. Squeeze bag in bucket, then dump that in kettle later.

 

[sibelman]

I thought BIAB meant one vessel. Given how many of these solutions use an additional, er, vessel, maybe go with draining/sparging to a kettle? Okay, that's unhelpful. Whether spring assisted or not, lifting a bag/basket onto a stand could eliminate the need for a hoist. But it seems a wide vessel is necessary because of @MaxStout's muffin top effect.

 

[bracconiere]

I thought BIAB meant one vessel. Given how many of these solutions use an additional, er, vessel, maybe go with draining/sparging to a kettle? Okay, that's unhelpful. Whether spring assisted or not, lifting a bag/basket onto a stand could eliminate the need for a hoist. But it seems a wide vessel is necessary because of @MaxStout's muffin top effect.

wonderful human being, you just gave me the solution, being sliping something underneath wasn't the problem...here we go!


https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/i...Z3WwihwV8XWjEYDxhDEdHtqzEb32fQtBoCqbgQAvD_BwE
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1647765464...7G%2Ft%2Fw%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMqv7tj59f

much cheaper too, i know i'm not much of help directly...but i'm hoping to inspire creativity here....

or here's one that would probably fit the whole bag easy...22"x~7" deep...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1647765528...hKufZkLnXQ%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMqv7tj59f

 

[HopSing]

I've always thought about getting one of those turkey fryer steamer baskets and setting it on an old oven rack over my kettle to do something like this. I've also thought of just drilling a million holes in the bottom of an old turkey fryer kettle and doing the same thing. Just haven't got around to it yet. But kudos on raising awareness for BIAB "muffin top". Many of us have struggled with this and the ensuing mess for years. It's good to know I'm not alone.

Exactly! Find a stainless steamer basket that is an inch to inch and half smaller in diameter and a little shorter in height to brew kettle. Bag goes into basket, basket goes into kettle. When mash is over, lift both. Use three of these S hooks (small size). They have a small ball attached to the end so it does not damage the bag.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HATSN66/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Easy to sparge. Easy to squeeze the bag if that is your thing. I just let it drain while waiting for it to come up to a boil. I also adjust which hole to hook the s hook to so when the wort touches the bottom of the steamer, I know I've reached my pre-boil volume, even if it is not done draining.

The other benefit over a hoist is I can move where I am brewing. Indoor, outdoor, different location, it does not matter. It also has 0 risk of damaging a bag during a hoist.

~HopSing.

 

[WesBrew]

Pricey but you could have a custom basket made by utah bio diesel . Looks like they take a few months. If you could find a shallow sauce pot with handles , cheaply, could drill holes in bottom and use as a strainer

 

[soccerdad]

There's always the Old zapap. 2 buckets. I with holes drains into one without.