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

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.
That's what I thought Is going to happen, when I just read your initial post. Maybe you can replace the bolts with wedges on the outside? Bigger surface touching the bucket should do it! You might be able to reuse this bucket for it. You just need to cut some pieces of wood into the right shape. I'd connect the wedges with two screws probably. Looks like a biab rocket then. Fly me to the beer! :D

You're a steely-eyed missile man!
 
https://www.thecarycompany.com/13-g...eghzjnCwAZu5AMUFBPnePpdnwbV4NDyBoCsJUQAvD_BwE
tappered bottom? they sell them at the feed store where i get my barley, if shipping is too much....

You might take this into consideration, from your link:

Reconditioned plastic drums are not safe for food packaging or any consumable goods. This drum previously stored Metformin Hydrochloride Tablets and may include previous label.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************

There are several large stainless wine funnels on AliExpress that may work for BIAB draining in a large kettle:

15.75 in diameter:
Funnel Stainless Steel Large funnel stainless steel metal wine funnel fuel funnel large extra large 40cm|wine dress|metal wine glass holdermetal ring size adjuster - AliExpress

16.25 in diameter:
Thickened stainless steel funnel large diameter wine leak with filter screen household kitchen industrial funnel large|Bar Measures| - AliExpress
 
Ground Control to Major Tom...
RocketBucket1.jpg


RocketBucket2.jpg


RocketBucket3.jpg

Used the same bucket, did some mods to bolster the strength. I put 20 lbs weight inside and the bucket barely deflected.
 
if you're the type that competes, now you can ***** slap the judges, and intimidate them! :mug:

i don't see any o-rings on those bolts though, food for thought......

I drilled the holes in the bucket with zero clearance, in fact, a couple thousanths smaller than the bolt dia. (Nice to have a set of letter drill bits to get close to the exact diameter needed.) Nothing's getting through those bolt holes.
 
@MaxStout how much do you think that bucket cost?

I had all the hardware on hand, and the 5 gal. bucket was a freebie (originally had potato salad or something). The 3/8-16 x 5" ss bolts were extras after I made a hop spider a while back. I think I bought a pack of 6 for around $10 from the home center store. For my narrow 8 gal. kettle I could've gotten by with 3" bolts--I just had the 5" on hand. SS nuts and washers were a couple bucks. The sheet metal strap was on hand, but you could fashion struts from wood or other materials.

If you had to buy all the stuff, perhaps $20, tops. It's more the time than anything. I probably put a couple hours into the two iterations of it. Drilling lots of holes.

Edit: Also three 1/4-20 x 3/4" ss bolts with nuts and washers. Another few bucks. Still could be <$20 total.
 
if it works you'll get a return on investment on that front...i can just imagine the grin, in fact it's your avatar! :mug:

I think it'll work, hope so, anyway. I'll be grinning if my next indoor brew is less messy. I don't regret buying the big Chinese colander--my wife got her hooks into that, so not $$ wasted.
 
Due to my induction cooker blowing up, I had to move from the garage to the outdoor kitchen which has no hoist. What a pain it was dealing with that. I tried draining the kettle with the bag in it, but the port is too high up on the kettle to be effective. Next time I am going to mash in the garage with a hoist and then move outside to boil. I know this defeats some of the point of BIAB, but will be way easier. Just will be harder to maintain mash temp without a heat source.
 
Gee. Another 120 reasons why I don’t brew in a BAG! Conventional stainless steel 16 gallon mash tun, heatable, true false bottom 1” hi. I can sparge or no-sparge, vorloft, drain super clear wort to boil kettle & when it’s 3-4” deep start the fire. When spent mash is thoroughly drained next day, it’s easy to scoop out for my friends’ chickens. Bag? Why?
 
Gee. Another 120 reasons why I don’t brew in a BAG! Conventional stainless steel 16 gallon mash tun, heatable, true false bottom 1” hi. I can sparge or no-sparge, vorloft, drain super clear wort to boil kettle & when it’s 3-4” deep start the fire. When spent mash is thoroughly drained next day, it’s easy to scoop out for my friends’ chickens. Bag? Why?


that wouldn't be as much fun though!!

 
Gee. Another 120 reasons why I don’t brew in a BAG! Conventional stainless steel 16 gallon mash tun, heatable, true false bottom 1” hi. I can sparge or no-sparge, vorloft, drain super clear wort to boil kettle & when it’s 3-4” deep start the fire. When spent mash is thoroughly drained next day, it’s easy to scoop out for my friends’ chickens. Bag? Why?

8cbcba7714ef94b4a8750bc823954a33.jpg
 
Bag? Why?

I'll bite...

My mash tun and false bottom (i.e, a bag) costs ~$10... I can sparge or no-sparge, no need to vorlauf, drain super clear wort to boil kettle by lifting the bag & can start the fire immediately. When spent mash is thoroughly drained (before my boil is even finished), it’s easy to carry my bag to the compost pile, dump the spent grains, and rinse the bag before I've finished chilling ( and I'm finished w/ mash clean up!). Bag? Why wouldn't I?
 
man you don't brew enough....i've been looking forward to that post for so long, now i have to revist the whole thread, to remember why! 🤣 :mug:

I was definitely long overdue for a brew. But I'm basically the only one in the house who drinks it, so a batch lasts a long time.

Already thinking of the next brew, coming up in a few weeks.
 
I was definitely long overdue for a brew. But I'm basically the only one in the house who drinks it, so a batch lasts a long time.

Already thinking of the next brew, coming up in a few weeks.


well you may need to 'brace yourself' if this contraption is too much fun! :mug: (if i remember until the warmer season returns?)
 
well you may need to 'brace yourself' if this contraption is too much fun! :mug: (if i remember until the warmer season returns?)

Highs this week in single digits. I don't enjoy winter brewing in the unheated garage, so I do stove top batches indoors. Works great, using a 1500W heat stick to supplement the stove heat. Did a 6 gal batch of Yooper's oatmeal stout today.
 
Did a 6 gal batch of Yooper's oatmeal stout today.


thinking about single digit temps.....maybe i'll add some cinnamon to my next dark beer....


wait HIGHs in single digits? it's like 60f here and i'm freezing having to run the heater? lol


one plus of brewing indoors, helps save on the heating bill...
 
If it's not impolite to ask, Mr. Stout, when do you anticipate getting the BIAB Rocket on the market? Some of us are mechanically disinclined, if not downright inept. (Speaking from personal experience.)

Ha!

I don't think there would be much of a market for such a thing, and it solves a very specific problem. So don't expect to see a MaxStout BIAB Rocket Drainer at your LHBS anytime soon.

But seriously, it doesn't take a great deal of mechanical inclination. A 5-gal bucket, some stainless bolts, nuts and washers; and some strips of sheet metal for support struts. Only tools you need are a drill and a couple wrenches.

I just thought of an even more ghetto version of this, to eliminate the bolts, etc. Drill holes in the bottom of a bucket, as before. Set a sheet of stainless mesh atop the kettle, then the bucket on top of that.
 
I just thought of an even more ghetto version of this, to eliminate the bolts, etc. Drill holes in the bottom of a bucket, as before. Set a sheet of stainless mesh atop the kettle, then the bucket on top of that.


wouldn't that get back to your spilling over the rim problem back?
 
Ha!

I don't think there would be much of a market for such a thing, and it solves a very specific problem. So don't expect to see a MaxStout BIAB Rocket Drainer at your LHBS anytime soon.

But seriously, it doesn't take a great deal of mechanical inclination. A 5-gal bucket, some stainless bolts, nuts and washers; and some strips of sheet metal for support struts. Only tools you need are a drill and a couple wrenches.

I just thought of an even more ghetto version of this, to eliminate the bolts, etc. Drill holes in the bottom of a bucket, as before. Set a sheet of stainless mesh atop the kettle, then the bucket on top of that.
Simple S/S cake rack ?

Rack.png
 
Another option is an automotive drain with a strainer ($25 for an 18 inch). I hoist my stainless steel BIAB up, place the automotive drain on top of my keggle, and then lower the BIAB on top. The drain is strong enough to hold 22 lbs of wet grain and wide enough to limit the mess. For those who make 5 gallon all-grain BIAB batches, an 18 inch drain can handle the BIAB bag without overflowing the side.
 

Attachments

  • Automotive drain.jpg
    Automotive drain.jpg
    122 KB · Views: 3
Back
Top