You have no control!!!

[tonyc318]

So I ran into an old friend recently. We discovered that we both home brew. He was telling me about his system and then asked about my setup up. I told him I do 5 gallon batches using BIAB method. He then proceeded to launch into a long rant about why I need to quit doing BIAB. He said I had no control brewing that way and that all grain is better and that he only spent 750 bucks on his equipment, blah, blah, blah.

All this to say it ticked me off. I think BIAB makes great beers. And It drives me nuts when people don't think I'm an AG brewer.

Cheers to the many people on this site that have encouraged me to get into BIAB and for the others that at least respect the method.

What dumb comments have u heard about BIAB?

 

[jgarretson]

It's typical for those to disparage something when they don't understand it or know just enough to be dangerous. Plus God only knows what type of nonsense your buddy has read or been told about BIAB.

I just did my first BIAB batch this past weekend. Not only did I do BIAB, I did no chill overnight! Oh the humanity!

 

[Skarekrough]

At the end of the day it still tastes like beer.

 

[bbohanon]

Words of wisdom given to me by a seasoned homebrewer when I started:

"Brew YOUR beer. Be happy, have fun and never lose sight of the joy of the process and the end result, regardless of how you make your batches."

For those who don't approve of my methods, equipment, measurements, etc. I just chuckle and make a mental note to be sure they are not on my list to hand out free beer to when the batches become ready.
Their loss, not mine.


Brew on brewer!:fro:

 

[ICWiener]

"Brew YOUR beer. Be happy, have fun and never lose sight of the joy of the process and the end result, regardless of how you make your batches."

That's a good one. I like that.

I brew AG but that doesn't stop me from doing a quickie batch with DME and steeping grains on the kitchen stovetop every now and then. You know what? Those batches taste just fine to me. Brew how you brew.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I told him I do 5 gallon batches using BIAB method. He then proceeded to launch into a long rant about why I need to quit doing BIAB. He said I had no control brewing that way.....

No control...what the hell does that mean?

all grain is better and that he only spent 750 bucks on his equipment, blah, blah, blah.

So for only $750 you should have told him he has what is referred to as a ghetto rig on HBT. I highly doubt he has control (automation) on his "equipment".

Cheers!

 

[hunter_le five]

On what planet is BIAB not "all-grain"? It's just a different method to achieve the same results. You still have control over mash temps and grain bill. The only thing that is (slightly) different is how you sparge. And this is coming from a "three-vessel" AG brewer.

I'm not sure he understands how BIAB works. They both utilize essentially the same process to achieve the same result. It's just a matter of preference.

Maybe he thought you meant extract with steeping grains (in a bag), or even partial mash (even in that case I'd take some exception to his comment)?

 

[MuddyCreek]

Simple "beer snob response checklist"

A) Are you happy with your process? (check)

B) Are you ok with the efficiency your system produces? (check)

C) Do you like the beer your system produces? (check)

optional
D) Do other people like the beer your system produces? (check)

If you have A, B, and C checked (and optionally D) You may smile and tell your friend you appreciate his opinion but he may go and clean out his mash tun now.

 

[reverendj1]

When I did a big brew day for homebrewing day this year, it was one of my first times actually talking to other brewers and seeing their setups. I thought BIAB was a much bigger thing, with all the attention it gets here. There were 60 brew teams, and I think only one other team was doing BIAB. The people next to me had never heard of it and when they saw my equipment, they said "Oh, so you just do extract?". I informed them that I do in fact do all grain, and explained the process to them. They weren't all snooty about it or anything, they had just never heard of it. So, not really "dumb" just uninformed.

I also met someone on HBT that was interested in going AG, but was hesitant about the costs or something, so I invited him over for a brew day to see what BIAB was all about. Once we were done with the AG bit, he said something along the lines of "Really? That's it? I'm going to go get a bag and extra kettle right now (at the time I was heating my sparge water too, but I've found it to be unnecessary). Maybe I'll be able to squeeze a brew in today."

 

[ICWiener]

They weren't all snooty about it or anything, they had just never heard of it. So, not really "dumb" just uninformed.

That's probably the best way to put it.

I did BIAB for a long time. I was explaining it to a fellow homebrewer who had never heard of it before. When I was done he said, "Huh, that's interesting. That's how I brew, I just didn't know it was called brew-in-a-bag." I thought it was pretty funny.

 

[tonyc318]

Great responses everyone. I have also been surprised about how many fellow brewers don't understand what BIAB is. I really enjoy the method. What got me about this friend was his unwillingness to hear me explain it. It just wasn't as good as his method. After all, he has won several awards (according to him). That's fine, I entered a comp once and got 2nd in the light hybrid category for a Kolsch that I brewed doing BIAB.

Needless to say, the people I have over on a brew day, or over for beers, are people that enjoy the beer I make or simply love home brewing in its varied forms.

Cheers to many roads to equally great beer!

 

[GrogNerd]

think dude might have been confusing BIAB with extract plus steeping grains

NOT that I think you can't make good beers with either of those methods.

well, I can't. but that's not saying other, better brewers can't

 

[zman]

It does not matter how you brew as long as you do and you enjoy it. I have been doing AG for 6 years and BIAB for 2+. Hell I still do extract batches from time to time and it all turns out to be delicious beer

 

[Beernik]

Reminds me of an argument I got into a long time ago. I used to partial mash using the BIAB method. The guy insisted that unless I was using a MLT, what I was doing could only be considered "steeping specialty grains" and not a partial mash.

The fact I was using base malts, resting at mash temps, and sparging by putting the bag in a giant funnel and rinsing water through it didn't seem to matter to him.

People are asses.

Dude is just bent you are doing the same thing he is and you didn't spend $750 to be able to do it.

 

[GrogNerd]

People are asses.

mostly, yes

people here on HBT are all exceptions

 

[smccarter]

I've personally never used the brew-in-a-bag method, but I did brew extract for a number of years. Went to AG early this year. I do still brew extract or partial mash beers though. It saves so much time.

I don't know that I'd agree with anyone who has a problem with any method. It's a hobbie. A hobbie should be something that the individual should enjoy. The arrogance of a know-it-all just pisses me off.

 

[HopsterMacBrew]

I've done extract an PM brews before but have been interested in BIAB for a while and finally brewed one last week. Being my first AG batch, my mash temps were way off (high) and the resulting OG was too low.

At that point, I didn't want to pitch the yeast. I had also been reading about no-chill at the time. So I put the lid on the BK and let it cool enough to then put it in my spare fridge. My thought was to get some DME to bring wort back up to target OG. Before doing that, I made a post in another area of this forum and had some very interesting responses. Some said ferment it, as-is (low gravity and all). Others said to pour it out. Still others said that adding the DME would be fine. I reposted saying that I decided to reboil with added DME since my wort had been sealed in my fridge for two days. At that point, one responder basically said I was a fool for not heeding the advice of the more experienced brewers and that letting the wort sit for 2 days was a grave mistake.

I reboiled and added the DME, got wort up to target OG, did another no-chill and pitched the yeast the next morning.

My reasoning for all of this is that I like brewing, but I also like drinking the beer I brew! I'm learning new things all the time. Just learned a hard lesson about controlling mash temps! But I'm not just going to give up on a batch if I think I can improve it. Problem is, if this ends up being a good brew, it will be difficult to repeat. But I wasn't going to let people who don't understand/accept BIAB and no-chill tell me that I shouldn't do something just because its not the way they do things.

This batch has been in the primary now for about a week. Hopefully, it'll turn out well and I'll be drinking in the New Year!

 

[Robar]

What got me about this friend was his unwillingness to hear me explain it. It just wasn't as good as his method. After all, he has won several awards (according to him).

Everybody knows this guy. His truck goes through more mud, hauling more wood, pulling a bigger trailer... Oh it's a Chevy too so don't be parking your old Dodge in his drive way. His rifle is better, shoots flatter and has taken more deer than that ratty ass old rifle that was passed down to you from grand dad or the new Remington you saved all year to buy (No he would not like to see either of them). Yep, we all know that guy :smack:

 

[wilserbrewer]

I've done extract an PM brews before but have been interested in BIAB for a while and finally brewed one last week. Being my first AG batch, my mash temps were way off (high) and the resulting OG was too low.

At that point, I didn't want to pitch the yeast. I had also been reading about no-chill at the time. So I put the lid on the BK and let it cool enough to then put it in my spare fridge. My thought was to get some DME to bring wort back up to target OG. Before doing that, I made a post in another area of this forum and had some very interesting responses. Some said ferment it, as-is (low gravity and all). Others said to pour it out. Still others said that adding the DME would be fine. I reposted saying that I decided to reboil with added DME since my wort had been sealed in my fridge for two days. At that point, one responder basically said I was a fool for not heeding the advice of the more experienced brewers and that letting the wort sit for 2 days was a grave mistake.

I reboiled and added the DME, got wort up to target OG, did another no-chill and pitched the yeast the next morning.

My reasoning for all of this is that I like brewing, but I also like drinking the beer I brew! I'm learning new things all the time. Just learned a hard lesson about controlling mash temps! But I'm not just going to give up on a batch if I think I can improve it. Problem is, if this ends up being a good brew, it will be difficult to repeat. But I wasn't going to let people who don't understand/accept BIAB and no-chill tell me that I shouldn't do something just because its not the way they do things.

This batch has been in the primary now for about a week. Hopefully, it'll turn out well and I'll be drinking in the New Year!

I cant think of a reason why this won't work...won't be the beer you originally intended...but will be beer and just may be very tasty! I admire your perseverance!

 

[VladOfTrub]

With biab, a bagger has control over the basic elements of brewing, temp., time, thickness and pH. Biab is a nice, Lean way to brew beer. I used biab back in the day when the bags were made a lot different than what's made today. IMO, they were superior than what's out there today. In my case, I became bored with biab and with the infusion method and so, moved to a process that holds my attention. Whether, beer is made in waders or in a toilet tank, as long as it is fun and the brewer likes how it tastes, who cares how it is brewed?

 

[fmr_army]

"Whether, beer is made in waders or in a toilet tank, as long as it is fun and the brewer likes how it tastes, who cares how it is brewed?"

AMEN

(However, please let me know if you're offering me beer made in waders and a toilet tank - in which case I will probably run out to the store for a six-pack of non-potty beer. But that's just me.)

 

[HopsterMacBrew]

Whether, beer is made in waders or in a toilet tank, as long as it is fun and the brewer likes how it tastes, who cares how it is brewed?

Ha ha ha! Toilet tank brew! If done properly, that may just work! That may be the next method if you get sick of your current method. Just sayin'...

-Cheers!

 

[k_mcarthur]

I've done extract an PM brews before but have been interested in BIAB for a while and finally brewed one last week. Being my first AG batch, my mash temps were way off (high) and the resulting OG was too low.

At that point, I didn't want to pitch the yeast. I had also been reading about no-chill at the time. So I put the lid on the BK and let it cool enough to then put it in my spare fridge. My thought was to get some DME to bring wort back up to target OG. Before doing that, I made a post in another area of this forum and had some very interesting responses. Some said ferment it, as-is (low gravity and all). Others said to pour it out. Still others said that adding the DME would be fine. I reposted saying that I decided to reboil with added DME since my wort had been sealed in my fridge for two days. At that point, one responder basically said I was a fool for not heeding the advice of the more experienced brewers and that letting the wort sit for 2 days was a grave mistake.

I reboiled and added the DME, got wort up to target OG, did another no-chill and pitched the yeast the next morning.

My reasoning for all of this is that I like brewing, but I also like drinking the beer I brew! I'm learning new things all the time. Just learned a hard lesson about controlling mash temps! But I'm not just going to give up on a batch if I think I can improve it. Problem is, if this ends up being a good brew, it will be difficult to repeat. But I wasn't going to let people who don't understand/accept BIAB and no-chill tell me that I shouldn't do something just because its not the way they do things.

This batch has been in the primary now for about a week. Hopefully, it'll turn out well and I'll be drinking in the New Year!

I also enjoy experimentation and am interested in the final outcome of this batch. But when I read posts like this I have to wonder, if you don't want the advice of experienced brewers who have made many mistakes over the years along with their great beer, then why ask the question? If you're going to do something unorthodox, go for it. But don't expect everyone to accept it with open arms. Just my snarky two cents.

 

[JohnSand]

OP, I've had similar experience. The owner of a local nanobrewery said "That's not grain brewing." when I told him I BIAB. I answered: "There's no extract in it." So he asked how I separate the grain from the wort. I think he'd never heard of it, or knew nothing about it.

K Mac, the great thing about asking advice is that you get to decide which advice to accept. Most questions here receive widely differing responses. And if we didn't try unorthodox things, there wouldn't be BIAB, or no chill. But you make a good point: Deviate from standard practice at your own risk.

 

[doornumber3]

Doesn't matter if its extract biab all grain. What matters is you enjoy making it and drinking it. Don't let what others think change the way you do things.

 

[Epimetheus]

Whether, beer is made in waders or in a toilet tank, as long as it is fun and the brewer likes how it tastes, who cares how it is brewed?

Oooh, could you post that one to youtube? And does it require those blue hockey puck thingies? Inquiring minds want to know and perhaps be nauseated I totally agree with the sentiment.

 

[troy2000]

I also enjoy experimentation and am interested in the final outcome of this batch. But when I read posts like this I have to wonder, if you don't want the advice of experienced brewers who have made many mistakes over the years along with their great beer, then why ask the question? If you're going to do something unorthodox, go for it. But don't expect everyone to accept it with open arms. Just my snarky two cents.

It isn't like he asked for advice, got a consensus of opinion from experienced brewers, then ignored them and did what he wanted to do anyway. If you reread his post, you'll see that the responses he got were all over the map - including at least one that said it would work fine.

Just my snarky response.

 

[pelipen]

It's a hobby. If we all did it the same way, the forum wouldn't exist and HD wouldn't sell as many paint strainer bags.

You can make a great omelette with eggbeaters and a $10 skillet. You can make a great omelette with eggs you harvested from your own chickens, and cook on a $250 Demeyere skillet.

 

[adiochiro3]

You may smile and tell your friend you appreciate his opinion but he may go and clean out his mash tun now.

This made me laugh out loud! I've done traditional AG & BIAB, and while I don't see anything about my brewing hobby as a chore, cleaning the mash tun might be the first thing that may feel like it.