BIAB Kettle Question

I’m hoping to do my first BIAB tomorrow but I have a question about an accessory that came with by 15g Ballington kettle. The kettle came with a perforated rack that sits about 2.5” off the bottom. The kettle does not come with a basket. I’m tempted to use the rack, but that would limit how deep my bag could go. I’ve estimated that my total volume (grains and water) to be around 9 gallons, which means if I use the rack my bag will not be exposed to 27 % of the total column of fluid. The only benefit of the rack that I can see is that the bag would not be sitting on the thermowell at the bottom of my kettle. Should I skip the rack?

 

Don't need a false bottom for BIAB. Skip it.

 

The rack may come in handy if you need to heat it with the bag in there. Otherwise I would leave it off.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'll skip it.

 

IMO you don't need a FB or steamer rack. If you apply direct heat, stir constantly. When you remove the bag, just be aware of the thermowell probe, use a brew spoon to push the bag clear, and remove the bag from the opposite side of the kettle.

Should not be a problem if you are aware of the probe, some snag the probe, then get help from friends and neighbors to try and yank the bag out of the kettle

edit...are you recirculating with a pump? are you adding heat with an element in the mash?

More information would be helpful?

 

This

Don't ask how I know but I do. Thankfully wilser can fix some tears

 

I finished my first BIAB yesterday. It was not without a couple of minor screw-ups but overall everything went okay. One brilliant thing I did when I received your bags in the mail is I put the hops bag inside the main bag, then forgot about it. So while I was brewing I kept wondering where are those hops bags? I eventually found them in the kettle.

I am not recirculating with a pump (should I?) and I am heating with a Blichman floor-standing burner (propane). I am concerned about burning the bag so I ended up using the rack when reheating to 170f for the mashout. I also stirred fairly constantly during the mashout and we were careful about pulling the bag out to avoid the thermowell. Is there a risk of burning a hole in these bags while using the flow burner? It seems like a pump and associated plumbing are a significant cost so I wonder if it would be a good next addition to my BIAB system?

I should mention that the wilserbrewer bags and the pulley worked flawlessly and I’m really glad I made the purchase.

 

@Eamon - you don't have to recirculate. Many BIAB'ers don't, myself included. Those that recirculate will most likely say that their wort is clearer going into the carboy. Probably, but my beer clears just fine in the carboy using a whirlfloc tablet(in the boil) and cold crashing. Those that recirculate will also say that it holds mash temps better. True, but I wrap my pot in an old sleeping bag and can keep my mash within a degree or two. This works for me and it is simpler and less to clean. Either way will still get you beer, just different paths to get there.

I can't answer your question about burning a hole in the bag, but I can tell you that my BIAB setup uses a propane burner and 62qt Bayou Classic pot that came with a basket and I am still using the basket. Many brewers don't use a basket. For me it has two advantages, it keeps the bag off the bottom of the pot, just like your rack in your pot, and two it makes squeezing the grain bag much easier because I can use a heavy glass pitcher and push down on the grain compressing the bag/grain against the basket. I have noticed though that lifting just the bag seems to cause the wort to drain out quicker and more completely.

There is a lot of great advice on this forum, just follow along the way you want to go and have fun.

 

I like your idea of keeping it simple. I really regret not choosing a kettle with a basket now. I could pick up a basket on ebay but it runs around $45 with shipping. I plan to do a better job of insulating my kettle during the mash, since during my first brew I felt the need to fire-up the burner once (around 40 minutes into the mash) to get my mash temperature back up. I may have been a little too obsessed about maintaining a mash temp of 152f for a full hour (maybe 40 minutes would not have been too bad). This will probably be less of a problem once the weather warms up. I am building a wooden press to squeeze the bag, which should help since I ended up with a much lower volume than planned.

I made a number of mistakes, but if I can correct a few I should be on the right track. I really enjoy and appreciate all the help from this forum, I also think I am hooked on BIAB.

 

IMO, simple is NOT using a basket. A proper made bag is plenty strong to not need a basket. For a simple approach, I don't see a basket as an advantage.

IME, I've never used a basket, and actually own one for a 44 qt BC

 

I agree with you @wilserbrewer, going without the basket would be simpler. The main reason I still use mine is because I asked my mother to sew up the bag I am using and it came out a little short. This was totally my fault. The shortness of the bag doesn't leave me enough material to tie into a knot when pulling the bag from the water. The basket provides a security blanket.

Now in the not to distant future I will be looking to you for a new bag and will most likely forgo the basket at that point.

 

Yes,a well fitted bag is larger than one would think...a 16" x 18" kettle would take a bag roughly 26"w x 30" L.