electric single vessel BIAB with recirculation - my setup

My current setup is a single vessel BIAB with electric heat and recirculation. I'm 6 brews into this setup (6 of 46). 5 gallon batches are a breeze. The majority of the brews I've done is in the 8-15 pounds. Works great for that much grain.

The "all-in-one" pot is a 10 gallon kettle. It has a 2000w electric water heating element ~.75" from the bottom.

A steamer rack keeps the BIAB bag off the element and out of the way of the kettle spigots/outlets. It also alleviates the need for a pulley to lift the bag. It sits on the rack and drips while I bring the wort to a boil.

I use single mode temperature controller to set the water temp. I used to tie the temp probe to the kettle outlet but moved to a thermowell through the side. It is mounted low on the pot adjacent from the outlet. Once I added recirculation I don't think the water/wort have been more than 2*F off. I do have the standard brew pot thermometer inline on the recirc pump in side. Just to double check the temp probe.

I used to have a sight glass but it wasn't tall enough and was an overflow point when slushing the BIAB up and down. Used that hole for the thermowell.

Used to have the standard brewpot thermometer mounted on the side of the pot. Pretty useless until I added recirc. Before recirc, the temperature differed even in the 5" from controller temp probe to the thermometer. Put the thermowell in that spot.

The recirculation is handled by a MK 2 pump. I recirc during the entire mash time to keep the temp locked in. I never was able to hold temp with the mash tun cooler and blankets and jackets, at least according to the one thermometer mounted on the side of the tun. Sometimes I batch sparge. Sometimes I mash out (if I remember). I have the plastic pump head but that is a future upgrade as I sometimes forget to shutoff the recirc during the ramp up to and into the boil.

I use quick connects and the (???) tubing sold as a $100 kit.

The BIAB is an inexpensive bag held open with binder clips around the kettle side.

Sometimes it is a single vessel plus a bucket (when I batch sparge).

I may insulate the pot in the future, especially the bottom.

Sometimes the quick connects drip. Drives me batty. Next brew they are tight and dry. No change in setup.

Future upgrade is to change the pump head to the metal

Future upgrade is to go to a 4500W heating element. Probably shave 10 mins off the ramp up to mash temp and 20 mins off the ramp up to boil. And give a better rolling boil if I wanted that.

For really big brews I still get out my 15 gallon keggle and propane.

A 15 gallon pot would probably handle bigger brews if I decided to do them again.

A better BIAB is also in my future.

Maybe rubber gloves that can handle the heat so I can squeeze the bag, though the steamer rack and drip time gets most of what I think I can extract from the grains.

i may build a cart so I can easily look in the pot. I am 5'9" and I brew on the counter/workbench in my garage. Missed by just that much to be comfortable. I like to stirr the grain in the BIAB and just look in at the beautiful grain and water turning into wort.

I am enamored with the idea of a bottom drain on the pot. I'm unwilling so far to drill the bottom. The 90* elbo on the outlet spitot gets all but a cup of the wort when draining. That works for me.

thanks for reading. there will be a quiz.

 

Having trouble visualizing the steamer rack. I understand how it keeps the bag off the element but how does it get above the liquid draining and eliminate the need for a pulley?

 

The steamer rack has ~3" legs. Maybe 2.5". That creates a space under the bag. It only works in that fashion when I drain to a bucket or put the bag back in the pot after I am done and let it drip while I am cleaning.

 

Pictures?

 

Can you upload some pictures? Really interested in the steamer rack. I am looking for something to keep my Bag up off the heating element.

 

Here are a couple snaps. I'll try to get more if I brew tomorrow.

 

Where did you get the screen to keep the bag up off the element? I was going to get 16 gauge SS and make a real false bottom but I have a bag from brewinabag.com any ways so I don't need the fancy false bottom just need something to keep it off the element.

 

www.webstaurantstore.com is where I got the steamer rack.

I'm going to order a better bag for the brew in the bag at some point

 

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/biabbottom15.htm