BIAB Bag shape

[bluebarnaclebrewing]

I've been a batch sparge brewer for awhile but I'm moving away from 10G batches and I'm tired of lugging a big cooler by myself and the added work of cleaning it.... so... I bought a nice piece of Voile today and I'm trying to map out the shape to sew it.


The easiest is a pillow case shape as the piece is 60"x39" and I'll be using a keggle (~30"x40") It will be more than big enough which I'm ok with. I'm wondering if I'll have a hard time getting the bag out of the keg with a pillow case shape or should I round the bottom corners?

Anyone have any experience; good or bad, with this shape bag in a keggle?

 

[doomy86]

hello bluebarnaclebrewing,

I never tried the pillow shape type bag, but i don't think it will be a problem to get it out of the kettle. I always used the round bottom corner ones. They work great because they fit nicely in the kettle they were made for. If you get the measuring phase right its not that much more difficult to sew them.

I even created a how-to guide and calculator on making your own round bottom bag:

http://lukasholenweg.com/2017/02/15/make-the-best-biab-bag/

Cheers!

 

[MandingaBIAB]

There best bag designs are tapered toward the top and more bulbous toward the bottom. This allows for the grain to be squeezed together more tightly, creating maximum enzyme concentration resulting in maximized wort viability. Pillow case shapes are ok but really aren't constricted enough and allow the grain slurry to float around too freely IMHO.

 

[bluebarnaclebrewing]

Thanks! unfortunately the piece I picked up isn't quite big enough. I'm going to try out a pillow case shape with one corner curved. I don't want to buy more in case I don't really enjoy doing BIAB. Trying to keep it cheap for this experiment.

 

[doomy86]

Sure, that should work without a problem. Try to sew french seams to your bag, it will look much nicer with them.

Cheers!

 

[wilserbrewer]

I'm moving away from 10G batches and I'm tired of lugging a big cooler by myself and the added work of cleaning it.

I'll be using a keggle........

If your goal is to brew smaller batches without lugging heavy things, my advice would be to sell the keggle and get any 10 gal pot. IMO a keggle is 20 lbs too heavy and poorly shaped for 5 gal BIAB. The small top opening makes bag removal tricky and cleaning the keggle difficult.

If you're determined to use your keggle, I would shape your bag with a heavy taper at the bottom to keep the grain mass small to ease removal.

26"w at top, 12"-14"w at bottom, and 34 length, w/ 3" hem at top for drawstring.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1488884915.148677.jpg

 

[1MadScientist]

bag design #1
https://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/5754234585/

bag design #2
https://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/6394786081/in/album-72157633528473769/

bag design #1 (5 gallon batch)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/5754782978/in/album-72157633528473769/

all other photos are bag pulls are with bag #2 design

set
https://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/sets/72157633528473769/

 

[bluebarnaclebrewing]

This is why I love this forum. This is exactly what I was looking to see!

Thanks for taking thehe time to help a guy out.

QUOTE=1MadScientist;7925999]bag design #1
https://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/5754234585/

bag design #2
https://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/6394786081/in/album-72157633528473769/

bag design #1 (5 gallon batch)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/5754782978/in/album-72157633528473769/

all other photos are bag pulls are with bag #2 design

set
https://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/sets/72157633528473769/[/QUOTE]

 

[wilserbrewer]

MS, are you still using a keggle?

 

[1MadScientist]

I went to a 20 gallon Spike. I don't update my Flickr set, moved over to Google Photos. I do agree that a keggle is heavy. Cheers.

 

[bluebarnaclebrewing]

I would also agree the keggle is HEAVY and poorly shaped. I'm just testing the waters for BIAB and I would still like to be able to do 10G batches sometimes so not ready to get rid of it yet. Hoping to stop spending money for brewing gear

 

[TorMag]

Hoping to stop spending money for brewing gear

ROFLMAO.......

Sorry.

 

[bluebarnaclebrewing]

LOL

That was said in jest😀

 

[bluebarnaclebrewing]

This is what I came up with. Fits the keg nice and should work out OK.

It was fun pretending to know how to work a sewing machine. It did hold ~25lbs easily.