BIAB drawbacks?

[iamperplexed]

I do small batch BIAB on the stove in the kitchen during cooler months (several here). It's perfect for my 2.5 gallon kegs and it saves on time and propane. It's also something I can do while working from home, doing housework, cooking dinner, etc. My only real concern is the bag which creeps me out a little, as does the plastic cooler when not using my BIAB configuration. A full stainless system someday will provide a better sense of "food safe" brewing for me. Also, my efficiency suffers no matter how small I crush. All that said, I have more fun brewing with my buddy on his 2-tier pump system.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

I agree, Yooper. Handling a super hot bag of wet grain is not fun, especially with an 11 gallon batch. So, I've rigged up an Alton Brown-ish turkey derrick and it works great. I have a retractable aluminum ladder and spread it over the kettle. I use a chain around the top rungs to rig up a pulley, and a second pulley with a carabiner to connect up the bag's handles, with some nylon cord strung between the two pulleys. At the end of the mash, I collect the bag handles with the carabiner and then pull the cord to raise the bag out of the kettle. While bringing the mash up to a boil, the bag continues to drip and I squeeze the bag until most of the liquid is removed from the grain. At this point, the bag is much lighter, and so I add it to a Homer bucket/Papazian lauter tun to squeeze out the very last drop. It works great and I've been achieving good mash efficiencies with little trouble. This works especially well for outside brewing when an overhead beam is not available to connect the pulley to.

I have been brewing embarrassingly often on a 2.5 to 4 gallon induction system (biab) and of course the weight is non-issue, but when I brew big batches (up to 10 gallons on a 15 gal pot), I use the Alton brown derrick too. Complete with police line plastic chain and flashing light.

 

[Hello]

Lifting the bag out of the water. That's about it.

 

[DurtyChemist]

No one has mentioned draining wort into a bottling bucket and/or fermentor yet. This is an option I've considered for either clearer beer or larger batches. Less water in the mash tun so you don't need to lift the grains all the way out and you can possibly squeeze them before removing them.


A third option is to make a Weisse beer 10 gallon batch. 13-14 lbs grain for 10 gallon batches.

 

[craigmw]

...I use the Alton brown derrick too. Complete with police line plastic chain and flashing light.

Hey, I need to try that! I knew I was missing something.

 

[mr_rogers]

For me the only draw back is lifting the wet grain bag. I regularly make 5 gallon batches of 13-16 lbs and I live in an apartment so I don't have the option of setting up a pulley system over my kitchen stove.
I too disliked how cloudy my beers were coming out of the kettle but now I'm moving to a small pump and CFC to both cool and clarify after the boil.
One thing no one has mentioned is how small your brewing setup can be when you BIAB. I can fit everything that I use for the brewing process inside of my brew kettle. With apartment brewing that's a pretty huge deal.

 

[fuzzy2133]

I am with the others that the grain bag with 10-15+ lbs can be a challenge to drain and handle when it is hot. Definitely easier with a pulley system in place.

 

[chato]

I got tired (literally) of hoisting the full grain bag over the wort, so now I don't even use the bag(s) until after the mash. I mash in my BK without the bag, then use a 1 qt measuring cup to remove the mash to a couple of other pots/buckets with paint strainer bags. For a typical batch with 15 or so pounds of grain, I'll use two bags, three bags for larger amounts (I've done up to 23 lbs). I lift the smaller bags up and place on a colander to drip/squeeze, transfer the wort to the now rinsed out bk, then sparge the bags by splitting the sparge water equally to each of the containers with the bags. This method requires more containers, but it really saves my back and doesn't take any longer.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

If you don't have a rope ratchet it's very easy to use a length of paracord and the Canadian Jam Knot to raise the bag up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzNntgZfHL8

I see how the knot is used for lashing but how is it used to raise the bag?

 

[orangehero]

It creates a loop that can be shortened and lengthened easily at the knot and holds the length when tension is applied. Attach the loop to a point in the ceiling, clip a biner to your bag, clip the loop on, lift the bag by pulling the standing end and making the loop shorter.

I can't comment on the maximum you can lift as it can slip, but a 10lb grainbill should be no problem.

You can also use a Midshipman's Hitch:
http://www.animatedknots.com/midshipmans/

If you are skilled in working with rope the Trucker's Hitch would be the best to use, as well as creating a mechanical advantage:
http://www.animatedknots.com/truckers/

I say these are all great knots to know anyway.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

It creates a loop that can be shortened and lengthened easily at the knot and holds the length when tension is applied. Attach the loop to a point in the ceiling, clip a biner to your bag, clip the loop on, lift the bag by pulling the standing end and making the loop shorter.

You can also use a Midshipman's Hitch:
http://www.animatedknots.com/midshipmans/

Thank you. I'll have to try it. I have a ratchet system but I'd like to see this work.

 

[orangehero]

Be careful with the jam knot, as it can slip.

I would recommend the trucker's hitch because it's the most secure as well as providing mechanical advantage. You won't regret learning it if you don't know it already.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Be careful with the jam knot, as it can slip.

I would recommend the trucker's hitch because it's the most secure as well as providing mechanical advantage. You won't regret learning it if you don't know it already.

I like the truckers hitch. I always wanted to be able to put up a clothesline and a taunt line on the tent. Thanks again.