BIAB - For amateurs?

[MaxStout]

Has anyone here taken part in a pro-am brew? Was it insulting to be called an amateur?

It amazes me that some have such strong opinions about how other brewers filter their wort.

Yes. No.

I did a pro/am last year. They don't do sanctioned pro/am events, just that the head brewer liked a beer I brewed and wanted to do 15 Bbls of it. Turned out great and it sold quickly. It was a hit. They never referred to me as "amateur," they called me "home brewer." But if they had called me amateur I understand the context of the term and would not have been offended. I don't make a living brewing beer.

We all treated each other respectfully and we had a good time. I learned a lot that brew day. If they invited me to do another, I'd jump at the opportunity.

 

[Broken Crow]

one big problem with this hobby are the people who lose their mud because someone does something different than they do.

I would have phrased that differently.

 

[mac_1103]

If another brewer called me an amateur I would take it as an insult.

While you may not be a professional brewer per se, you do make your living at this and have devoted a good chunk of your adult life to learning and teaching the craft. So someone calling you an amateur would be very different than someone calling most of the rest of us amateurs.

 

[worlddivides]

I think he stopped responding after his botulism threads died off, but long story short, yes, BIAB is for amateurs. But so is every brewing method out there. Whether you start with Mr. Beer or a super complicated and technical system, it's all for amateurs!

In fact...

Now that I think about it...

The only system that isn't for amateurs is a 40bbl system... Yeah... (Because 100bbl systems actually are for amateurs... in a sense...)

 

[leedspointbrew]

Yes. No.

I did a pro/am last year. They don't do sanctioned pro/am events, just that the head brewer liked a beer I brewed and wanted to do 15 Bbls of it. Turned out great and it sold quickly. It was a hit. They never referred to me as "amateur," they called me "home brewer." But if they had called me amateur I understand the context of the term and would not have been offended. I don't make a living brewing beer.

We all treated each other respectfully and we had a good time. I learned a lot that brew day. If they invited me to do another, I'd jump at the opportunity.

Are they going to brew it again? Seems like they should, if it was a hit and sold well.

 

[MaxStout]

Are they going to brew it again? Seems like they should, if it was a hit and sold well.

Not sure, though I'd be surprised if they did. Aside from their flagship brews they have a penchant for doing some off-the-wall beers once then moving on.

 

[jdauria]

Was a BIAB brewer for 8+ years and now use an Anvil Foundry, which is basically still BIAB, but the last B is for basket instead of bag. BIAB beers are just as good as beers brewed on three vessel stainless systems that cost brewers thousands of dollars. I have over 150 medals from beer comps proving that and just two weeks ago took a Best in Show and a 2nd place Best in Show with two BIAB beers.

 

[Bobby_M]

Besides the issue of lautering efficiency if doing no-sparge BIAB, I have a concern about water chemistry. My theory: The grains help buffer the mash pH. Thinner mash, as with full volume no-sparge, would allow more fluctuation in the water chemistry. So when I started BIAB, I went with a water-to-grist ratio of about 1.5 - 2.0 qt./lb in the mash. I never tried a full volume mash, so I can't say whether my theory is correct. Maybe someone can comment on this.

It's actually the opposite. The fact that I start with one volume of water and that's it, I calculate my water one time. There are no accommodations required for the dilution that the sparge water will add.

You can't ignore water chemistry for any kind of mash/lauter process but the calculations are more involved when you're introducing a sparge. Not only that but it's more likely to have tannin problems during the sparge IF you're a brewer that hasn't adopted water concerns yet.

 

[Ian Hodge]

Lol!

Live each day like it's your last.