BIAB - One Vessel (Mash, Boil, Ferment, Serve) Is it possible?

[bomb]

All,

I am a 1bbl 3 Kettle electric brewer but I wasn't sure if this was discussed before.

Why couldn't I take a 1BBL Brite Tank(or any size) add two TC ports for heating elements and do everything in one vessel? Can have two ports on the back for heating and 3 on the front (temperature, sample port, and whirlpool/racking) then of course the dump port.

For the Mash and Boil, it would act like a standard BIAB system.
Then use the Racking Port/Whirlpool and Dump Ports to chill the batch back into the vessel.
Some Brite Tanks have full pressurized Lids (which give you enough space for the giant bag). So you pop that lid on and can now pitch yeast and pressurize the vessel during or after fermentation. You can pressurize through an extra TC port or have the sample port on a butterfly and pressurize though there.

The only issue I could foresee would be fermentation temperature. I thought about a jacketed brite tank but you don't want the glycol in there as you boil. Then I thought about a custom "herms" coil that sits in the lowest part of the brite tank that can be hooked up to your glycol machine. That coil will always sit in there.

Anyone else ever think of this idea? There has to be something I am missing. It would be an expensive piece of equipment but would save a ton of time as a one vessel system.

 

[Blazinlow86]

All,

I am a 1bbl 3 Kettle electric brewer but I wasn't sure if this was discussed before.

Why couldn't I take a 1BBL Brite Tank(or any size) add two TC ports for heating elements and do everything in one vessel? Can have two ports on the back for heating and 3 on the front (temperature, sample port, and whirlpool/racking) then of course the dump port.

For the Mash and Boil, it would act like a standard BIAB system.
Then use the Racking Port/Whirlpool and Dump Ports to chill the batch back into the vessel.
Some Brite Tanks have full pressurized Lids (which give you enough space for the giant bag). So you pop that lid on and can now pitch yeast and pressurize the vessel during or after fermentation. You can pressurize through an extra TC port or have the sample port on a butterfly and pressurize though there.

The only issue I could foresee would be fermentation temperature. I thought about a jacketed brite tank but you don't want the glycol in there as you boil. Then I thought about a custom "herms" coil that sits in the lowest part of the brite tank that can be hooked up to your glycol machine. That coil will always sit in there.

Anyone else ever think of this idea? There has to be something I am missing. It would be an expensive piece of equipment but would save a ton of time as a one vessel system.

I'm pretty sure there has been some brought to market in the past and a guy in my club built one himself. It's not a new idea. Just not a very popular one. Cheers

 

[applescrap]

I would personally one kettle brew, but carrying my kettle downstairs would be too hard. But yeah, mash, boil, ferment all in one kettle. Not a lot to not like imo. Plenty of threads and successful stories. It will work and one less oxygenated step wont hurt.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

You could have bed pan that doubles as a soup bowl, but why? I'd rather start clean right about the serving vessel.

 

[LittleRiver]

You could have bed pan that doubles as a soup bowl, but why? I'd rather start clean right about the serving vessel.

What a horrible analogy. This is not even remotely appropriate. If your mind works that way that's fine, that's your business. But posting this excrement on this forum is not helpful to anyone, not even you.

 

[bomb]

You could have bed pan that doubles as a soup bowl, but why? I'd rather start clean right about the serving vessel.

Well I’m just looking for the cons. If I brew, the only “dirt” I’d think would come from the grain or hops and if they are both bagged, I’m not sure what “dirt” is left for when I ferment. Dirty elements?

 

[Robert65]

I remember a thread about this on another forum once, which made me aware that there are a number of these systems commercially available, though very pricey. Who knew. The biggest con I see is that you'd have to wait until you've poured the last pint of one batch before you could brew the next, unless you wanted to invest in multiples of these pricey purchases or builds (it's going to be a costly build too, admit it.) At the very least I'd consider serving from a separate vessel (or several of them,) and perhaps making those the vessels you carbonate in, so you could improve turnaround time and have multiple beers on tap.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Well I’m just looking for the cons. If I brew, the only “dirt” I’d think would come from the grain or hops and if they are both bagged, I’m not sure what “dirt” is left for when I ferment. Dirty elements?

Trub, yeast cake, proteins. Those are all the things I wouldn't want in the serving vessel. However, Mash, boil, then ferment I can totally see. I would just want some sort of separation.

 

[balrog]

@Robert65 , my thoughts exactly. One at a time till the end of the batch before starting another brew is tough on having something available while you wait for fermentation and conditioning.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

What a horrible analogy. This is not even remotely appropriate. If your mind works that way that's fine, that's your business. But posting this excrement on this forum is not helpful to anyone, not even you.

Calm down, captain sensitive. It was a perfect analogy. Trub (and the rest of the yeast cake) has the poop of yeast among other waste things I would like to limit in my finished beer. The OP wanted any downsides to an all-in-one vessel. I gave him the one that would prevent me from doing what he is talking about.

 

[balrog]

I was just amused by his use of excrement when discussing bed pan post. Points for style.

 

[bomb]

Calm down, captain sensitive. It was a perfect analogy. Trub (and the rest of the yeast cake) has the poop of yeast among other waste things I would like to limit in my finished beer. The OP wanted any downsides to an all-in-one vessel. I gave him the one that would prevent me from doing what he is talking about.

yeah. That makes sense. Serving out of my unitank is also a pain to keep cold let alone off flavors. Maybe just mash, boil, and ferment in one vessel then moving it to kegs like I normally do. Just doing those three is a lot for one vessel.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

yeah. That makes sense. Serving out of my unitank is also a pain to keep cold let alone off flavors. Maybe just mash, boil, and ferment in one vessel then moving it to kegs like I normally do. Just doing those three is a lot for one vessel.

Thinking about this more - if you had a modified SS conical that you could dump the excrement out of the bottom, then I could totally see this working.

The elements, like you mentioned above, would also have to be considered. Those things can get pretty hairy and I wouldn't want to taste them.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Trub (and the rest of the yeast cake) has the poop of yeast among other waste things I would like to limit in my finished beer.

You do realize that the "poop" of yeast is alcohol and CO2, right? I kinda like those in my beer!!

Personally, I have it on my list to try fermenting one of my 2.5 gal baches in a keg and serving from that keg.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

You do realize that the "poop" of yeast is alcohol and CO2, right? I kinda like those in my beer!!

Personally, I have it on my list to try fermenting one of my 2.5 gal baches in a keg and serving from that keg.

Technically, wouldn't CO2 be the fart?

Good luck with that batch.

 

[Robert65]

You do realize that the "poop" of yeast is alcohol and CO2, right? I kinda like those in my beer!!

I say they belch and fart CO2 and pee alcohol. The poop is esters, VDKs.... what were we talking about?

 

[9Kegs]

Anyone else ever think of this idea? There has to be something I am missing. It would be an expensive piece of equipment but would save a ton of time as a one vessel system.[/QUOTE]

Yes. it is the Brewha BIAC. The Microbrewery level (4 in 1) has a jacketed conical and can handle up to to15 PSI starting at around $4K. Here's a link https://brewhaequipment.com/products/brewha-biac-all-in-one-for-nano-and-micro-breweries

 

[applescrap]

I must have missed the serving part of this. I have pm'd a member who does this and read about it. Plenty seem happy with the process. Some of the problems have been mentioned, I remain curious, mostly doubtful, that off flavors would be problematic.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I boil and ferment in the same stainless kettle without issue...
I have often thought about an all in one and serving from the same vessel, but without a dump port, I prefer to rack clear beer to the keg leaving behind a large trub / yeast / hop / cake.

I see no reason why this wouldn’t work well if you had an effective bottom dump, or aka brew in a conical, then pressurize and serve...

I’m currently a two vessel brewhouse, kettles and kegs, taking that to one vessel while possible raises other obstacles that I’m not prepared to deal with. While those obstacles could be overcome, I’m not sure it’s worth the effort and expense.