BIAB vs 3 vessel setups

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

FI

I am in kinda the same boat. I have most of the parts for a DIY 3 vessel system, but my BIAB is so convenient and takes very little room to do in the garage. I use a propane burner, a 10 gallon kettle with a ball valve and a banjo screen. I have added a cooler for my sparge and dump my grains from the bag into the cooler with 170 water and leave it in there for about 15 to 20 mins. I dig the look of the 3 vessel setup, but my BIAB has given me some good beers and now that I have my process pretty dialed in I can hit my numbers give or take a few points. The only drawback I have found is I am not comfortable doing step mashes yet as the temp control can be a bit tricky with the propane. I have been looking into converting my kettle into an electric setup, but then I have to get a controller and all of the, which I am just not ready for. The AIO units, as far as I know, allow you to do step mashes and play with the temps, as well as setting them to go off early so your strike water is ready to go when you get up. For now though, I enjoy my BIAB setup and will continue with that.

FYI, I do infusion step mashes with my BIAB. I use the infusion calculator in BeerSmith. For simplicity, I tweak the amount of infusion water until it gives me a temp near boiling. Just get the water near boiling and throw it in the mash. I do the same thing for mash out. I usually end up within a degree of my target temp.

 

[WayFrae]

I have done BIAB and 3V but recently went 2V. Basically just ditched the HLT. I find that I get clearer wort being able to lauter. It works well for me. I still mash in a bag just so cleanup is easier though haha.

 

[LegacyBanker]

This isn't mine, I use a 3v system, this is my brother's. Harbor Freight has rope pulleys.

Where does the other end of the rope go after it feeds through the pulley? There would have to be a counterweight of some kind…?

 

[mashdar]

Where does the other end of the rope go after it feeds through the pulley? There would have to be a counterweight of some kind…?

Some people may tie off the rope. Others may have a rope grabber thing similar to window blinds, where you pull at a certain angle to release.

 

[doug293cz]

Where does the other end of the rope go after it feeds through the pulley? There would have to be a counterweight of some kind…?

You can get ratcheting pulleys that lock the cord in place until you release it. This is what Wilser provides with his bags.

Brew on

 

[McMullan]

You can get ratcheting pulleys that lock the cord in place until you release it. This is what Wilser provides with his bags.

Brew on

 

[doug293cz]

For when you have a 500 lb grain bill.

Brew on

 

[McMullan]

View attachment 844236

For when you have a 500 lb grain bill.

Brew on

View attachment 844236

For when you have a 500 lb grain bill.

Brew on

I can pull so much wet grain post mash, with my little finger, it’s genuinely funny. Hats off to the engineers. I swing on it too, just for the fun of it.

 

[bwible]

I split the difference and have a 2 vessel system. I have an Anvil Foundry which I use for my mash. I like having the temp control and ability to step mash. I also have an Anvil brewpot that I drain out of the Foundry into after the mash is complete and boil stovetop. I brew 3 gallons so I can get away with this.

I don’t like pulling the basket in the Foundry. I use their pump to recirculate and by the end of the mash I have beautiful clear wort coming out of the pump. If I turn the pump off and pull the basket then I redistribute all the junk I just spent an hour recirculating to get rid of. So I drain the Foundry to the kettle and get the clear wort instead.