BINB or 3 Vessel

[eastbaybrewer]

I'm going all grain and can't decide what set up to go with. Any advice?

 

[lazarwolf]

what do you own right now, in terms of equipment?

 

[doug293cz]

You can start with BIAB, and then move to three vessel if you are not happy with BIAB for some reason. All you need to add to get started with BIAB, that you don't already have, is a grain bag big enough to line your BK. Many people use 5 gal paint strainer bags from Lowes, Home Depot, etc. If your BK is too large for those, then you can get a yard of polyester voile cloth from a fabric store, and line your pot with that. Doesn't have to be sown into a bag, although bags with drawstrings or handles are more convenient. Read up in the BIAB section of the All Grain forum for hints and techniques to make bag handling easier.

Brew on

 

[eastbaybrewer]

I brew partial mash now. I have a 10 gal brew pot. I have a 10 gallon cooler I can make into a mash tun.

 

[soccerdad]

Both make great beer. I BIAB because I am a cheapskate and have limited storage space for extra beer. Like doug says - you could start there (for five bucks) and switch if it does not meet your needs.

 

[SmCranf]

BIAB and then when you want upgrade to 3 vessel

(Disclaimer: I am a proud BIAB'er)

 

[brewkinger]

what do you own right now, in terms of equipment?

You can start with BIAB, and then move to three vessel if you are not happy with BIAB for some reason. All you need to add to get started with BIAB, that you don't already have, is a grain bag big enough to line your BK. Many people use 5 gal paint strainer bags from Lowes, Home Depot, etc. If your BK is too large for those, then you can get a yard of polyester voile cloth from a fabric store, and line your pot with that. Doesn't have to be sown into a bag, although bags with drawstrings or handles are more convenient. Read up in the BIAB section of the All Grain forum for hints and techniques to make bag handling easier.

Both of these ^^

If you have very little equipment to start with, then BIAB is definitely the way to "test the waters" and learn how to do AG in the cheapest way. Bag and kettle is all you need.

3 vessel brewing is on many home brewers list as their dream brew rig. But it is not affordable or possible at this point for many brewers and we make due with what we have.
If you double purpose your boil kettle as a hot liquor tank, then the simple addition of a cooler and at least a 8 gallon kettle (10 is better) is all you need. I may very possibly never move to 3 vessel simply because I have a tried and true process. A pump was critical for me to be able to say the above though and it was about the same price as moving into 3 vessel would be.

Just my thoughts.

 

[lazarwolf]

how do you heat your 10 gallon pot?

I do partial mash, and all grain on my stovetop (with an immersion heater to boost the heat)
This weekend for the first time ever, my strike and sparge water were ready for me when I woke up on Saturday morning. With the use of an electric turkey roaster plugged into a timer. (garage sale awesomeness). I use a 5 gallon cooler for my mash. I have only one decent kettle. I dont own a gas turkey fryer or brewstand (anymore). My point, You dont need much more than what you have to go all grain.
I do it with a completely ghetto set up. Having said that, I do occasionally BIAB, and I will say, it is probably the easiest way to get into all grain. ( I just really enjoy the actual process of brewing)

 

[madscientist451]

I'd go for a modified BIAB setup. Here's what you need:
-12 qt cheap stainless steel pot, about $20 at walmart
-Large size Biab bag from your home brew supply store, about $7-8?
-A piece of threaded pipe, a valve, some o rings, and a 90 degree elbow from your local hardware store, you can go with the braided hose seen in many youtube videos or make whatever plumbing you can figure out for your cooler. $10-$20?

-A food grade bucket, I get these from a local bakery for $1.
You can do 5-6 gallon batches with what you have and these extras.

Use your BK to heat your strike water, bag goes in the cooler, dump in grain and strike water, stir and put lid on, heat 1.5-2 gallons in small pot to almost boiling, add to cooler after about an hour for mash out and stir. Vorlof and drain slowly to the bucket. Have batch sparge water ready in the BK. When first runnings are done, shut the valve, add in your sparge water and stir. Put first runnings from bucket in BK and put on the stove to boil. Drain 2 gallons of batch sparge into small pot and put on stove, drain rest into bucket and then add to BK.
You'll be boiling in pretty soon and after about 1/2 hr you can combine the 2 pots. If you're brewing with a propane burner, you can just get it all going in one pot. I feel the cooler w/bag works better than using the BK w/bag. The small pot helps you get everything going and can double as a pasta or corn boil pot. Thats just one way of doing it, you'll figure what works best for you after a few batches.

 

[eastbaybrewer]

I have a turkey fryer also. I do full volume boils now. I have the stuff to make a brewing stand already. I work in construction so I was able to collect it along the way.

 

[doug293cz]

3 vessel brewing is on every home brewers list.

Not necessarily. I BIAB and have no intention of going 3 vessel. And, a large majority of BIAB'ers feel the same way. My ultimate system is a recirculating electric fired BIAB.

Brew on

 

[lazarwolf]

Well in that case, go for it. Here's my advice. Now granted I've only been brewing for. .. well a long time. Think about how you like to brew before you build. Some guys build single tier pump Systems and recirculating mash systems. And then find that their enjoyment goes away. Because all they are doing is pushing a button. I like manually doing "stuff" while I brew. You may not, and that's cool. But think about it before you build.

 

[FamilyTradition]

Electric BIAB. Makes great beers very easy and clean up is a lot quicker. I laugh at some of these three tier systems, so much money to play master brewer when you can make the same quality beers with BIAB. No offense three vessel brewers I'm just a huge fan of BIAB

 

[eastbaybrewer]

I'm more of a hands on kind of guy. So if I go with the 3 vessel it will be gravity system.

 

[brewkinger]

Not necessarily. I BIAB and have no intention of going 3 vessel. And, a large majority of BIAB'ers feel the same way. My ultimate system is a recirculating electric fired BIAB.

Brew on

I totally agree.
I realized after seeing your post that I had made an error. It truly was exactly that point which I was trying to make. 3 vessel is a possible option which many hope to achieve. For some including myself, we have adaoted a process to fit a particular way of doing things. My dream setup is basically what i currently have:
2 boil kettle, 2 burners and cooler mash tun with a BIAB bag with a pump.
The addition of a winch lift someday when i get bored and wary of lifting. I enjoy the process of mash, sparge, boil and wait....
What will AG mean for the OP?? Hard tellin' not knowing.
BIAB is again a solid option though, the strainer bag becomes ingrained into many of our processes. You'll never be sad that you have a paint strainer bag at your disposal in the brewing process.
I will go back and edit the original post to reflect this. I just didn't want to edit it before I explained in a later post.

 

[BigJack]

3 vessel brewing is on every home brewers list.

Ummmmmmmmm........ speak for yourself.

If money were no object, I'd upgrade to something like High Gravity's E-BIAB rig or maybe even a Speidel Braumiester. I can't see myself ever wanting a 3 Vessel System again.

If you dig 3 vessel, though, by all means enjoy yourself.

 

[brewkinger]

Ummmmmmmmm........ speak for yourself.

If money were no object, I'd upgrade to something like High Gravity's E-BIAB rig or maybe even a Speidel Braumiester. I can't see myself ever wanting a 3 Vessel System again.

If you dig 3 vessel, though, by all means enjoy yourself.

I give up. I changed my other post to reflect the mistake I made. Stupid phone added words based on my routine typing style.
3 vessel is for some brewers. Many of us have adopted our own blend.
Whew!!

 

[lazarwolf]

@bigjack. I partially agree with you. Braumeister, is my ultimate goal.
But I guess I kinda do a 3 vessel system now. It's funny when I look back on where home brewing had come from. .. we used to mash in a cooler then pour into a separator (lautering tun) then into boil pot. I guess that was 4 vessels. It doesn't v really matter. It's whatever is fun for you. Although i do find the counter top and biab guys to be the most sane. ..