Can't I just use a grain bag in a cooler?

[northernlad]

My name is northernlad and I am a Tea-Bagger.
Today I completed my first AG batch with an unmodified cooler and, at least into the primary, had great success.
I read and read before I did my very first batch, made through 8 or 9 extract kits, then read and read some more about going AG. While it may be low tech and simple. It seems to have worked and I am stoked to be able to do simple beers with no extra money spent on equipment. For now...

 

[jackson_d]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

i get what you all are saying, but have you seen the above link? it cost me a little less than $90 to make the whole thing happen. very durable, long lasting, and i can fill the cooler all the way to the top with grain. just over 20#...

i understand the grain bag, i had thought about it for my first batch like 6 months ago, but i am very glad i just got the build done and mix everything up right in the cooler and get it done...

 

[RichBenn]

I thought about the grain bag method, but I had two large rectangular coolers, one with a broken drain anyway, so it was less than $30 in parts to convert that.

If you grain bag it, I guess you don't vorlouf. When you vorlouf, you can get only clear, filtered wort into the brew kettle. Seems like it helps quality(taste), and isn't that why we brew?

 

[GinAndCoffee]

I thought about the grain bag method, but I had two large rectangular coolers, one with a broken drain anyway, so it was less than $30 in parts to convert that.

If you grain bag it, I guess you don't vorlouf. When you vorlouf, you can get only clear, filtered wort into the brew kettle. Seems like it helps quality(taste), and isn't that why we brew?

and why can't you vorlouf? I don't see any problem catching 2 quarts of wort and putting it back into the cooler...

 

[bwomp313]

If you all haven't seen these threads, then you really should check them out.


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

 

[RichBenn]

and why can't you vorlouf? I don't see any problem catching 2 quarts of wort and putting it back into the cooler...

I guess some people have put a valve on and regulate flow that way, now that I've read through the whole thread. But the original poster was just lifting it up, draining everything, then soaking in water again. Milky wort.

My point was, it doesn't cost much for a valve and a stainless screen. But I suppose the bag can be the screen too.

I've found the valve helps a lot in getting clear beer, however. If you open it too wide too fast, you lose the filtering quality of the grain.

 

[ghpeel]

I don't need to vorlouf with my bag system. I've done it before when I used a standard grain bag that wasn't fine enough to catch all the particles. But with a paint strainer, the bag is fine enough to completely catch all husk material and crap that might get into your kettle.

Sometimes, I'll drain from my unmodified cooler mashtun using the spigot on the thing. If so, you'll basically set up a grain bed inside the bag without having to do anything yourself. However, I am unconvinced that this does anything better than just lifting the bag & grain out and dumping that liquid into kettle.

Remember, the only reason any ever vorloufed back in the day was because that was the only way to strain off the wort from the spent grain. They didn't have flexible heat-resistant bag with elastic tops like we do now. Also, big commercial operations can't get bags big enough for this work, so they use manifolds and such out of necessity.

ADDED BONUS: absolutely NO chance of a stuck sparge. None. Not gonna happen. Ever. Even with 60 oz of canned pumpkin in the mash. Seen it wit me own two eyes.

Caveats:

(1) The Tea Bagging method will work only for so much grain. If you start getting above 13lbs or so, the bag prob won't hold. (work around: throw 1-2 lbs of extract in to get up to that IIPA or RIS gravity)

(2) I haven't seen paint strainers larger than 5 gal, so you need to stick with a 5 gal mash tun. Given 80-90 efficiency seen w/ this setup, its not as bad as some might think. The Australian dudes use custom-made chiffon (I think) bags that can be sewn as large as needed though, but you have to get it custom made.

(3) This option is NOT for anyone who's already got a "traditional" mash tun set up. We're not trying to convert you, we're just trying to get extract and partial-mashers to realize that you can go all-grain a lot simpler than they've been told in the past. However, if you're sick of stuck sparges and your spouse is tired of 3-tier brewing sculptures taking up your garage, then you might want to look into this

 

[eggbeater59]

i was actually thinking about this the other day. i'm glad someone else has brought it up. sounds like a real easy way to get started! i'm not going to lie, the extra equipment necessary to go AG really kept me from upgrading for a while. specifically in my case tho, it was the turkey fryer and propane tank and brewpot that i didn't want to have to buy. but thats another story

i can only really see one problem with this style, and that's if your grain bag rips while it's in the cooler, your day suddenly becomes more complex. a good way to combat that is either use a paint strainer or two grain bags. :rockin:

 

[jldc]

i can only really see one problem with this style, and that's if your grain bag rips while it's in the cooler, your day suddenly becomes more complex. a good way to combat that is either use a paint strainer or two grain bags. :rockin:

I have used the Large Coarse Bag sold by Austin Homebrew with up to 13 lbs of grain. I use a cooler with a ball valve but no manifold and just lift the bag enough to let it drain well. It works very well. I wouldn't want to do a 10 gallon brew this way (or even a 5 gallon barleywine) - You'd need either two bags or one strong bag and a pulley.

Edit. I do agree that if the bag broke it would mess up the brew day in a big way.

 

[skadalajara]

You Teabaggers are more in touch with our ancient ancestral brewers than you realize!
The Egyptians seem to have mashed by soaking bread in warm water, then smooshing the water out in a basket over an earthen pot.
The paint strainer is analogous to the basket and the cooler to the earthen pot.

 

[FxdGrMind]

This is how I'm doing my first AG X-Mass day.

We shall see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

Cheers

 

[ghpeel]

Alright, I just created a new group here called "The Tea Baggers". Join up, my teabagging brethren!

http://groups.homebrewtalk.com/TheTea_Baggers

 

[northernlad]

Alright, I just created a new group here called "The Tea Baggers". Join up, my teabagging brethren!

http://groups.homebrewtalk.com/TheTea_Baggers

Done and Done!
I think i am going to tea bag a batch of Mirror Pond PA this weekend!

 

[jldc]

Alright, I just created a new group here called "The Tea Baggers". Join up, my teabagging brethren!

http://groups.homebrewtalk.com/TheTea_Baggers

LOL. I'm in.

 

[Vtbrew]

What happened to the group?

 

[ghpeel]

What happened to the group?

Dude I don't know! I started the group but now its deleted. I wonder if an admin was offended by the name maybe?

 

[Vtbrew]

that blows....you got to love haters

 

[Peruvian802]

I'm just considering going to AG and love the simplicity of the paint strainer bag in a cooler. Anyone else out there that can share their experiences (photos always appreciated!)?

 

[ghpeel]

Well its 2 and a half years after this thread was started, and I'm still a tea-baggin' fool. I double-bag my mash tun now, as I found it helped a lot of wort clarity. I barely bother even recirculating anymore.

 

[MikeinCT]

I have a mash tun built from 5 gallon round cooler. It has a hard copper filter in the bottom. But I always use a bag inside for my grain. Previous to this I would occasionally get a stuck sparge. With the bag as a liner and doing more than 12 brews since I have never been stuck.

 

[bcltoys]

New to the forum wanted to hi,and this is a very informative thread. Also are you guy's still using this method and are there any update's or new trick's. Thanky

 

[boscobeans]

There is a thread running lower on this page

"I just do not get it...why?" It deals with methods you might be interested in.

Here's the one I use and posted on the above thread:

I use a 50 quart rectangular cooler with a stainless steel wire BBQ grill fitted to the bottom. The grill fills the bottom to all the edges and is raised (a little bending and adjustment was needed) about 1/4 of an inch from the bottom. It was bent so that it just rides above the drain on the one side.. A quick change from the regular spigot to a CPVC valve and I'm set to go.

I fit a wet Walmart VOILE curtain panel into the cooler ( it sticks to the sides and rides on the grill easily if it is wet to start) then I secure it to the outer edge of the cooler.

Easily handles all my 6 gallon all grain bills, keeps the temperature where I want it, drains as fast as I want it to, never gets stuck and leaves me with a well drained and not too heavy curtain full of spent grain..

bosco