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Has anyone ever actually Brewed in a Basket?

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bembel

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BIAB is really MIAB (Mash in a basket)

Has anyone tried to actually 'brew' in a tight fitting SS basket like the ones they sell here?

https://utahbiodieselsupply.com/brewingfilters.php#biab

I mean, boil your wort with a huge tight fitting SS mesh strainer in the BK

It would seem it could function as a hop spider, filter, and cold/hot break remover all in one.

Mash in a Basket, remove basket, clean out grain, replace in kettle, start yer boil. Most of the break material is still dissolved before the boil so it would still be in solution and flow back through the mesh, so you would not need to drain the BK and then re-fill once the clean basket was in place. The huge surface area might be enough to drain and not to clog afterwards once it coagulates out and would sure leave clear wort, no whirlpool needed??

I dont know, maybe someone has tried this already???
 
For that price, I'll stick with the bags.

I think it would let too much flour through, but could be wrong.
 
There was a thread about this awhile back, wish I could find it. You could entirely do it and it would work just fine.

Though for someone like me who uses cheap paint strainer backs for their BIAB with a relatively cheap (10$ crawfish boil basket), the whole 80$ price tag turns me off. It would have to *try* and wreck the aluminum basket, and I haven't had any of my paint strainer bags break on me but if I did I can get 3 new ones for 3 dollars. I would probably (literally) cry if I wrecked my pretty 80$ stainless basket.

I dont know if you could use it to filter hot/cold break. Its worth a try, but a lot of tests suggests theres no statistically significant reason to remove all of the break material (not to discourage the practice because the reverse suggested that putting a lot of hot/cold break material didn't cause it to be statistically significant increase in quality).http://brulosophy.com/2015/03/22/the-impact-of-kettle-trub-part-2-exbeeriment-results/
 
check out arbor fab too if you want to move forward with this and do price checks.

I've also considered doing the same thing. Just haven't pulled the trigger.

If you do, let me know how it goes.

I did consider going down to 300 micron for grain and 200 micron for hops. I don't think I'd do 400 micron for mash, but maybe I'm just being over analytical.
 
I'm actually thinking of buying just the basket to use in a BIAB with a mesh bag inside it, and then take the bag out and use it as a hop spider for the boil.

I've emailed ArborFab several times but have never heard back from them. I wanted to see about getting a custom sized basket.
 
Some folks have tried to boil with a basket and it doesn't work. I get an air bubble under my 400micron basket just mashing.

Yep, mashing and brewing are different. During the boil you want unimpeded flow in the kettle. Trying to line the kettle during the boil is futile, best to let gravity settle break and hops rather than trying to separate or filter...JMO
 
I've been using a 400 micron basket for a couple years now in an 8 gal kettle for BIAB ( brew in a basket) and it works great for mashing but you really can't boil with it because it forms air bubbles underneath, burps and splashes wort around. Chad also makes some smaller hop baskets that work great for hop additions.
 
Does anybody use the hop spider's from ubd. Was wondering if you have to use extra hops verses going commando with your hops. I ask this cause your hops when in spider are not in contact with all the water.
 
Does anybody use the hop spider's from ubd. Was wondering if you have to use extra hops verses going commando with your hops. I ask this cause your hops when in spider are not in contact with all the water.


It's like using a hop bag or a tea bag. It gets mixed.
 
I kinda thought that to,but since a hop spider stay's in one spot hop bags float around was just wondering.
 
Does anybody have a guess what micron a bag has compared to these baskets?

I would like to look at a mechanical stirrer and having a bag in place seems like a recipe for disaster.

If you go too tight on a basket your flow would be tough. How small is too small? 200 micron? 300 micron?

Thanks
 
400 is what they say is best that's what I have don't think I would go lower/smaller then 300 micron.And that might plug up.
 
BIABrewer forum has some detailed info on micron rating for different poly voile material. But IMO overanalyzing it is pointless in that crush and use of adjuncts varies, and this will have much more impact on flow through the bag or basket.
 
I found this info on the forum. Seems like a decent benchmark:

"I took an image the voile material I use on a microscope at work this morning.

The gaps in the material are ~210 um and each strand of material is ~125 um."

So about 200 microns.
 
I have the 400 micron and it works just fine but if I had to do it again I think I'd go with 300 micron. I still get some fine particles and flour through my basket but vorlaufing about a gallon or two pretty much clears that up.
 
I just ordered one of these today customized for a 20 gallon MegaPot from ArborFab. :ban:

I have a number of brew days planned in early January during my post-christmas vacation, including a 10 gallon batch of Russian Imperial Stout which should push it's limits. So I'll post a review of it once I've done a few beers on it.
 
I got my Utah Diesel Supply basket about a week ago. I will be brewing in a basket in January. Finally no more bag. Such a pain in the }*]+] to clean that thing.
 
I got my Utah Diesel Supply basket about a week ago. I will be brewing in a basket in January. Finally no more bag. Such a pain in the }*]+] to clean that thing.

Really? I dump, shake, quick rinse, and hang to dry. I don't find that much of a job. :confused:
 
I just did a 12% BIAB. I have a narrow kettle and it basically muffin topped as I pulled it out. Basket solves that issue.
 
I have a Colorado Brew systems 15 gallon single vessel system that has a basket . I use the basket for both massing and boiling with no issues , it makes clean up way easy as all the hops will be contained in the basket at the end of the boil .
 
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