How Wal-Mart saved my brew day

[Peterbilt123]

As much as I hate to admit, I had a brain fart when I orderd my first mini-mash. I thought the hop bag I ordered with my first brew would have worked with the grain that was coming with the kit. After seeing how much grain was actually in the kit, I kinda panicked, trying to think of a place where I could find a makeshift grain bag untill I get the real deal. I figured Wal-Mart would have something(even though I hate going in that place), I went back to the laundry supply area and low and behold the perfect grain bag! It was a nylon wash bag that you put your delicate laundry in, about the size to put 1 shirt in. The grain fit perfect in there and it even has a zipper to hold everything in! The moral of the story is even if you hate Wal-Mart, they really can save you in a brew day pinch.

 

[dmfa200]

Glad your brew day went well.
I hate it when my brew day doesn't go as planned.

Lowes and Home Depot carry 1 gallon and 5 gallon nylon paint strainer bags also.
I use the 1 gallon to contain hops during the boil.

 

[ChshreCat]

+1 on paint strainer bags. I don't waste money on "grain bags" anymore.

 

[msa8967]

What is the best way to clean these strainer bags after use? Should any type of detergent be used or avoided? Thought about trying this but was unsure of how to clean these bags for reuse.

 

[JebCkr]

What is the best way to clean these strainer bags after use? Should any type of detergent be used or avoided? Thought about trying this but was unsure of how to clean these bags for reuse.

Good question. I've used paint bags before and just hand washed them in hot water and have had no problems. But I'm curious as to what other people do.

 

[jbrookeiv]

Good question. I've used paint bags before and just hand washed them in hot water and have had no problems. But I'm curious as to what other people do.

I throw them away because I'm lazy. They only cost like $2 for two of them, not worth the effort to reuse them.

 

[Rev2010]

Ha, nice thread! I don't hate Walmart... though I don't even have one right around me. But I'm in no way against the large corporate conglomerates, just maybe how they treat their employees. But I think they are great - super low cost and almost anything under the sun you could need under one roof. That's good by me the way I see it.


Rev.

 

[dmfa200]

I just hose them out and hang'em up to dry.

 

[Preluder]

How could you possibly hate Walmart? Now you can not hate them because they saved your brew day!

 

[sudsmcgee]

The bag only has to be cleaned, not sanitized. The beer's gonna get boiled anyway.

 

[stanley1271]

Come on, how can you hate Wal-Mart with all this entertainment?!?!

 

[Whut]

Now days I just toss my hops (and whatever else) in to the BK. If you can crash cool, it all settles out.

 

[aggiejay06]

I brew AT Wal-Mart...in case I need them in a pinch

 

[dbsmith]

So I've been thinking about getting one of these paint strainer bags rather than grain ones. How are you guys sure that they are food safe? I'm worried that at high temperatures some sort of off-chemicals might end up in my wort (though I'm sure it is probably irrational)? It's not like you ever paint the house with paint used at 154 degrees.

 

[NorthRiverS]

Nothing wrong with WalMart is there?


Never mind . . . . .

NRS

 

[frailn]

and it even has a zipper to hold everything in!

My wife suggested one of those bags when we were at Target. I was looking for something to hold blood oranges in my fermenter. I decided not to get one because of the zipper. Didn't want that floating in my fermenter. But, this was a great idea to use as a hop bag! I may go back and get one.

 

[Peterbilt123]

I guess I shouldn't be so hard on wal-mart, I do buy things there but I like to keep some of my money local. If you haven't seen the website that stanley1271 pointed out, I highly suggest it!

 

[ArcaneXor]

Simply hand-wash the nylon bags as good as possible, then hang them up to dry. Once dry, rub the fabric between your hands, and the grain and hop particles remaining will fall right out.

 

[ChshreCat]

I'm going to have to start growing/making all my own stuff because I keep finding things politically/socially objectionable about everywhere I shop.