Large BIAB bags!!! w/ pic

[wilserbrewer]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1425590244.459696.jpg

Two 100 gal Blichmann, two 145 gallon Stout tank.

15 gallon Volrath kettle for scale.

 

[chickypad]

Still waiting to see the pics of these bags being hoisted in action.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

That's crazy sir. I wonder if these customer is intending to lift these bags with a hoist or something or use it to filter and drain the wort like a traditonal grain bed.

Thanks for the bag again, have only had an opportunity to use it once so far, worked beautifully. New job and classes keeping me super busy. Feeling the need to brew.

 

[vNmd]

That is absolutely amazing. It puts my mind at ease for my 5 gallon batches when I squeeze (a little) at the end. I have seen your strength tests you did a while back with the weights and it still amazes me something that thin can be so strong. I would love to see some of those in action.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Still waiting to see the pics of these bags being hoisted in action.

Yes Chicky, I agree, I would love to see this brewery in action as well! I have come to realize that this brewer has nothing to gain by publicising his operation. The brewers using these large bags are in an area that is a highly competitive market. Also realize that most small nano breweries are often located in "warehouse" type space. It takes a "Sam Adams" marketing budget to film someone tossing a bundle of hops into a big copper kettle Image is everything, and the image of hoisting a huge bag out of a kettle in a warehouse environment is likely not great publicity.

While the pics would be impressive to us as homebrewers, I would think that they could only be a negative to the typical craft beer drinker. Just as BIAB was shunned by homebrewers in its inception.

I wonder if the customer is intending to lift these bags with a hoist or something or use it to filter and drain the wort like a traditonal grain bed.

The end user of these bags is using a hoist....he told me that he proof loaded the BIAB bags with dry sacks of grain, weighing several hundred pounds and had no issues prior to attempting a mash.

it still amazes me something that thin can be so strong.

While the polyester voile is thin, it is remarkably strong. What gives these bags the needed strength is their large size. If one considers the large surface area, or length of seam on the bag, the actual stress, or weight per unit area is not that large. If one figures approx. 70" of bottom seam and 400 lbs of mash, the weight per inch of seam is only 400 lb / 70" or less than 6 lbs per inch of seam. I have estimated the ultimate seam strength at over 100 lbs per inch, so this is well within the limits of the bag.

 

[browder]

Wow those are huge--mosquito netting crawl rite inside one of them on your next fishin trip--very cool

 

[rekoob]

Wow, amazing.

 

[madscientist451]

To wilserbrewer: Can you estimate how many of these larger bags are in use? Do you clients say if they are using a "steampot" or other insert to hold the bags and to get them and the grain out?
I realize you don't want to reveal any information your customers may regard as private.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Mad scientist,

I have done well over a dozen large bags 55 gallon size, and about a half dozen 100 gal plus up to 145 gallon.

I believe Most are not using a strainer basket, but just hoisting the bag with a lift. A proper bag does not require a basket IME.

 

[jb1677]

These bags are impressive! Clearly for commercial application, which raises an interesting question - do these brewers not have to use NSF certifies food safe products in their beer making?

 

[beerstache]

Wilser,
I have one of your 10 gal. bags and am very happy with it. Cannot believe these large bags! Glad to know they work, as it gives a new pro brewer with financial limitations a chance to make there dream come true as less equipment is needed.

 

[ArcLight]

...

but just hoisting the bag with a lift. A proper bag does not require a basket IME.

Hoisting with a lift?!??!! Must be weak girlie men. Us real men lift a full bag ourselves - with one hand no less.


I plan on using a lift for my next 10 gallon batch. (no stinkin basket either)
I was able to manage lifting the wet bag (with 23 pounds of grain) without a lift but DAMN it was heavy and a lot of fun to hold while I tried to squeeze the excess wort out. Never again.

The only concern I'd have with a big BIAB batch is it's harder to squeeze, and would lose more trapped wort.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I'm sure someone will find the thread but there was a thread discussing grain absorption with a hard squeeze and with it hanging and draining via gravity to be roughly the same.

 

[doug293cz]

I'm sure someone will find the thread but there was a thread discussing grain absorption with a hard squeeze and with it hanging and draining via gravity to be roughly the same.

I believe you may be referring to this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f244/no-squeeze-sparging-496548/index3.html#post6476549

Brew on

 

[pricelessbrewing]

That'd be the one, thanks again for the details on that comparison!