Beernoob88
Member
so I have been doing BIAB my lst 3 batches and it sucks trying to lift the bag when there is 12lbs of grain in there. Anyone have any tips on how to lift and drain it without making a massive mess on my kitchen floor?
Lifting the bag
- Thread starter Beernoob88
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Get a pulley system that you can screw into a stud in the ceiling or cabinets above your stove. Or you can buy a large strainer and place the bag on the strainer over the kettle. Looks like @wilserbrewer isn't doing bags and pulley systems anymore? His site is down.
Something like this Pulley here or this or this.
Something like this Pulley here or this or this.
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Beernoob88
Member
Thats a good idea. I live in an apartment though.
I would 100% get that if I had my own space.
Lots of options for a BIAB hoist that don't involve drilling holes and such.
Are you brewing on a stovetop? Perhaps you could build a little a-frame device for the hoist that would straddle the stove on your counter.
Didn't know about @wilserbrewer's site offline until now. :--(
Are you brewing on a stovetop? Perhaps you could build a little a-frame device for the hoist that would straddle the stove on your counter.
Didn't know about @wilserbrewer's site offline until now. :--(
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Beernoob88
Member
I have a 10 Gal pot from Anvil Brewing with the Spout and thermometer. I also have a 5 gal pot I got from amazon.
I work on a glass top electric stove that can barely get it to a boil. I have to use a sous vide to keep the temp for steeping and crank it up to 195* to help it get to a boil. it takes like 45-60 minutes just to get it to a simmer. lol
the Pot I use has a 1 inch gap between the stove vent/fan thing, so a A frame is out of the question.
I was thinking of getting a burner or a induction burner, but its not very practical.
I have a Immersion cooler and a few 5-6 gal plastic fermenters. I was thinking of getting The Catalyst system at some point as well. But I would need to have a place with a basement.
all in all I have a pretty jank setup right now.
You could always transfer the bag over the top of a 5 gallon bucket on the floor, then add whatever drips out of the bag back into the kettle. Plenty of large strainers available for that.
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Beernoob88
Member
I have tried that. the 5 gal pot is not wide enough. lol. it still gets everywhere. I need a way to keep it suspended over the pot. I was thinking of something like this and using something to keep it over the 10 gal pot. like some metal rods to keep it over. issue is I would have to pull it off the stove and place it on the floor or a chair or something.
Amazon.com: Stainless Steel Cold Brew Coffee Filter Basket for 10 Gallon Brew Pots: Home & Kitchen
I do want to to point out you guys are not as dickish as reddit brewing people.
Could you switch to mashing in a cooler lined with a grain bag. Heat your strike water and drain it to the cooler sitting on a chair or something. Then when the mash is done, put the kettle on the floor and transfer the wort from the cooler into the kettle. Kind of a makeshift tier system using all gravity transfers. You will need to lift the full kettle back to the stove for your boil, but a much more controlled process.
EDIT: Drain the cooler into your 5 gallon pot and leave the kettle on the stove. This will eliminate the heavy lift with my original suggestion.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/anyone-else-mash-in-a-bag-in-a-cooler.488368/
EDIT: Drain the cooler into your 5 gallon pot and leave the kettle on the stove. This will eliminate the heavy lift with my original suggestion.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/anyone-else-mash-in-a-bag-in-a-cooler.488368/
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Thats a good idea. I live in an apartment though.
I rent. This is my setup, still need to add a simple removable arm to push the line clear of the hood...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...esh-biab-bag-for-hoisting.703194/post-9325301
BrewnWKopperKat
ʘ‿ʘ
Been there, done that, but brewing less than 5 gal batches.
At the time (+5 years ago), I found couple of articles on apartment brewing 5 gal batches with kegging.
So it can be done.
Are you absolutely committed to brewing 5 gal batches?
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I brew 5 gal batches inside in winter, on the stovetop. I found the usual colanders less than ideal for draining, so I built this thing, the "BIAB Rocket." Made from a 5 gal food-grade bucket, with lots of 1/4" holes drilled in the bottom. Some scraps of sheet metal and ss hardware and it sits atop my 8 gal Megapot. Just lift out the bag, slide the bucket thing in place, set bag inside. Let it drain while I crank the heat. No wort running over the sides of the kettle.
There's this thread. I started out with a Chinese colander from Amazon, but didn't like the side holes, leaking wort all over. Then I did the BIAB Rocket thing a few pages in.
Broken Crow
Ale's what cures 'ya
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Have you considered making or modifying a cart on casters and a frame for a pulley, with a surface at the same height as your stove so you can slide the pot onto it for bag removal?
He is looking at resolving this issue... hopefully back soon
I made a small wooden table that I u-bolted some gas pipe too. Works perfect for lifting the bag and stows really small. The entire brewery fits in a portion of the guest room closet. Maybe you could build something similar to this.
View attachment 20230218_152044.jpg
View attachment 20230218_152044.jpg
Someone above mentioned transferring the bag to a 5g bucket on the floor, and adding what drains back into the kettle. I use a thing called a bucket grit trap in the homer bucket that my wilser bag goes into after I pull it from the kettle (I do have a hoist). I don't add that wort back in because the bucket isn't always the cleanest, but with a clean bucket and grit trap you could save some wort.
Another trick that I do use, is once the bag is pulled up I place an old oven rack over the kettle and let the bag sit on it; then I use one of the kettle lids to squish it like it owes me money. If you're careful to keep the sides of the bag over the kettle, there won't be any drips running down the outside of it.
Another trick that I do use, is once the bag is pulled up I place an old oven rack over the kettle and let the bag sit on it; then I use one of the kettle lids to squish it like it owes me money. If you're careful to keep the sides of the bag over the kettle, there won't be any drips running down the outside of it.
