New with "new?" idea?

[ScottAnderson]

I have an idea to quickly and easily squeeze the grain bag after mash without getting too messy and definitely not burning yourself or hands.

If it's been done then ignore me, but I've not seen this idea before me.

You need:
Two clean inside and out buckets.
One Straining screen about as big as the bottom of the bucket or any size that you prefer that works. You can skip this and use the bag itself, but I think the forces would weaken the bag.
A hole saw drill bit and drill.

Take one bucket and drill a few holes. 3-5 depending on size you do. BUT ONLY on one side (one hemisphere) of the very bottom and close to the far end of the side. Hard to describe what I mean but hopefully that's clear enough.
That's it.

Now: When you pull the grain bag, you can drop it or empty it in the whole bucket. Drop the screen in place on top. Place the other bucket (with holes on the bottom) inside the other bucket on top of the grains and screen and PUSH down. As wort bleeds into the bucket, tip the whole contraption away from the hole side so the wort is trapped in the bottom of the bucket on the side with no holes. Lift the bucket at that angle up and dump into the kettle. Move the grains around and Repeat as needed.

Anybody use this idea before?

Anyway, if this is new and cool, you're welcome if not. Oh well, I tried!

 

[bleme]

I have seen similar with 3 buckets and holes in the bottom of the middle one but this might work. Try it and let us know!

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Slight modifcation of the "papzap" design, not too ground breaking. That's somewhat similar what I did when I started out. Nowadays I pull the bag, set it on top of a stainless kettle insert, and press down with a pot lid, then dunk into a pot of water for a batch sparge, open the bag, stir, then squeeze again. Whole thing takes about 10 minutes.

 

[ScottAnderson]

Slight modifcation of the "papzap" design, not too ground breaking. That's somewhat similar what I did when I started out. Nowadays I pull the bag, set it on top of a stainless kettle insert, and press down with a pot lid, then dunk into a pot of water for a batch sparge, open the bag, stir, then squeeze again. Whole thing takes about 10 minutes.

Had to google it. I think my way is probably easier to clean and deal with.

Setting on top and smashing for me resulted in bent equipment and leaks off the side of the kettle where the bag stretched over the kettle sides. Maybe I'm too brutish.

Pull bag, drop in, smash with bucket, drain wort. Dunk bag back into kettle and repeat. Only mess is drippings caught with a bowl as bag is moved from kettle to bucket.
Cleanup is a breeze.

I figured the idea was out there already but maybe this can help somebody looking for cheapest and easiest.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Slight modifcation of the "papzap" .

For the record it is "Zapap", or the first two syllables of papazian spelled backwards.

 

[TexasWine]

Dunk bag back into kettle and repeat.

Wait, what is this step? Why are you putting your bag back into the kettle after you've squeezed it?

 

[GrogNerd]

my very first all-grain when I started brewing ('94) used the Zapap lauter tun

drilled a sh*tload of holes in the bottom of one of my buckets, set it inside my bottling bucket (with spigot) and dumped the mash into the top.

holes did their job, spigot did its thing and to "squeeze" I just put another bucket in the top and pressed down

that was 15 gallons of American Lager (my first lager) for my brother's wedding reception, turned out very good

my very first all-grain when I started re-brewing ('12) used the Zapap again (same buckets too)

 

[ScottAnderson]

Wait, what is this step? Why are you putting your bag back into the kettle after you've squeezed it?

Sounds strange and probably pointless, but similar to recirculating first runoffs through lauter tun.
If you drop the bag to the bottom all of the draff comes around the bag to the top.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Wait, what is this step? Why are you putting your bag back into the kettle after you've squeezed it?

@ScottAnderson you can skip this part. The wort in the bag after squeezing and in the main wort should be the same gravity, you're just squeezing twice.