Single brew pot possible?

[Beezer94]

I have been wanting to try an all-grain batch and have been wondering if I could heat the initial 1.25qts per pound in my 30qt brewpot and use a 5gal paint strainer bag. Then after the initial 150-155F 60 minutes remove the bag of grain, add the sparge water, heat to the 170-175 and then add the bag of grain for 10 minutes. Would that work the same as the 2 pot stovetop method? Would having the grain sit in the bag to the side while waiting to heat the water be a problem? Could I achieve the same 70% efficiency as the stovetop method? Thanks!

-Brian

 

[COLObrewer]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/brew-bag-83853/

Or search for brew in a bag.

 

[JPicasso]

I've done two BIAB sessions, one with a paint strainer bag, and another with the recommended voile fabric. I strongly suggest sticking with the fabric. My attempt with the paint strainer bag showed that it was much weaker, and was straining quite a bit to hold the 10lbs of grain and the water it had soaked up.

Also, it's difficult to get 6 gallons of water + grain into a 30 qt pot. You'll need to top up with water after the grain is removed.

Search for BIAB. You're close.

 

[MMW]

It can work. I've done two BiaB sessions also (third coming up week after next). I don't do a single vessel system anymore, but mash with the bag in a big cooler ($25 for a 60 qt cube).

I like the double vessel system for a couple of reasons:
1) I burned a bag my first time which sucked.
2) A great big cooler is much cheaper than a great big pot
3) There is no type of mash (step, decoction, etc.) that is unavailable to me.
4) What's the difference in draining the water down vs. lifting the bag up? Fast draining is a desired result in batch sparging, not a requirement, no?

My process looks like this:

1) heat strike water (enough for 1.5-2 qt/lb) to temp + a few degrees.
2) put the bag in the cooler and secure
3) pour in water, close lid for a few minutes, stir until desired strike temp is met.
4) Add grain, stir well, check temp, and let sit for a while
5) Heat remainder of water you'll need for the brew to a temp that will give a temperature of 168 F
6) Add it to the cooler, stir and let sit for a couple of minutes
7) remove the bag (here I sit the cooler on sawhorses and drain into my BK while holding the bag).
8) Drain as much as will fit into the BK and start the boil. Suspend the bag over the cooler and let it drain. Give it a gentle squeeze if you like. Remove the bag once you get the boil started.
9) Add any remaining wort after you get a little loss to evap (use wort for your top off instead of water) and save a little for a real wort starter if you're no chilling.

There you go. If you're set for full boils now, you can go AG for ~$30. I buy my grain from Brewmaster's Warehouse, have Ed double crush it, and have zero efficiency problems so far. (Need to brew a bigger beer still, but so far so good.)

 

[Beezer94]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/
but with a single pot. Would the bag of grains sitting on the side and cooling off before going into the sparge water cause a problem?

1. Heat 1.25qts/lb to 150-155F
2. Add bag of grain for 60-70minutes
3. Remove bag of grain and set aside
4. Add the sparge water to the wort and heat to 170F
5. Teabag the grain bag and let sit in 'wort/sparge water' for 10minutes
6. Remove grain bag
7. Proceed to the boil phase etc...

So like the BIAB, but with normal rest water quantities and a sparge step

Probably will try a couple 3gal batches if this would work. The coolers I have aren't really useful and I would like to be able to try AG without buying more stuff.

 

[MMW]

I don't know enough of the science to know what will happen with the grains sitting off to the side, but I'd like to step in with a couple of observations:

1) Three gallon batches will work fine in a 30 qt pot BiaB style. Check the can I mash it calculator to see what will fit. It will require some tinkering to figure out your water ratio, but it's not that hard.

2) Mash with all your water and just leave the grains while you raise the temp to mash out. Steal something from the kitchen while SWMBO isn't looking to keep the bag off the bottom of the pot.

3) Another option: your MLT does not have to be a pot or a cooler. An Ale Pail wrapped in old blankets or a sleeping bag could work just fine :rockin:

 

[BuzzCraft]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/
but with a single pot. Would the bag of grains sitting on the side and cooling off before going into the sparge water cause a problem?
QUOTE]

Maybe...but it depends on what you mean by sitting around and for how long.
I use 2 pots and after a standard mashin a bag (150-154F, depending on style) and draining it into the first pot, I put it into a pot of 180F water and the temp settles out to the low 160s. If the temp settles out much lower, it's going to reduce the extraction of sugars from the grain. I'd be leary of using hotter water than this to compensate for a cooling bag of grain, but you might get away with it.
Your best option is probably to put the grainbag in a cooler to keep it insulated after you've pulled it out of the mash pot. Also, preheat a lot of your rinse/sparge water if possible, using other (smaller) pots, so there's not so much of a lag time between mashing and rinsing your grains.
Good luck.

 

[BuzzCraft]

Just re-read your post and it looks like you're not planning to remove the wort before adding sparge water. Not sure about that.

It seems to me that you'll get more sugar out of the grains by sparging/rinsing in plain water versus diluted wort.

From what you're proposing, you're probably better off doing a no sparge method where you mash with all of the water (per the Aussie method) and don't do a sparge at all.

Don't know what the grain limit is on a 5 gall paint strainer bag....my pots constrain me to 7.5-8#. I suspect you could get away with 10# without too much worry. You can always double the bag if you're concerned about the weight.

I'll bet your efficiency is in the 70s if you have a good crush and hit your temps. Just have a little DME on hand to supplement if needed.

 

[Beezer94]

Thanks for the help guys. I think I'll have to try this BIAB method. Sounds easy enough.

Going to try a 5gal "Ode To Arthur (Guinness Clone)" since its under 9lbs of grain.

 

[BuzzCraft]

Thanks for the help guys. I think I'll have to try this BIAB method. Sounds easy enough.

Going to try a 5gal "Ode To Arthur (Guinness Clone)" since its under 9lbs of grain.

Too funny....I'm bringing the wort to a boil on that recipe as we speak!

You can do 9# no prob with the 5 gal strainer bag. Good luck!

 

[Beezer94]

Well I brewed last night and only got about 45% efficiency. I think the 5 gallon pain strainer bags are too small as the grain was filled nearly to the brim of the bag so no room for stirring.

Temp was 153 to start and went down to 151 after 40 minutes so I added a little heat; It went up to 154 and then 30 minutes later it was 151. 70 Minutes total then raised the temp to 170 for 10 minutes, then removed the grain.

If I had to do it again without a cooler I would get a bag that was larger than the pot. I think I'll have to get a cooler for the next batch if only for better temperature stability.

I added 1.25lbs of Extra Light DME to bring the OG closer to goal so I think it'll still come out hopefully somewhat delicious.

 

[mattmcl]

You definitely need a bag bigger than the pot. When I did a BIAB I got about 47%.

 

[Rick500]

I did my first all-grain batch a couple weeks ago with one brew kettle. Worked out fine.

Heat strike water in kettle, pour into MLT, dough in, wait 15 minutes or so, start heating sparge water in kettle, collect first runnings in ale pail, batch sparge, collect in another ale pail (just to keep them light enough to carry and pour), dump collected wort into empty kettle, boil.

 

[Bobby_M]

I think the original quest was to do it all in one vessel (just one pot). The downside is space limitation and no sparge. Even an insulated bucket can be used as a temporary sparge tank to get a bit more bang for your buck.

 

[Beezer94]

I thought of using my fermenter bucket, but I figured it would get scratched up. I have a tendency to buy equipment before I know I need it that's why I wanted to try something without. I got a PS2 the day the came out years ago and used it for 5 minutes for the next 3 years. Impulse buying wastes too much $$ lol.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/quest-ultimate-portable-brewery-127359/

My second idea in this thread may be of some use.

 

[Rick500]

I think the original quest was to do it all in one vessel (just one pot). The downside is space limitation and no sparge. Even an insulated bucket can be used as a temporary sparge tank to get a bit more bang for your buck.

Ah, I see now. Didn't catch that.