So, In Theory

[typebrad]

I can BIAB with the same grainbill as an all-grainer and get the same beer?

I don't see what could make it ANY different, other than just puttin' yourself through the extra pains in the arse.


/Will always still be figuring it out/

 

[ram5ey]

Well beer from system to system will always be different...slightly...but yes in theory....welcome to the dark side.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I brew traditional 3V and BIAB alternately, and can't tell one batch from another, however I'm not a certified judge and I also didn't stay in holiday inn last night.

Cheers!


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[harebearva]

It will be very similar. You will get a bit more grain debris in the wort, but You'll also get more FAN which is good for fermentation. Your wort may also appear a bit cloudier, but these things can settle out in the boil and post fermentation. Also, you will get a little better quality wort as you are essentially getting all first runnings being as there isn't typically a sparge. You may have to use a little bit more grain in your recipes but it's a trivial amount... and may not have to use more at all depending on the crush. And you can typically crush finer than those using a mash tun without fear of a stuck sparge. IMO, there should be little or no difference in Recipe design. I loved BIAB when I was doing it.

 

[BigTuna]

I get 87% efficiency with my new all grain single tier rig. I've heard of BIAB brewers getting between 60% - 75%. Perhaps this is one of the biggest differences. However.. if you don't care about efficiency.. BIAB:rockin:

 

[WI_Wino]

I get 87% efficiency with my new all grain single tier rig. I've heard of BIAB brewers getting between 60% - 75%. Perhaps this is one of the biggest differences. However.. if you don't care about efficiency.. BIAB:rockin:

I get 80 to 85 % efficiency with my biab process. I squeeze the bag after mashing, then do a room temp sparge in a spare pot and then squeeze the bag some more before dumping the sparge water into the boil kettle.

 

[BigTuna]

I get 80 to 85 % efficiency with my biab process. I squeeze the bag after mashing, then do a room temp sparge in a spare pot and then squeeze the bag some more before dumping the sparge water into the boil kettle.

So I guess I haven't heard too many people's efficiency that BIAB haha. That's a great technique and great efficiency.

 

[kh54s10]

I get about 70% efficiency from my 3 tier all grain rig. I get about the same or a little better with BIAB, but I really prefer the 3 tier system. I don't like the hot, heavy, sticky, messy bag of grain that you get with BIAB.

For me the pain in the ARSE is with BIAB....

 

[pdxal]

I get 80-85% efficiency routinely, with beers that are as good as people with 3 vessels, in both taste and clarity. You should be able to get the same beer with the same grain bill with BIAB, all else being equal.

 

[Milan37]

The myth that BIAB is less efficient is slowly dying a well-deserved death.

It's not just 'in theory', but in practice that you can make beer every bit as good as with old-school 3-tier systems. There is nothing inherent in the old-school or BIAB processes--they are both paths to the same result.

While you can brew beer every bit as good, whether you will do this is up to you. No approach can guarantee quality--that part is on the brewer.

The choice between old-school and BIAB is simply a matter of preference.

 

[The_Bishop]

I moved from BIAB to a two vessel Brutus 2.0/Breweasy type of setup. I was getting roughly 75% efficiency BIAB, now I'm around 70%. Only difference is the wort is much clearer from recirculation and trub is greatly reduced.

 

[typebrad]

But, I'm assuming far less trub than extract, no? Or about the same?

 

[peterj]

But, I'm assuming far less trub than extract, no? Or about the same?

Extract should have less trub than any all grain method, especially BIAB. With extract the only source of grain dust that will add to the trub is from the specialty grains if you use them. The other sources will be the same (yeast, hops, etc.).

 

[typebrad]

Extract should have less trub than any all grain method, especially BIAB. With extract the only source of grain dust that will add to the trub is from the specialty grains if you use them. The other sources will be the same (yeast, hops, etc.).

But you filter a lot of this out before you hit your fermenter, right? How so? Looks like that 20 gallon kettle -is- in fact in my near future. :\


/Will always still be figuring it out/

 

[kh54s10]

But you filter a lot of this out before you hit your fermenter, right? How so? Looks like that 20 gallon kettle -is- in fact in my near future. :\


/Will always still be figuring it out/

Not necessarily, I never filter the wort going into the fermenter. Though I do bag my hops so that lessens the trub I get into the fermenter.

 

[typebrad]

You guys using the fancy BIAB bags, or paint bags? Those Blue Hawk 5 gal paint bags are the tits, but never done a BIAB in one.


/Will always still be figuring it out/

 

[ram5ey]

I got my bag from wilserbrewer. It is fantastic and worth every penny.

 

[peterj]

Not necessarily, I never filter the wort going into the fermenter. Though I do bag my hops so that lessens the trub I get into the fermenter.

Here's an interesting blog post I read yesterday relating to that: http://brulosophy.com/2014/06/02/the-great-trub-exbeeriment-results-are-in/.

I used to worry about keeping as much kettle trub as I could out of the fermenter, but now I just whirlpool a little bit, let it settle, put the siphon in the bottom corner, and let it do it's thing. That just reinforces my decision not to worry about it.

You guys using the fancy BIAB bags, or paint bags? Those Blue Hawk 5 gal paint bags are the tits, but never done a BIAB in one.

I've done a few half batch BIABs with the 5 gallon paint strainers. It works pretty well but they can wear out kind of quickly. I can see how a custom bag would be a good investment (though I don't even think they're expensive).

 

[Goolsbymd]

Wilserbrewer bags are much better than paint strainer bags. I haven't tried the ones you mentioned but i used Home Depot 5 gal bags and it was a pita. Not wide enough to fit over the entire bk, not enough space to tie it up to drain when filled with grain bill, which lead to trying to hold it up as I didn't have anything to rest it on to drain the bag. I do filter my wort a couple times. I now have a metal rack i put over the top of the KB and do my own little technique. Ill heat up and hold 1.5g of sparge water and drain it over my grains as it drains on top of the rack to bring up my total amount needed for boil off then hook up to pulley and squeeze till I pop a blood vessel. Then send first .25g into an extra fermentor to dispose of the trub as I don't whirlpool and then filter the rest into the ferm. Yes it's more work but very clear beer and eff. Last brew was just short of 80%

 

[harebearva]

I made my own bag. Made it to specifically fit my kettle. Even made it in a cylinder shape using 2 pieces of voile sheer material. Got the material from walmart for $4 and went to a sewing store and picked up the strongest thread I could get. They actually make a Kevlar thread that's used in fly tying... stuffs tough as hell. Anyway, I made my seams triple folded and double over stitched every seam. Took me about 30 minutes. It's a STOUT bag!

 

[pdxal]

I made my own bag. Made it to specifically fit my kettle. Even made it in a cylinder shape using 2 pieces of voile sheer material. Got the material from walmart for $4 and went to a sewing store and picked up the strongest thread I could get. They actually make a Kevlar thread that's used in fly tying... stuffs tough as hell. Anyway, I made my seams triple folded and double over stitched every seam. Took me about 30 minutes. It's a STOUT bag!

How much grain can it hold for mashing, and how much weight (wet grain) can it hold?

 

[wilserbrewer]

I made my own bag.

Nice job making your bag! I have found that polyester thread works very well. Even a fine thread that does not appear that strong will work very well, as the voile is a very fine fabric, and fine fabric stitches well, and makes nice seams with fine thread. The key to a strong seam is many stitches rather than strong thread, run it through the machine several times folding the seam works very well! With a well stitched bag, the seam will likely be stronger than the fabric.

How much grain can it hold for mashing, and how much weight (wet grain) can it hold?

My guess would be that bag would hold a couple hundred pounds, more grain than would ever fit in the pot.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/biab-polyester-voile-strength-test-384445/

If you have the skills and a sewing machine, making a bag is a nice little project.

 

[wilson42203]

I get 87% efficiency with my new all grain single tier rig. I've heard of BIAB brewers getting between 60% - 75%. Perhaps this is one of the biggest differences. However.. if you don't care about efficiency.. BIAB:rockin:

I've had as low as 68% efficiency with BIAB, but I didn't have my process dialed in at that point.

Yesterday, when I did a batch of cream ale, I hit 85%. Right after that, I got 81% on my pale ale. I double crushed my grains and with the cream ale, I mashed at 150 for 90 min. I had some temp control issues with the pale ale, but I kept it roughly between 150 & 154, also for 90 min.

I think if you can get a good process dialed in, you won't know the difference. And you save some money.

 

[wilson42203]

You guys using the fancy BIAB bags, or paint bags? Those Blue Hawk 5 gal paint bags are the tits, but never done a BIAB in one.


/Will always still be figuring it out/

I still use paint strainer bags, but as mentioned before, yes they wear out fairly quickly.

Just based on everyone's recommendations here on HBT, I would go with wilserbrewer's bags. That will likely be my next investment.

 

[divrguy]

I get about 70% efficiency from my 3 tier all grain rig. I get about the same or a little better with BIAB, but I really prefer the 3 tier system. I don't like the hot, heavy, sticky, messy bag of grain that you get with BIAB.

For me the pain in the ARSE is with BIAB....

Hmmm... As he is hanging out in the BIAB forum..lol


Cheers!

 

[harebearva]

How much grain can it hold for mashing, and how much weight (wet grain) can it hold?

Granted this is a smaller bag. I only do 2.5 gallon half batches but it has held 6.5 pounds of grain (Dry weight) no Idea what the weight was wet, but it was ummm heavy. With the seam stitching that I did (folded the seams over twice and stitched them tight, then went back and over stitched the seams a second time) I firmly believe the material will rip before the seams break,

 

[GCPHomebrew]

Efficiency goes up with biab . I use less grain or more water. Efficiecis between 80-90.


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