Squeezing the grain bag?

[WaltG]

Ok, I need an idea. I'm using a 32 quart turkey fryer as a brew kettle. My last batch had a 13lb grain bill. Problem was when trying to squeeze out the grain bag I made a huge mess.

Any cheap ideas? One thought it I have a rack from a canning pot that I think will fit in a bucket. Thinking that on bottom and grain bag will set on top, I can just press down and pour wort back into kettle that I get. I don't have a lot of room, just a small kitchen.

 

[thadass]

I brew in my kitchen with a 32qt pot as well. Biggest grainbill I've managed was about 12.5lb BIAB, so I totally understand how you feel.

If you can get the bag from the kettle into the bucket with minimal mess, I think your idea will work pretty well. I put a colander upside-down in the bucket and squeeze the bag onto it (I also have some hot mashout-temp water I quasi-sparge with so I don't have to work quite as hard at the squeezing).

 

[PRE66_6TART]

I too make a hot sticky mess when I squeeze my bag.

Just an idea, I haven't tried it, but what about three buckets stacked inside each other with holes drilled in the bottom of the middle one. Then you mash the top one down on top of the bag and wort collects in the bottom one. I think those buckets are like $4.

 

[WaltG]

I have 4 gallon square buckets I can steal from work to try

 

[thadass]

I too make a hot sticky mess when I squeeze my bag.

Just an idea, I haven't tried it, but what about three buckets stacked inside each other with holes drilled in the bottom of the middle one. Then you mash the top one down on top of the bag and wort collects in the bottom one. I think those buckets are like $4.

I was watching a video of Sake making yesterday and they used a fruit press to press the final rice/sake mixture apart and I thought of exactly the same thing! With no risk of tannins (which may be more of a myth anyways) with the rice I figured I could just sit right on it, hah. Using my fat a** to make liquor to make my fat a** fatter!

I don't have a garden hose though and cleaning the outside of a wort-sticky bucket in my kitchen would be a little bit of a pain I'd think. It'd probably work well enough to make it worth it, though

 

[treehousebrewing]

Most of the time I use a rack out of my oven set over the bucket. Works just fine. A cooling rack for cookies is even better.

 

[fartinmartin]

Your big wet hot heavy bag of grain has done its stuff in the mash liquor, slide a plastic pipe down the side of the bag to within about a 1/2 of the bottom. Syphon the wort into second bucket at the same time add the sparge water, leave it there to drain itself out, in doing so it will self filter through the grains. Then lift out a grain bag that is only wet in the bottom 1/2" straight into a plastic bag and quickly empty onto the compost.

 

[RM-MN]

I was watching a video of Sake making yesterday and they used a fruit press to press the final rice/sake mixture apart and I thought of exactly the same thing! With no risk of tannins (which may be more of a myth anyways) with the rice I figured I could just sit right on it, hah. Using my fat a** to make liquor to make my fat a** fatter!

I don't have a garden hose though and cleaning the outside of a wort-sticky bucket in my kitchen would be a little bit of a pain I'd think. It'd probably work well enough to make it worth it, though

No, no, no. You take the sticky buckets to the shower.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Easiest and cleanest BIAB method I have found is using a ratchet pulley and a well shaped bag. The bag needs a tapered tear drop shape so when it is hung over the kettle the wort drains from the bag in a single stream. If left to drain over the kettle for 15 minutes or so, no squeezing is required.

To sparge, simply slowly pour sparge water over and through the bag. I BIAB in a carpeted basement, and barely spill a drop of wort.

Also handy to have a large plastic Rubbermaid type bin to set the spent grain bag in, set it adjacent to the kettle and any drips go in the bin or the kettle.

 

[WaltG]

I don't have room for the pulley. Tried cooling rack and last batch I did was so much grain a ton of it ran off the sides. I really like the bucket idea. I have 3 of these buckets.

Bottom one with spigot, already have it for my 1-gallon bottling. Middle with holes in bottom, grain bag goes in there. Top just to press down. Hell my fat ass could sit on it if I wanted.