There has to be a better way to drain BIAB over a kettle at mashout without using a hoist

[Wolfbayte]

i tried googling "Zapap" and all i got was frank zappa which just reminded me not to eat the yellow snow? WTF is a Zapap?

https://mainebrews.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/zapap-lauter-tun/
https://mainebrews.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/zapap-lauter-system/amp/

 

[SonomaBrewer]

This $16 SS canning rack hangs perfectly on the rim of my 15G kettle...

 

[bobtheUKbrewer2]

at the end of mash BIAB I open the tap and drain out the wort (pronounced wert) into a 4 litre jug which I tip into the boiler. Power on max and fetch the next 4 litres. Flow obviously slows to a mere dribble, if I am short on brew length I sparge with hot water - this does not happen often -

 

[Jayjay1976]

..and drain out the wort (pronounced wert)

Wait. Are u sure?

 

[z-bob]

Here's a pic from my brew day yesterday. Bag took a really long time to drain because the recipe had so much wheat flour. I just let it hang for a half hour (tilting it back and forth occasionally to let it drain some from the upper parts of the bag), then squeezed the last little bit.

 

[adpostel]

I've been using this kitchen strainer since 2013 when I started brewing. It fits right in my kettle, and it even fits in a 10 gallon cooler. The sides take care of the bag trying to "spread out" and there is no mess when allowing the bag to drain or when squeezing the bag. Once it drains, I move the bag of grains into a dunk sparge bucket (usually 150*) and mix them up and let them sit in the dunk sparge for 20 mins. Then I drain the bag the same way with the strainer. Been working like a charm for years....

https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Kitchen-...3363&sprefix=kitchen+strainer,aps,110&sr=8-26

 

[gritchie63]

Wouldn’t a circular ss grill grate work? Just sit the bag on top.

 

[balrog]

Wouldn’t a circular ss grill grate work? Just sit the bag on top.

The problem will quickly be realized as the bag sags and spreads over the flat area extending itself beyond the edges of the pot and dribbling sticky sugary wort all over the place.

Ask me how I know.

 

[Stormcrow]

The problem will quickly be realized as the bag sags and spreads over the flat area extending itself beyond the edges of the pot and dribbling sticky sugary wort all over the place.

Ask me how I know.

I'll bet it's the same way I know!

 

[Alan Reginato]

Here's a pic from my brew day yesterday. Bag took a really long time to drain because the recipe had so much wheat flour. I just let it hang for a half hour (tilting it back and forth occasionally to let it drain some from the upper parts of the bag), then squeezed the last little bit.
View attachment 774243

Bob, why so many kitchen knifes, Bob?!?


Almost same setup. Just in other spot. A hook on the ceiling. I sparge with water at room temp , 1l/Kg, to decrease temp, then squeeze the bag with my hands. No need for more hardware to clean up afterwards.

 

[Shenanigans]

I use one of these.
Not sure if you can get them in the US.
It's a basket for converting your perserver cooker into a steam juicer.
Very sturdy with a about 40cm diameter at the top and as it's tapered it fits snugly into several of my diffeent pots and buckets.
Usually I put it on a 30L fermentation bucket and lift the bag from the pot and dump it in there.
Not perfect but works good for a grain bill up to about 17 or 18 pounds.
Anything heavier I wouldn't want to be lifting by hand anyway

Its the middle part of this system.

 

[z-bob]

Bob, why so many kitchen knifes, Bob?!?


Almost same setup. Just in other spot. A hook on the ceiling. I sparge with water at room temp , 1l/Kg, to decrease temp, then squeeze the bag with my hands. No need for more hardware to clean up afterwards.

Because I'm 63 years old, and I've been buying knives (just one or two at a time) since I was about 20) I didn't realize they were in the background The black handles are RH Forschner (now rebranded as Victorinox) and most of the white ones are Russell Dexters.

Best setup I've seen (I think it was in another thread on this site) was a large lag eye bolt screwed through the back of the cabinet into a stud. So when the cabinet doors are closed it is all hidden.

 

[balrog]

large lag eye bolt screwed through the back of the cabinet into a stud. So when the cabinet doors are closed it is all hidden

Genius, but watch the wear on the cabinet door edge finish.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Genius, but watch the wear on the cabinet door edge finish.

There's no problem with the door, it's swung all the way open when the eyebolt is in use. The closed door covers the edge of the cabinet itself where it can be worn.

The big vulnerability is the stove hood. Small bills are not a problem, but it starts to groan when I make the occasional >1.080

 

[estricklin]

My friend uses something like this, he got it out of an old deep freeze I think. Works perfectly. Lift the bag up for a second, and slide it under.

 

[Langerz]

Related to this do people do anything beside use the draw string to lift the bag? (I know there are bags out there have that have sewn in lift handles, but I wasn't smart enough to look for that when I started).

I'm on brew #2 and have so far just used the draw string. First time it worked great. Second time the string came undone and I was really lucky I didn't have a giant mess. I had only lifted the bag about an inch when it happened so minimal splash. Was a pain though since of course half the string pulled into the hem on the bag and so I had to hold the bag by hand instead.

It was definitely dumb on my part since it was relying on the little plastic lock that holds the drawstring tight the way I had it hooked to the hoist. Next time I'll make sure I tie a loop so I'm not relying on that point. It made me think though is the string or the hem around the bag strong enough to support the weight or should I try something different in the future.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Check out...BIAB Hoisting w/ a Ratchet Pulley

 

[z-bob]

Related to this do people do anything beside use the draw string to lift the bag? (I know there are bags out there have that have sewn in lift handles, but I wasn't smart enough to look for that when I started).

I'm on brew #2 and have so far just used the draw string. First time it worked great. Second time the string came undone and I was really lucky I didn't have a giant mess. I had only lifted the bag about an inch when it happened so minimal splash. Was a pain though since of course half the string pulled into the hem on the bag and so I had to hold the bag by hand instead.

It was definitely dumb on my part since it was relying on the little plastic lock that holds the drawstring tight the way I had it hooked to the hoist. Next time I'll make sure I tie a loop so I'm not relying on that point. It made me think though is the string or the hem around the bag strong enough to support the weight or should I try something different in the future.

The plastic lock broke off of my drawstring a long time ago. I lift the bag by the drawstring with one hand, which gathers the top. I grab the top of the bag with the other hand, and I use both to lift it. Then I tie it off on the cabinet door handle. (you might do something different at that point, like have your wife slip an oven rack or giant colander between the bag and the kettle so you can set it down) Once it drains a bit you should be able to hold it up with one hand, freeing up the other for manipulating some kind of strainer.

 

[balrog]

do people do anything beside use the draw string to lift the bag?

I don't. I use the additional prussic knot loop, using the drawstring to gather the top enough to put the prussic around the cloth just below the opening.

 

[BongoYodeler]

I don't. I use the additional prussic knot loop, using the drawstring to gather the top enough to put the prussic around the cloth just below the opening.

Draw string hoist lift for me. I tie a double surgeon's loop about 8 inches or so from the top of the bag. Quick, simple, and strong.

 

[mac_1103]

I recently got a 44 qt Bayou Classic. The basket also just happens to fit inside a 10 gallon igloo cooler. So the bag will go in the basket and the basket will go from cooler mash to kettle dunk sparge and then sit on top of an oven rack to drain. Much like the photo in #174. Can't wait to try it out.