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

[MaxStout]

no if they made big enough spring like the volutes,,, you'd push the basket down, then hook up some sort thing where you could pull it up, and instead of need a third hand to slip something underneath the springs would just pop out and you sit the basket on the rim....this is the thread where said you needed a third hand to get the colander under the basket/bag right?

Getting the colander under the basket is relatively easy. I only need my 2 hands for that--lift the bag with one hand, place the colander under it with the other, lower the bag. What I need 3 hands for is the next step--holding the bag in place in the colander, squeezing it, all the while keeping wort from running over the sides. Having the right colander or similar vessel to better envelop the bag of grains would make the process more manageable.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Restaurant supply should have over sized colanders, but they are price, a couple years ago I purchased something made for preventing boil overs (colander like, but with large holes of various sizes) which I use to let grains drain.

 

[bracconiere]

Getting the colander under the basket is relatively easy. I only need my 2 hands for that--lift the bag with one hand, place the colander under it with the other, lower the bag. What I need 3 hands for is the next step--holding the bag in place in the colander, squeezing it, all the while keeping wort from running over the sides. Having the right colander or similar vessel to better envelop the bag of grains would make the process more manageable.

my mind is swiming in ideas of toy cherry pickers/engine lifts...hydraulic scissor lifts that would fit on a stove top.....having fun so far!!

 

[Stormcrow]

I've always thought about getting one of those turkey fryer steamer baskets and setting it on an old oven rack over my kettle to do something like this. I've also thought of just drilling a million holes in the bottom of an old turkey fryer kettle and doing the same thing. Just haven't got around to it yet. But kudos on raising awareness for BIAB "muffin top". Many of us have struggled with this and the ensuing mess for years. It's good to know I'm not alone.

 

[Stormcrow]

Have you considered draining the wort into a bucket or another pot, leaving the bag in the initial pot? Then you could add your sparge, if any, directly to the grains, then drain that to a bucket/pot (same one or a different one, your preference).

Then you could move your initial pot to the floor to handle the grain bag (buckets work great to drop it into). Pour, pump, or siphon your wort back to the boil kettle, and you're going.

This might be more work or time, but also seems far more relaxing (and potentially less messy) than wrangling a bag without a hoist.

I've actually been doing this too, and like it.
Whoops, read it again and need to edit. I've actually been lifting the bag and quickly moving it to a bucket after it's drained awhile. Squeeze bag in bucket, then dump that in kettle later.

 

[sibelman]

I thought BIAB meant one vessel. Given how many of these solutions use an additional, er, vessel, maybe go with draining/sparging to a kettle? Okay, that's unhelpful. Whether spring assisted or not, lifting a bag/basket onto a stand could eliminate the need for a hoist. But it seems a wide vessel is necessary because of @MaxStout's muffin top effect.

 

[bracconiere]

I thought BIAB meant one vessel. Given how many of these solutions use an additional, er, vessel, maybe go with draining/sparging to a kettle? Okay, that's unhelpful. Whether spring assisted or not, lifting a bag/basket onto a stand could eliminate the need for a hoist. But it seems a wide vessel is necessary because of @MaxStout's muffin top effect.

************, you just gave me the solution, being sliping something underneath wasn't the problem...here we go!


https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/i...Z3WwihwV8XWjEYDxhDEdHtqzEb32fQtBoCqbgQAvD_BwE
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1647765464...7G%2Ft%2Fw%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMqv7tj59f

much cheaper too, i know i'm not much of help directly...but i'm hoping to inspire creativity here....

or here's one that would probably fit the whole bag easy...22"x~7" deep...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1647765528...hKufZkLnXQ%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMqv7tj59f

 

[HopSing]

I've always thought about getting one of those turkey fryer steamer baskets and setting it on an old oven rack over my kettle to do something like this. I've also thought of just drilling a million holes in the bottom of an old turkey fryer kettle and doing the same thing. Just haven't got around to it yet. But kudos on raising awareness for BIAB "muffin top". Many of us have struggled with this and the ensuing mess for years. It's good to know I'm not alone.

Exactly! Find a stainless steamer basket that is an inch to inch and half smaller in diameter and a little shorter in height to brew kettle. Bag goes into basket, basket goes into kettle. When mash is over, lift both. Use three of these S hooks (small size). They have a small ball attached to the end so it does not damage the bag.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HATSN66/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Easy to sparge. Easy to squeeze the bag if that is your thing. I just let it drain while waiting for it to come up to a boil. I also adjust which hole to hook the s hook to so when the wort touches the bottom of the steamer, I know I've reached my pre-boil volume, even if it is not done draining.

The other benefit over a hoist is I can move where I am brewing. Indoor, outdoor, different location, it does not matter. It also has 0 risk of damaging a bag during a hoist.

~HopSing.

 

[WesBrew]

Pricey but you could have a custom basket made by utah bio diesel . Looks like they take a few months. If you could find a shallow sauce pot with handles , cheaply, could drill holes in bottom and use as a strainer

 

[soccerdad]

There's always the Old zapap. 2 buckets. I with holes drains into one without.

 

[MaxStout]

wonderful human being, you just gave me the solution, being sliping something underneath wasn't the problem...here we go!


https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/i...Z3WwihwV8XWjEYDxhDEdHtqzEb32fQtBoCqbgQAvD_BwE
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1647765464...7G%2Ft%2Fw%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMqv7tj59f

much cheaper too, i know i'm not much of help directly...but i'm hoping to inspire creativity here....

or here's one that would probably fit the whole bag easy...22"x~7" deep...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1647765528...hKufZkLnXQ%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMqv7tj59f

Something like that would work--allow the wort to drain while keeping it from going over the sides. Except the galvanized part. If I could find some huge SS funnel...

 

[bwible]

Have you considered draining the wort into a bucket or another pot, leaving the bag in the initial pot? Then you could add your sparge, if any, directly to the grains, then drain that to a bucket/pot (same one or a different one, your preference)

We call that a mash tun.

 

[jtratcliff]

What I need 3 hands for is the next step--holding the bag in place in the colander, squeezing it, all the while keeping wort from running over the sides.

My method has been to lift the bag with 2 hands, let drain a little until it's light enough to briefly hold with one hand, slide colander under bag, slowly lower bag into colander while spinning bag to twist the excess material..

The twist tightens the bag and keeps the grain in tight ball. It can't relax and slump onto the side holes...

I keep twisting as much as I can as my primary squeezing... Then I use the kettle lid to push down on the twisted bag...

Minimal side flow... Zero if I'm careful.

 

[marc1]

We call that a mash tun.

Yup

Except it's also his boil kettle.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

How about using a c-clamp on the top shelf of the a cabinet, hook your hoist to it, then when done, you can remove the clamp, no holes or hook, and keep the Mrs. happy

 

[MaxStout]

My method has been to lift the bag with 2 hands, let drain a little until it's light enough to briefly hold with one hand, slide colander under bag, slowly lower bag into colander while spinning bag to twist the excess material..

The twist tightens the bag and keeps the grain in tight ball. It can't relax and slump onto the side holes...

I keep twisting as much as I can as my primary squeezing... Then I use the kettle lid to push down on the twisted bag...

Minimal side flow... Zero if I'm careful.

Yep, I do the twist to tighten up the bag, and tie a prusic loop around the neck just above the grain ball. My problem is the large mass that flattens out in the colander vs the skinny kettle below.

I'm thinking the best idea is the big colander you linked, with the side holes plugged so that it drains only through the bottom.

 

[MaxStout]

How about using a c-clamp on the top shelf of the a cabinet, hook your hoist to it, then when done, you can remove the clamp, no holes or hook, and keep the Mrs. happy

I might incorporate something like that, along with the colander. Use a spring clamp to hold up the top of the bag, clipped to the cabinet door (but not suspend the bag from it). That would at least keep that part of the bag out of the way.

I have a wood shop, so plenty of these on hand.

 

[bracconiere]

Something like that would work--allow the wort to drain while keeping it from going over the sides. Except the galvanized part. If I could find some huge SS funnel...

says this one is 13-5/8" wide, you said your kettle was 12-3/4? so it might work.....


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VVSCMF...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
edit: thinking something like that big enough, you could incorporate a sparge too....i think i saw one that said it had a 3 gallon capacity, that way you wouldn't need to squeeze the bag at all.....

also @Jaybird , would probably make you something to your design specs!?


here's another one, says it has a 3 gallon capacity for the extra large size....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2549483303...4LCyFMfGBB72HdvpDKFmpCnBjOyd6h9UaAlRoEALw_wcB

 

[sibelman]

...but not suspend the bag from it...

Take care putting too much weight on a wall cabinet shelf. Some of those shelves (and cabinets) lack the required strength.

 

[MaxStout]

Take care putting too much weight on a wall cabinet shelf. Some of those shelves (and cabinets) lack the required strength.

True. That's why I said I wouldn't suspend the bag from it. The clamp is only to stow the loose top end of the bag and keep it out of my way.

 

[bracconiere]

something else would be cut a 3" hole in the bottom of a 5gallon bucket...it's what i use for my mill hoppers works pretty good....


it'sake squeezing easier, just fill another 5 gallon bucket with weights and let it sit on top of the bag in the bucket?

 

[bruce_the_loon]

says this one is 13-5/8" wide, you said your kettle was 12-3/4? so it might work.....


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VVSCMF...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
edit: thinking something like that big enough, you could incorporate a sparge too....i think i saw one that said it had a 3 gallon capacity, that way you wouldn't need to squeeze the bag at all.....

also @Jaybird , would probably make you something to your design specs!?


here's another one, says it has a 3 gallon capacity for the extra large size....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2549483303...4LCyFMfGBB72HdvpDKFmpCnBjOyd6h9UaAlRoEALw_wcB

Brac, are you becoming a dairy farmer in your state of un-sobriety, first the milk pail fermenter and now a milk filter.

Moooooooo

 

[bracconiere]

Brac, are you becoming a dairy farmer in your state of un-sobriety, first the milk pail fermenter and now a milk filter.

Moooooooo

i think it's just that milk goes with cheap stainless......

 

[MaxStout]

@bracconiere that milk filter would be very close to what I initially envisioned. With a 13-5/8" O.D. that thing would rest nicely atop my 12-1/2" I.D. kettle. The $90 price tag...yikes.

I put it in my Amazon wish list anyway, just in case.

 

[bracconiere]

@bracconiere that milk filter would be very close to what I initially envisioned. With a 13-5/8" O.D. that thing would rest nicely atop my 12-1/2" I.D. kettle. The $90 price tag...yikes.

I put it in my Amazon wish list anyway, just in case.

SS ain't cheap....

here's a used one for $25?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1944181709..._DN5jS_cIZoZiFslWSYBlIZHqZZuCvKYaAg3mEALw_wcB

 

[sibelman]

SS ain't cheap....

here's a used one for $25?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1944181709..._DN5jS_cIZoZiFslWSYBlIZHqZZuCvKYaAg3mEALw_wcB

Nice find. Looks very authentic...and galvanized?

 

[bracconiere]

Nice find. Looks very authentic...and galvanized?

i thought it looked aluminum?

 

[MaxStout]

i thought it looked aluminum?

It looked there was some rust along the top rim. Probably galvanized.

 

[PuddingWar]

It looks like I'm a bit late to the party but from my BIAB days after lifting the bag I would slide one of the round grates from my bullet style smoker to let the bag sit on and I used the clamps mentioned above to a cabinet, not to support the weight but to keep it from spreading out too much (you could also use a cooling rack too) and after most drained off I would sparge the whole bag in another pot of 168F water then drain with the same prosses before the boil.
good luck

 

[bracconiere]

It looked there was some rust along the top rim. Probably galvanized.

damn, but you say something like that would work for your needs? so i'm not wasting my time thrift shopping?