Use a bag with Mash & Boil - or not?

[dukes909]

I received a Brewer's Edge Mash and Boil as a birthday gift from my wife this year. I haven't used it yet. My brewing history is extract -> 3 tier all grain outside 10 gallon brews -> BIAB glass cooktop 2-3 gallon brews (kitchen). I hit my numbers every time with BIAB.

I am reading some folks use a bag with their M&B and some use a bag in place of the malt tube. I would love to use this thing as a BIAB only and not worry about sparging since I don't have a way to heat sparge water in my basement where I plan to use this thing.

I'd like to hear from others doing BIAB (if anyone!) with their M&B or why & how they use a bag with the malt tube.

Cheers
Dukester

 

[micraftbeer]

I've used Mash & Boil, and really like it. Link to a review article here: http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2017/09/hands-on-review-brewers-edge-mash-boil-electric-brewery.html

In my opinion, the malt tube is far superior to a bag. It's easier to clean, and the M&B has specific features designed in to allow you to lift the thing and let it sit and drain out. If you want to do full volume mash, then just let it drain. If you want to do batch sparge by pouring pitchers of water through, the solid sides keep the water inside and not pouring out the sides of the bag and running all over. I usually sparge when using it just because it's easy and I get a few points of gravity more when I do.

But if you don't want to sparge, you're still better off using the malt tube because it's easier to clean and easier to drain.

 

[dukes909]

Hey again, I tried my M&B this past weekend with mixed results. I had a severely stuck sparge, which is the first time I have ever had one in many years of a 3-tier system and then later stovetop BIAB's.. As it was, I had to use far more sparge water than what Brewer's Edge states. Have you had any experiences like this with yours? It really bummed me out. I ended up getting only about 67% efficiency vs. close to 80% with BIAB.

I've used Mash & Boil, and really like it. Link to a review article here: http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2017/09/hands-on-review-brewers-edge-mash-boil-electric-brewery.html

In my opinion, the malt tube is far superior to a bag. It's easier to clean, and the M&B has specific features designed in to allow you to lift the thing and let it sit and drain out. If you want to do full volume mash, then just let it drain. If you want to do batch sparge by pouring pitchers of water through, the solid sides keep the water inside and not pouring out the sides of the bag and running all over. I usually sparge when using it just because it's easy and I get a few points of gravity more when I do.

But if you don't want to sparge, you're still better off using the malt tube because it's easier to clean and easier to drain.

 

[micraftbeer]

I have had to stir the grain up some to "un compact" it when having it drain/sparge. I suspect the malt tube geometry contributed to that, because as I think of it, that phenomenon has been common in the other malt tube eBIAB designs I've evaluated as well (Robobrew, Grainfather).

As for efficiencies, I would typically be in the 70-75% range. But I would check my gravity occasionally during the sparge, and stop the sparge when I hit my pre boil predicted gravity. It would usually be before I used all of my calculated sparge water.