Why doesn't everyone just BIAB?

[msa8967]

With one toddler running around and another baby coming soon I have started doing some BIAB 2-3 gallon sessions on my stove top so I can be inside and save some time in the brewing. I still plan to use my mashtuns when I go to larger size batches or higher gravity beers. I don't think BIAB is necessarily better or worse than the traditional all grain method I learned 2 years ago, it is just an alternative for me to use when I want to save time or make smaller sized batches.

 

[mux]

I ran a 3 vessel keggle setup, until my eBIAB. It's now collecting dust. I will still use it but prefer the bag.

 

[Junkster]

I ran a 3 vessel keggle setup, until my eBIAB. It's now collecting dust. I will still use it but prefer the bag.

I had a 3V rig for years and sold it. I'm building a modified electric BIAB rig now and can't wait to get it into operation. I had several reasons to make the change and it should make the brewday shorter and much easier in my particular case. I enjoy building the equipment as much as brewing / drinking and it's always a process that get tweaked along the way..... Whatever works for whomever works it I suppose!

 

[richkev]

I am at a point in my life where time is really of the essence. I'm sure everyone here with kids can empathize with me about keeping up with all of "their" activities. Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. That said, I have been brewing long enough to have accumulated quite a bit of equipment. The biggest change I have made, lately, was to go from fly sparging to batch sparging. It hasn't really saved me a huge amount of time, but it made my brew days run smoother. Just less to keep up with - I'm not a great multi-tasker. I have to admit, though, BIAB certainly looks easy enough. I just doubt I'll ever really do it since I do have so many pots, etc. If I'm really pressed for time, I like to squeeze out a quick extract beer.

 

[JonnyJumpUp]

Why would I BIAB? Only reasons I can see is if space is a limitation.

Additional equipment for a mash tun vs BIAB cost me $10 plus an old cooler I had laying around. I think $10 is worth it for increased temperature stability during the mash... also the process on brew day, BIAB vs 3 vessel system isn't any more complicated. In fact I think its a little easier (I have brewed both ways). There isn't really any additional cleanup time in 3 vessel because I manage to get it all done during the boil anyway. So if it doesn't cost me a significant amount of time or money to go to a more controllable system why wouldn't I?

 

[cadarnell]

Why would I BIAB? Only reasons I can see is if space is a limitation.

Additional equipment for a mash tun vs BIAB cost me $10 plus an old cooler I had laying around. I think $10 is worth it for increased temperature stability during the mash... also the process on brew day, BIAB vs 3 vessel system isn't any more complicated. In fact I think its a little easier (I have brewed both ways). There isn't really any additional cleanup time in 3 vessel because I manage to get it all done during the boil anyway. So if it doesn't cost me a significant amount of time or money to go to a more controllable system why wouldn't I?

Ive used both a cooler and my BK with a bag to mash and I seem to hold my temps a lot better in the BK .... I just stick it in the oven set on low and my temp holds all the way thru the mash .... everybodys experience with biab is different I guess but for me its just easier than a cooler tun.

 

[haeffnkr]

I just read all of this.

I saw no one push back on the lack of efficiency claim with BIAB.
I triple grind all my grain with my barley crusher.
I have to adjust the recipes listed here DOWN because I figure my efficiency at 89% and have hit my numbers spot on with my last 5 batches.
I use tastybrew calculator.
I get clear beer and the usual amount of trub in the fermenter.

Here is my first brew -
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/1st-beer-attempt-ever-lots-pics-biab-291598/

As a few others stated.... going to an EBIAB setup soon with a pump... it will be awesome. Will be able to nail the mash temps for the whole mash cycle and not even have to look at it for an hour.
That is time saved.

thanks Kevin

 

[Denny]

Ya know, everything you cite as a benefit for BIAB I get with batch sparging.

 

[usfmikeb]

Ya know, everything you cite as a benefit for BIAB I get with batch sparging.

I think that is the whole point, BIAB gets the same results as a 3 vessel system.

 

[helibrewer]

To me, BIAB is a no sparge system with a giant removable false bottom. With proper setup you can heat and recirc a BIAB system, with heating capability you could do a very successful decoction also.

If you are a 2 or 3 tier brewer that prefers to sparge then a BIAB system just doesn't meet that requirement, you could argue sparge vs no sparge, but that's not the point here.

So I guess ONE answer to the question of why everybody doesn't BIAB; is because those that want to sparge can't do it with a BIAB system....at least without incorporating additional vessels and heating methods.

 

[wailingguitar]

I use an old cooler to mash in. Already had it, no extra cost. Spent maybe $20 max on the manifold. Having brewed professionally for many years and also using the MLT to design recipes that will be used in commercial settings, it makes more sense to use the method that you would see in a commercial brewery. The more that is the same, the easier it is to scale the recipe. I also appreciate the time it takes to run off since I can use it for other things... while running off I can get my fermenters prepped, etc. A brew day runs me 4 hours setup to clean up, I'm happy with that.

Frankly I find the traditional method easier and less of a PITA than BIAB. One thing that people go on about with a traditional method is that "sparging is a pain"... It doesn't have to be. People seem to think you have to trickle the water in slowly over the course of the run off. BS. Start the run off and get the water in as quickly as possible without serious disturbance of the grain bed. Takes me 5-10 minutes max. Then you just let it run.

 

[david_42]

My method varies with the recipe. I use a bag for small beers and anything with fruit in it.

 

[RM-MN]

I just read all of this.

I saw no one push back on the lack of efficiency claim with BIAB.
I triple grind all my grain with my barley crusher.
I have to adjust the recipes listed here DOWN because I figure my efficiency at 89% and have hit my numbers spot on with my last 5 batches.
I use tastybrew calculator.
I get clear beer and the usual amount of trub in the fermenter.

Here is my first brew -
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/1st-beer-attempt-ever-lots-pics-biab-291598/

As a few others stated.... going to an EBIAB setup soon with a pump... it will be awesome. Will be able to nail the mash temps for the whole mash cycle and not even have to look at it for an hour.
That is time saved.

thanks Kevin

There's pretty good evidence that your conversion is done in about 15 minutes. You might want to do an iodine test on your wort just to see but if your idea is to not have to look at it for an hour, why not try to finish the whole thing in 15 minutes?

 

[corkybstewart]

There's pretty good evidence that your conversion is done in about 15 minutes. You might want to do an iodine test on your wort just to see but if your idea is to not have to look at it for an hour, why not try to finish the whole thing in 15 minutes?

I think it was BYO that did some tests that showed that even though iodine may indicate all starches are converted to sugars in 20 minutes, leaving the mash does have advantages. The longer the mash sits(within reason) the mre fermentable the wort will be. So just because starches are no longer present, sugarsstill go through other conversions during the mash.

 

[barneygumble]

For 5.5 gallon batches in the dead of winter, nothing beats BIAB. Its been said already, but I do both. I still extract some too. For my 10 gal batches, I use my three tier. For a nice spring day, I three tier. Its -10f outside, (and my boat hogs my garage so) the rig has to be outdoors? Its BIAB (and occasional extract) time. Something about wet and subzero that likes to freeze skin. Not to mention any hose left outdoors for more than a minute or two in that weather is frozen solid too. Takes the fun outta a brew day.

Also, for the apartment dwellers and those with similar space limitations, BIAB opens the door to all grain brewing that would otherwise be closed.

 

[Domes]

I use 5.2 Mash Stabilizer so the pH question becomes moot with BIAB.

 

[Domes]

For those that BIAB, what is your water to grist ratio? I use 2.6 quarts/lb. of malt for a 5.5 gallon batch. This seems to work for my system but I was wondering how it compares to others. Also, I bought a nylon bag from a guy (mbwilser) on eBay and it works great. He customizes it to your kettle. Just type BIAB in the search.

 

[Domes]

Also, for those that BIAB, I double grind my grains at a pretty fine level (.36) to get better efficiency. I've found that if I condition my malt before I grind, I get a lot less dust and flower. I'm not a squeezer so I get about 70-75% efficiency most of the time. Here's a link: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Malt_Conditioning

 

[Bradinator]

For those that BIAB, what is your water to grist ratio? I use 2.6 gal./lb. of malt for a 5.5 gallon batch. This seems to work for my system but I was wondering how it compares to others. Also, I bought a nylon bag from a guy (mbwilser) on eBay and it works great. He customizes it to your kettle. Just type BIAB in the search.

It depends on the how much grain I am mashing. Generally if I am using 10lbs or less of grain it will be as high as 2qt/lbs. Yesterday I did a bigger beer and ended up with 1.3qt/lbs for my ratio. There was almost no difference in my efficiency between the 1.3 and 2.0 (I get between 75-80% now). From this I would assume that so long as the ratio of water to grist is with a reasonable number (I am guessing 1.25 at the low end to 2.0 on the higher water/grist) it does not have a major impact on efficiency.

With that aside, this weekend was my first 'big' beer, mashing 14lbs of grain. My current equipment setup has probably hit its limit. I would need to get a bigger brew kettle to mash anymore. The other issue I have now hit with my current system is beer volume; Its tough to get more the 5 gallons without topping off which is not ideal.

 

[Berniep]

I do 10 gallon batches in my electric keggle up to about 1.050.
I can do about 24 pounds of grain with a little hit to efficiency. About 65 68 versus 70 75 for grain bills under 14 pounds.
The hardest partbis is getting the bag out of the keggle. I am always worried it will split.

 

[usfmikeb]

For a 10 lb grain bill, I use 6 gallons of water, which would be 2.4 quarts per pound. I'm rather surprised to hear of someone doing BIAB at 1.3 quarts per pound, that sounds more like a standard mash quantity.

 

[Denny]

I think that is the whole point, BIAB gets the same results as a 3 vessel system.

I don't use a 3 vessel system. I use something much simpler.

 

[Denny]

I use 5.2 Mash Stabilizer so the pH question becomes moot with BIAB.

It would if 5.2 actually worked. Have you ever checked your pH after using it?

 

[FirstStateBrewer]

The reason I don't brew BIAB is because I want to brew like the pros do. Never heard of a commercial BIAB brewery. Other than that, BIAB is a perfectly fine way to brew.

(Now, watch there be a hole list of examples posted of BIAB breweries! LOL!)

 

[Denny]

I'm a homebrewer. I have no interest in brewing like a commercial brewery. It holds absolutely zero interest for me.

 

[Bradinator]

For a 10 lb grain bill, I use 6 gallons of water, which would be 2.4 quarts per pound. I'm rather surprised to hear of someone doing BIAB at 1.3 quarts per pound, that sounds more like a standard mash quantity.

I usually do a higher water to grist, but my last batch had a lot of grain and the kettle I use for the mash can only hold so much volume. Considering that I got the same efficiency as I normally do, I don't think the ratio made much of a difference. I am glad to see this is the case, as I now know I can make much bigger beers then I thought possible with consistent results.

 

[FirstStateBrewer]

I'm a homebrewer. I have no interest in brewing like a commercial brewery. It holds absolutely zero interest for me.

Since that is your preference, BIAB is a great way to brew.

 

[Denny]

Since that is your preference, BIAB is a great way to brew.

Not for me...batch sparging in a cooler is my preference. Trying to lift a 20+ lb. bag of hot grains isn't on the radar for me.

 

[bob1852]

It would if 5.2 actually worked. Have you ever checked your pH after using it?

Yes. 5.2 works for me. It doesn't seem work for many, but there's something about my water where it does work for me; purely from a pH standpoint. And yep, I do know that it does add quite a bit of sodium, which my water is lacking from anyways.

Not for me...batch sparging in a cooler is my preference.

Mine too. I can easily do ~26lb mashes for 10gallon batches. I can't imagine pulling out that much grain out of a BIAB.

 

[FirstStateBrewer]

Not for me...batch sparging in a cooler is my preference. Trying to lift a 20+ lb. bag of hot grains isn't on the radar for me.

Yes, well there is that... :cross: