Why doesn't everyone just BIAB?

[haeffnkr]

I would suggest keeping your proposed BIAB rig simple, perhaps insulating rather than recircing w/ a pump and do simple infusions....no pump and lines to clean saves time, and with a little experience single infusion works fine IME.

+1

That is why I use a stir motor and an immersion chiller... rinse them off and you are done till the next time.

 

[BrotherGrim]

I started with single vessel extract, then went to partial mash, then 3 vessel. After a move, started BIAB because I lost some of my stuff. Been using that method for a few years and now moving back into 3 vessel electric. I am going back to 3 vessel so I can run a HERMS and work on keeping my mash temperature more exactly. I brewed the same beer 3 times in a row, hit all my numbers but could not get them exactly the same in taste. The notes I kept showed differences in mash temp heat losses. I did not note ambient temps but I think that was changing my loss rate and trying to fire up the burner I sometimes overshot temp. Consistency in mash temp is what I am after.

 

[chisena]

How big is your current kettle? How big is the kettle above w/ the herms coil in it? Might be possible to reconfigure what you have? I would suggest keeping your proposed BIAB rig simple, perhaps insulating rather than recircing w/ a pump and do simple infusions....no pump and lines to clean saves time, and with a little experience single infusion works fine IME.

The HLT and BK are each 10G. There's probably too many holes in my HLT to reconfigure it. I figured since I have the BoilCoil and controller I should use them to recirculate. Maybe I could use the HLT after all and just plug the two holes that I currently have the HERMS coil installed in. If I then had some sort of basket to fit above the BoilCoil, I could probably pull it off with minimal investment... at least to try it out!

 

[okbecker]

I started with extract as most, built a 3 vessel Herms system, built a BIAbasket system. They were all fun and produced fine beer. Though now all I use is my cooler and SS kettle - no sparge, add a bit of extra grain for efficiency...love it. Process for me has never been easier and beer is great. Feel like its almost the best of both worlds.

 

[BigFloyd]

Started off with Mr. Beer (a Christmas gift), moved quickly to 5g extract batches, then AG in a chest cooler mash tun and finally to my current system - single 15g keggle recirculating E-BIAB with PID controlled 5500W element.

Gotta love the convenience of BIAB combined with the precise mash temp control + consistency. Keggle, control box, pump and plate chiller all fits nicely on a re-purposed gas grill cart so that it has a fairly small footprint in my garage.

 

[doug293cz]

I started with single vessel extract, then went to partial mash, then 3 vessel. After a move, started BIAB because I lost some of my stuff. Been using that method for a few years and now moving back into 3 vessel electric. I am going back to 3 vessel so I can run a HERMS and work on keeping my mash temperature more exactly. I brewed the same beer 3 times in a row, hit all my numbers but could not get them exactly the same in taste. The notes I kept showed differences in mash temp heat losses. I did not note ambient temps but I think that was changing my loss rate and trying to fire up the burner I sometimes overshot temp. Consistency in mash temp is what I am after.

Have you looked into a recirculating BIAB for your e-brew setup? Basically a RIMS, but with the element in the BK rather than an external tube. With this you get precise temp control, and a smaller footprint.

Brew on

 

[BrotherGrim]

Have you looked into a recirculating BIAB for your e-brew setup? Basically a RIMS, but with the element in the BK rather than an external tube. With this you get precise temp control, and a smaller footprint.

Brew on

I looked at it, and was originally going to go that way, but I am getting more involved with some of the other local brewers and it will be easier to go to back to back brews with a 3 vessel system and it will also allow me to brew 10 gallon batches if I choose. Nothing against the BIAB option, which I will still be able to do, but more options.

 

[OkanaganMike]

Started off with Mr. Beer (a Christmas gift), moved quickly to 5g extract batches, then AG in a chest cooler mash tun and finally to my current system - single 15g keggle recirculating E-BIAB with PID controlled 5500W element.

Gotta love the convenience of BIAB combined with the precise mash temp control + consistency. Keggle, control box, pump and plate chiller all fits nicely on a re-purposed gas grill cart so that it has a fairly small footprint in my garage.

Any chance for a pic? I'm in the planning stage of a plywood cart and never thought of a grill cart. They're always laying about and should be decently sturdy. Love to see your set up.

 

[doug293cz]

I looked at it, and was originally going to go that way, but I am getting more involved with some of the other local brewers and it will be easier to go to back to back brews with a 3 vessel system and it will also allow me to brew 10 gallon batches if I choose. Nothing against the BIAB option, which I will still be able to do, but more options.

Looks like you're making the right trade off. Back to back batches is the one indisputable advantage of 3 vessel over single vessel (at least AFAIK), so if you want to do back to back, then BIAB may not be right for you. 10 gal batches aren't a problem with BIAB if you have a decent pulley arrangement.

Brew on

 

[naturebrew]

I routinely brew 10 gal BIAB using a coleman cooler as a mashtun. The mash tun is 2 feet off the floor which makes it easy to lift the bag and sparge. I drain into a 20 qt pot and then dump this into my 15 gal boil kettle. I like this method as I can mash indoors where its warm and then carry the wort to the boil kettle outside for the boil. I tried the single vessel BIAB method and had a heck of a time draining the bag and had to complete the entire process outside where it gets darn cold here in winter. I don't hang the bag at all now, I do 2 X 10 min batch sparges and force out the easy to get wort with a pot lid at the end of the sparge process, I think I am around 78% efficiency.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Looks like you're making the right trade off. Back to back batches is the one indisputable advantage of 3 vessel over single vessel (at least AFAIK), so if you want to do back to back, then BIAB may not be right for you. 10 gal batches aren't a problem with BIAB if you have a decent pulley arrangement.



Brew on

Well, with only 2 vessels you can not only do two batches back to back BIAB, but you can do two batches simultaneously vs 3v back to back.

Well, maybe staggered to account for chilling limitations.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Sorry double post

 

[doug293cz]

Well, with only 2 vessels you can not only do two batches back to back BIAB, but you can do two batches simultaneously vs 3v back to back.

Well, maybe staggered to account for chilling limitations.

Let's see:

☑ 8 gal pot with bag
☑ 15 gal pot with bag
☒ One propane burner​

Maybe my poorly planned pot upgrade path has a silver lining. All I need is another burner, and I can do simultaneous batches. I was looking for an excuse to upgrade my SQ14 burner to a KAB4.

Thanks wilser

Brew on

 

[BigFloyd]

Any chance for a pic? I'm in the planning stage of a plywood cart and never thought of a grill cart. They're always laying about and should be decently sturdy. Love to see your set up.

Here you go -

 

[normonster]

Because 35 lbs of grain gets heavy after mash. Not to mention you can BIAB if you want, anytime. After you have your 3v system.

 

[normonster]

Well, with only 2 vessels you can not only do two batches back to back BIAB, but you can do two batches simultaneously vs 3v back to back.

Well, maybe staggered to account for chilling limitations.

You can also do 3 batches simultaneously if you already have 3V!!!

 

[normonster]

Truth is for me though at this point...if I could go back Id get the bigass Breaumeister and be done...basically BIAB.

 

[doug293cz]

You can also do 3 batches simultaneously if you already have 3V!!!

I want to see someone try to boil in their plastic cooler.

Brew on

 

[BigFloyd]

Because 35 lbs of grain gets heavy after mash. Not to mention you can BIAB if you want, anytime. After you have your 3v system.

I have a pully setup good for up to 150lbs mounted to the garage ceiling for lifting the bag and letting it drain into the kettle. $24 well spent.

 

[FinchSCF]

I do BIAB on my stovetop and love it. I don't love the inconsistencies I get with efficiency, but I've been correcting with DME based on the pre-boil gravity to help shore that up. Not the most cost-effective thing ever, but it ends up working. I have tried crushing more grain but got tired of playing the guessing game with that rather than just adding in DME and hitting my intended OG.

 

[doug293cz]

Because 35 lbs of grain gets heavy after mash.

Pulleys were invented thousands of years ago. If you know how to use them, 35 lbs of wet grain will feel like five lbs.

Not to mention you can BIAB if you want, anytime. After you have your 3v system.

But, I can BIAB with one pot and one burner, and not spend the money on two more vessels and another burner. And, I don't have to store and set up all that extra equipment. But, if it makes you happy, go for it.

Brew on

 

[normonster]

I want to see someone try to boil in their plastic cooler.



Brew on

Who the heck would use a cooler at all? 😉

 

[normonster]

Pulleys were invented thousands of years ago. If you know how to use them, 35 lbs of wet grain will feel like five lbs.







But, I can BIAB with one pot and one burner, and not spend the money on two more vessels and another burner. And, I don't have to store and set up all that extra equipment. But, if it makes you happy, go for it.



Brew on

Too late for me...money invested. 3 burners, 3 SS kettles. Of course I can just pull out one of each and BIAB if I want, and actually when it comes time to clean up I sometimes consider it!

On the other hand, regardless of when they were invented, if you're going to be rigging up pullys you may as well go 3v.

 

[doug293cz]

Who the heck would use a cooler at all? 😉

Lots of (most judging by posts I have read in this forum) 3 vessel brewers. But then you knew that didn't you.

Brew on

 

[doug293cz]

On the other hand, regardless of when they were invented, if you're going to be rigging up pullys you may as well go 3v.

Really? Rigging a pulley above a pot is trivial in most cases. It only gets a little involved if you brew indoors, and have a steam hood over the center of your pot.

Brew on

 

[JLeuck64]

When I was extract brewing I also steeped specialty malts or mini mashed as some call it. That mini mashing process was TIRING! Seriously it wore me out... holding up a couple pounds of grains to let them drain!

I couldn't ever see myself holding up the grains for a WHOLE BATCH!!!

So I bought a cooler and switched to AG ( ;

 

[doug293cz]

I couldn't ever see myself holding up the grains for a WHOLE BATCH!!!

So I bought a cooler and switched to AG ( ;

Neither could I, so I bought a pulley

Brew on

 

[normonster]

Lots of (most judging by posts I have read in this forum) 3 vessel brewers. But then you knew that didn't you.



Brew on

Yeah, I was just kidding. I considered it my self but the cost of those coolers is not low. I figured double it and have matching SS kettles. I'll admit I enjoy the aesthetic appeal of my rig... 😁

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I'd vote, but I can't - my option isn't there. I do both 3 vessel (stand with 3 keggles, direct fire insulated mash tun, gravity from HLT, pump for recirc and transfer) and a 10-gallon BIAB. At some point I may upgrade to a 15-gallon BIAB so I can do higher gravity no-sparge batches. I love brewing both ways, but if I have to transport my system, like for Big Brew in May 2, I BIAB.

 

[normonster]

I'd vote, but I can't - my option isn't there. I do both 3 vessel (stand with 3 keggles, direct fire insulated mash tun, gravity from HLT, pump for recirc and transfer) and a 10-gallon BIAB. At some point I may upgrade to a 15-gallon BIAB so I can do higher gravity no-sparge batches. I love brewing both ways, but if I have to transport my system, like for Big Brew in May 2, I BIAB.

What kind of benefit can one expect with the no sparge approach?