Wilserbrewerbags vs The Brew Bag

[soccerdad]

you could try cheese cloth - folks have used it for years to filter coffee grounds

 

[wilserbrewer]

Bag that I use to line a Coleman Xtreme cooler mash tun.

Rectangular cooler bags @ wilserbrewer $28

Brew bag $43.50

It's your money shipping less as well

Thanks
Wilser

 

[PartagasD4]

Also... just to add... I ordered 1 bag for a 10 gal round cooler, 2 dry hop and 2 hop-boil bags, that's 5 total. I received a really great discount and when the bags arrived there was 6 bags in the package, nice! Thanks wilserbrewer!!

 

[rhys333]

Wilserbag arrived yesterday. Will be breaking it in easy with a mild ale this weekend. I can already tell it's a well made product and way better than the one I've been using. Thanks Wilser!

 

[SlitheryDee]

you could try cheese cloth - folks have used it for years to filter coffee grounds

My first BIAB experience was with cheesecloth. It actually works ok, but the cotton tends to want to wick away your wort and small particles will get through the bag. I saved that one by going to my local hardware store and picking up some paint strainer bags in the middle of my mash. After mashing and before the boil I just filtered my wort through the paint strainer bags and proceeded from there. The bags caught a lot of stuff that would have made it into the boil kettle. I don't know if the particulates would have actually hurt anything, but it made me feel better.

I was worried about how all this was going to affect my efficiency, but I actually came in a bit higher than I initially estimated. All in all I can say that cheesecloth works, but it presents some difficulties that probably aren't present in purpose made brew bags.

FWIW I ordered a wilser bag yesterday. It's not very expensive and if it makes my brew days easier it will definitely have been worth it.

 

[rhys333]

The bags caught a lot of stuff that would have made it into the boil kettle. I don't know if the particulates would have actually hurt anything, but it made me feel better.

The bags with a more open mesh that allow particulates through really do hurt the beer. If you're like me and stir the mash a couple times and then do the same in a dunk sparge, it can let a lot of debris through and into the boil resulting in astringent off-flavors. The superfine mesh bags stop this happening.

 

[Gusmedic]

The bags with a more open mesh that allow particulates through really do hurt the beer. If you're like me and stir the mash a couple times and then do the same in a dunk sparge, it can let a lot of debris through and into the boil resulting in astringent off-flavors. The superfine mesh bags stop this happening.

Yesterday was my 1st BIAB and I bought the cheapy northern Brewer bag. Everything went well but after I pulled the bag, took a sample, and let it cool for a gravity reading i noticed almost 2" of debris in the bottom of the test jar. Is this caused by the mesh being too coarse and from what you've said in the last post this should be avoided?

 

[MaxStout]

Yesterday was my 1st BIAB and I bought the cheapy northern Brewer bag. Everything went well but after I pulled the bag, took a sample, and let it cool for a gravity reading i noticed almost 2" of debris in the bottle of the test jar. Is this caused by the mesh being too coarse and from what you've said in the last post this should be avoided?

There will always be some debris, but 2" in your hydro sample seems like an awful lot. Especially since this was a cooled sample and the debris had settled. Chalk it up to the coarse bag.

 

[jan_b19]

Used them both, liked them both. melted the wilser by accident and the brew shop only had the brew bag. The brew bag seems a bit more sturdier if you have a really big grain bill but they are both amazing products and they both do their job

 

[fragged]

Breaking my post-cherry here for the wilsner bags. Got mine last week, custom size fit my kettle exactly. Finally got to use it tonight on BM's Centennial Blonde (love this one). 76% Mash Efficiency, which is my best yet.

I used the "hang it and squeeze it like it owes you money" technique. Love the drawstring! Silicone mitts will be my next upgrade

Thanks Wilsner!

View attachment 1496802668521.jpg

 

[rhys333]

Breaking my post-cherry here for the wilsner bags. Got mine last week, custom size fit my kettle exactly. Finally got to use it tonight on BM's Centennial Blonde (love this one). 76% Mash Efficiency, which is my best yet.

I used the "hang it and squeeze it like it owes you money" technique. Love the drawstring! Silicone mitts will be my next upgrade

Thanks Wilsner!

I have that same ladder and love it!

Same goes for the bag.

 

[BongoYodeler]

After a few extract brew days, I did my first all grain BIAB last Sunday. The Wilser bag and associated ratcheting pulley was a joy to work with. Now comes the hardest part - the waiting.

 

[hopkincr]

Used paint strainer "bags" for several years (they work okay), but just finished brew #2 with Wilser bag. Excellent bag and quality.

 

[sslater]

I've only used bags from MashedIn.beer. For the past 2 1/2 years and 34 brews, to date... Becky's bags are excellent design and her customer service fantastic.

My feeling is that since her bags are cylindrical, the shape fits the pot without compressing the grain as much as the cone shaped bags some of the others use. With less compression of the grain during the mash, I believe this may produce a tad higher efficiency...which is a good thing. (But admittedly have not tested that theory...). Anyhow, Becky's bags and service are great, and I don't believe anyone has mentioned them here. :fro:

https://www.mashedin.beer/collections/custom-brew-in-a-bag-biab/products/premium-custom-biab

 

[wilserbrewer]

IMy feeling is that since the bags are cylindrical, the shape fits the pot without compressing the grain as much as the cone shaped bags some of the others use. With less compression of the grain during the mash, I believe this may produce a tad higher efficiency...which is a good thing. (But admittedly have not tested that theory...). ]

Respectfully, your view point is a bit skewed having never used a round bottom bag, or tear drop shape bag. The bag is sized to rest on the bottom and will neatly and fully line the kettle. The weight of the grain shapes the bag to the kettle bottom and sides, for a true full volume mash. The benefit of a tear drop shaped bag imo is that the wort will run out the bottom of the bag in a single stream to the middle of the kettle.

My "feeling" is that cylindrical shaped bags are over complicated, therefore higher priced, and have more seams as potential points of failure.

Just my biased opinion of course....

Cheers
Wilser.

 

[honeycon]

Ordered a "Grand Slam" from Wilser Brewing. Shipped in 40 Minutes. How is that even possible?

 

[soccerdad]

He never sleeps

 

[geoffm33]

Ordered a "Grand Slam" from Wilser Brewing. Shipped in 40 Minutes. How is that even possible?

Thanks for posting this, reminded me to order a bag to fit my new kettle!

 

[cubalz]

All of my bags are from Wilser. They are high quality with excellent fit and finish. I have extras I bought to keep on hand just in case but none of my originals have failed yet even with large grain bills. I highly recommend them!

 

[tjosborne]

@wilserbrewer
I'm thinking about doing 15g biab batches. Some recipes would have me pushing close to 60 lbs of grain. Would this really even be possible?

 

[wilserbrewer]

@wilserbrewer
I'm thinking about doing 15g biab batches. Some recipes would have me pushing close to 60 lbs of grain. Would this really even be possible?

Far larger batches have been done without issue. I have supplied many bags in the 50 gallon range, and approx 20 - 30 bags or so in the 120 - 150 gallon range with no negative feedback.







The above is a 285 lb grain bill, 3B batch. 60 lbs doesn't concern me. How large is your kettle? The simple 1/4" ratchet pulley would likely be close to it's limit with a 60 lb grain bill.

Thanks
wilser

 

[Jeff_T]

Damn, that's pretty wild. A testament to the seams it seems

 

[tjosborne]

@wilserbrewer
That's crazy! I'm planning on getting Spike's 30g kettle when it is back in stock.