Wilserbrewerbags vs The Brew Bag

[jjeffers09]

I'm a brew bag guy. Only because that's what my LHBS carries. Both are great bags. my $.02 in...

 

[bajaedition]

Brew bag right now,

but I think I will get some Wilsers made up, I want to do some batch sparging and having the mash in several bags seems like the ticket for that

 

[BassElement]

My Wilserbags (including the free hop bag - thanks!) have been my go-to for the past 6 brew days and so far zero complaints and lots of positives. Perfect fit, easy to use, good beer at the end - that's what it's all about. I have no experience with the Brew Bag, maybe it's as good, but I can vouch first-hand for the Wilser.

Cheers!

 

[Bosh]

Wilserbags are great, love having it custom made with a draw string. Tough too which is good since I do large batches and I don't want it to rip like my crappy old bag.

 

[rhys333]

I'd like to order a Wilserbag, but shipping costs to Canada are pretty steep.

 

[rupert130]

I have had 2 different wilserbags for different sizes kettles. Both have worked amazingly well for years now. I routinely do 10 gallon BIAB batches and the wilserbag handles all that grain and liquid without tearing. I couldn't be happier with my purchase and encourage anyone on the fence to buy a wilserbag.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I'd like to order a Wilserbag, but shipping costs to Canada are pretty steep.

Thanks for bringing this up, the flat rate international shipping may not be accurate for a bag only to Canada.

PM sent.

FWIW, a wilserbag shipped to Canada still considerably less than a Brew Bag. Just sayin...

 

[Morrey]

One thing that is important to me with any purchase is customer service. Wilser is always available to guide you and offer custom suggestions when appropriate. Not only do you get a great product, you get customer service and solid advice from his own brewing experience. Wilser is a brewer so his product is based on a brewer's needs.

In comparison to the Brew Bag: I got a brew bag as part of a seller's getting out of brewing package. At first I considered the long handles an advantage, but quickly realized they make the length of pull on my pulley too tall causing height problems. With Wilserbags, you can make a quick loop knot right on top where the bag is gathered and the pull length is short in comparison. Additionally, I like to cinch the bag with the Wilser drawstring so the kettle lip acts as an anchor preventing a bag full of grain from slipping into the kettle.

Wilser no comparison-Great product with great customer service and rapid shipping.

 

[MrTCS]

Quick hijack question. When ordering a Wilser bag is it good enough to say 15 Gal Megapot 1.2, or do I need the exact measurements? I keep forgetting to measure when I get home as I'm bombarded by little ones.

 

[dammBrewer]

I also will throw my hat in the ring for a Wilser bag. I have two of them currently (thanks to a BOGO sale prior). I have one for 10 gallon BIAB and one for my 5 gallon BIAB pots. Both work tremendously well and are tough. Although, the larger bag has recently started to show signs or wear in that there are just smaller than dime size rips/tears in the bag itself. It's not a major concern, but, I might seek out a new one. I cannot speak for the hop bags as I do not have them, but they do look great. I will continue to use my paint strainer bags for the time being.

As for the Brew Bag, another homebrewer in my club has that option. I can't say I have seen him use the binder clips to hold the bag in, but the lid does hold it down as well from my recollection. And while it does look industrial with the seams being gusseted all the way down, there is as mentioned, no fastening option to the pot while mashing. Sure you can grab 4 loops and just hook them to a pulley, and in that regard, the Brew Bag does win IMO. But, watching Wilser's posts on how to "wrap and tie" the drawstring around the bag and lift is priceless. I have the utmost confidence now in my technique that I hoist full 10 gallon BIAB grain without even worrying about it. And yes, as mentioned, it does help the bag to "compact" enough to not overflow that priceless wort onto the ground.

If I had to rate the customer service on the Wilser bag I would have NO complaints. I remember ordering it and about 4 or 5 emails back and forth to confirm measurements and viola, the package arrived at my door in just days. I haven't had to follow up yet as the bags just seem to "work" as they should....but I cannot imagine Wilser being anything accept cordial and prompt. And that goes a long way with me.

So in the end, get what works best for you. Test it, beat it up and enjoy the BIAB concept.

 

[Griffin495]

Quick hijack question. When ordering a Wilser bag is it good enough to say 15 Gal Megapot 1.2, or do I need the exact measurements? I keep forgetting to measure when I get home as I'm bombarded by little ones.

According to Northern Brewer

Diameter by Height = 15.7" by 18.3"

http://www.northernbrewer.com/15-gal-megapot-1-2

I just ordered one from Wilser (haven't used it yet) and as I was at work at the time, I had to check dimensions on their site.

 

[wilserbrewer]

15 gal mega pot is fine, I have the measurements.

Thanks

 

[bolus14]

Quick hijack question. When ordering a Wilser bag is it good enough to say 15 Gal Megapot 1.2, or do I need the exact measurements? I keep forgetting to measure when I get home as I'm bombarded by little ones.

From Midwest Supplies site:
Diameter by Height: 15.7" x 18.3"
Metric Internal Diameter by Height: 40 cm x 47 cm
Wall Thickness: 1 mm

 

[berndawg84]

As others have said, Wilser is cheaper. Great customer service. Also he only does custom sizing which is awesome. I think brew bag does it but their custom sizing is much more expensive. I love the Wilser plain and simple.

 

[rhys333]

Order placed for my Wilserbag. Can't wait for it to get here and press into service on my next brew!

 

[Boise1024]

I have a Brew Bag, worked great for the last 40 5 gallon batches. You do have to be careful to tie the bag to the outside of the kettle so it won't fall in when you add the grains.

After about 40 batches there is quite a lot of wear and tear on the brew bag, seams are perfect but there is quite a few small tears on the bottom. I may be able to use it for a couple batches more but I will need to order a new one. Might make it a Wilser bag to try them out, shipping and the dollar exchange rate to Canada are quite steep for both options though...

 

[philly224]

Wilserbag is the best. Pretty sure he shipped it about 30 mins after my order was placed.

 

[wilserbrewer]

there is quite a lot of wear and tear on the brew bag, seams are perfect but there is quite a few small tears on the bottom.

........................
Might make it a Wilser bag to try them out...

For the small cuts or holes on the bottom of your bag, I would take a close look at what you are using to stir the mash. I think a metal paddle or large metal whisk can actually damage a bag if someone forcefully contacts the bottom of the pot. What I think happens is the small tiny fibers of the poly voile are crushed and a rip or small hole develops at this spot. Stir carefully, don't aggressively contact the bottom with the paddle. My guess is some get all manly with their mash paddle and are banging the bottom of the pot, smashing the tiny strands of polyester.

Just a guess, as I have no other clue how this can happen.

Properly used and cared for, a bag should almost last indefinitely.....

I have never seen any signs of wear and tear on my personal bags.

Ps I recently reduced my up charge for Canadian shipping from $10 to $5.....

 

[brewbama]

I have a Brew Bag that I use to line a Coleman Xtreme cooler mash tun as a mash filter vs BIAB. I strike, mash in, run off to a boil kettle, lift the bag to drip dry, put it back in the cooler, batch sparge, run off, and lift to drip dry again. Using the bag raised my brew house efficiency into the low 80(s) consistently. I have to reduce most recipe grain bills to keep from brewing everything at "imperial" strength. I get more extract volume from the same strike and sparge water to the point that I had to reduce there as well. It makes cleanup quick and easy and the spent grain is drier for my neighbor who raises chickens. Overall great product.

I am sure the Wilser bag is equally as good but I've not used one.

 

[tjmac5071]

Anyone know of a non synthetic option? I am looking to switch to brew in a bag or basket and for cost reasons I would love bag if there are non poly option.

 

[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