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Author Topic: Starter All Grain Equipment  (Read 6964 times)

Offline jamminbrew

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #15 on: March 10, 2013, 10:36:03 pm »
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202315032?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=cooler&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=202315032#.UT06DxlAvy8


Would something like this rectangular cooler work with the spigot in the middle as opposed to the side? its about 11.25 gallons, looks like big enough just wasnt sure if there is any effect on grain bed if the spigot is in the middle. Thanks again for the advice guys, I greatly appreciate your sage advice.
As long as the spigot is down low to the bottom of the cooler, so you don't have a huge amount of dead space. Otherwise, it should work fine.
In caelo cerivisiae nil, hic igitur bibimus.

Offline Roger Burns

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Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #16 on: March 11, 2013, 04:56:48 am »

I don't see where you're doing anything wrong, but I also don't see where it's easier than what I do.  But that's the beauty of homebrewing.....
[/quote]

Sorry Denny. Typing on phone so really never answered the question. The point of BIAB is that it is cheap, easy, and a good stepping stone if one wants to try all grain.  It also scales up nicely.

I have a three tier RIMS pico brew-stylesystem, too. The cleanup is faster in BIAB with only one kettle. It shaved off about an hour in setup and cleanup.

But if you want to buy all the hardware, that's cool, too. I was just throwing this out as a suggestion since space was listed as an issue.
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Offline davidgzach

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #17 on: March 11, 2013, 08:36:23 am »
Don't let anyone fool you, blue is the only way you can possibly make good beer...... ;)
Dave Zach

Offline denny

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #18 on: March 11, 2013, 11:16:31 am »

I don't see where you're doing anything wrong, but I also don't see where it's easier than what I do.  But that's the beauty of homebrewing.....

Sorry Denny. Typing on phone so really never answered the question. The point of BIAB is that it is cheap, easy, and a good stepping stone if one wants to try all grain.  It also scales up nicely.

I have a three tier RIMS pico brew-stylesystem, too. The cleanup is faster in BIAB with only one kettle. It shaved off about an hour in setup and cleanup.

But if you want to buy all the hardware, that's cool, too. I was just throwing this out as a suggestion since space was listed as an issue.
[/quote]

Nope, I don't want to go to that extreme either.  The cooler with a toilet hose braid I've used for 435 batches is all I need.  If you haven't seen it, take a look at the link in my sig. The point I was making is that your BIAB method sounds more cumbersome than what I do now.  But to each their own.
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Offline mpietropaoli

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #19 on: March 11, 2013, 09:03:18 pm »
Another bag brewer here - 5 gal batches.  Used to mash in my kettle, so I figured I'd give it a shot. 

My endorsement on NB:  http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=115208&hilit=biab

On my last batch, a kolsch, I got 87% efficiency, 4 hour brewday for 6 gallons in the fermenter, from pulling stuff out to sitting on the couch. 

NOW, I will say it has its limitations.  I've had some efficiency problems when i've tried to do beers bigger than about 1.075.  Also, you need to lift.  Or fashion a pulley.  Which, to Denny's point, negates the whole purpose.  However, I still consider myself relatively young and strapping (emphasis on 'consider'...I will post again when I slip a disc), so lifting a big bag of wet grain for a minute before I set it on a canning rack to drain isn't that big of a deal. 

Recognize though, that with any setup, you will have some learning curve. 

bagbrewer.com <-- this guy is the man.  You can probably make one cheaper, but he does a great job. 
Bubblin': helles
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Offline malzig

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #20 on: March 12, 2013, 05:31:20 am »
BIAB does seem like a good way to start, if you want to give it a try before building a tun.  What I can't figure out is where you save an hour or more of time. 

My second kettles sits inside the other, with my pitcher, salts, and thermometer inside that, so it doesn't take more time to move 1 than two.  Juggling the lids can be a little problematic.  Bring those upstairs, fill with water, throw in a little metabisulfate, and start heating the mash water.  Then, my tun is down next to my grain bins.  I grind right into the tun, then use the tun to carry the grain upstairs.  When the water hits strike temperature, it goes into the tun. 

At the end of the day, I carry the tun out to the compost pile, and turn it upside down.  Rinse the tun a couple times with the hose (or the shower, in the winter) and it goes back down cellar.  Wipe the kettle clean, everything goes back inside, and it all goes back down cellar.

I suppose I could streamline that to only 1 trip downstairs with 1 kettle and a bag, but that's only 2 minutes at the beginning and end of the day.

Offline erockrph

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #21 on: March 12, 2013, 10:01:17 am »
BIAB does seem like a good way to start, if you want to give it a try before building a tun. 

BIAB isn't just for starting into AG. It makes great beers as-is, so there is no real impetus to switch to a more traditional method with batch or fly sparging using multiple vessels unless you just want to try something different. Unless I have a need to jump to large batch sizes in the future I'm pretty sure I'll stick to BIAB for my all-grain brewing.

Having said that, I don't think there's a heck of a lot of time savings between BIAB and batch sparging. If you already are set up for batch or fly sparging, I don't see a big reason to switch to BIAB. It would be good if you wanted to add a separate pilot system or cut down your batch sizes, but otherwise the time savings isn't as huge as people say it is.
Eric B.

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Offline mpietropaoli

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #22 on: March 12, 2013, 10:25:43 am »
What I can't figure out is where you save an hour or more of time. 


I suppose I should also mention that I upgraded to a Blichmann burner :-)
Bubblin': helles
Flowin': IIPA, Doppelbock, Flanders
Sittin': More Flanders, Braison,
Thinkin': wit, more helles

Offline beersk

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #23 on: March 12, 2013, 12:44:51 pm »
BIAB does seem like a good way to start, if you want to give it a try before building a tun. 



Having said that, I don't think there's a heck of a lot of time savings between BIAB and batch sparging. If you already are set up for batch or fly sparging, I don't see a big reason to switch to BIAB. It would be good if you wanted to add a separate pilot system or cut down your batch sizes, but otherwise the time savings isn't as huge as people say it is.
It's true, there isn't a ton of time savings, it still takes me about 4 1/2 hours to brew a batch.  I do, however, get better efficiency with brew in a bag because I can mill finer, not having to worry about stuck runoffs, and I can squeeze the bag to get extra wort out. So those really are the benefits for me, other than the fact that it's simple and easy. Plus I like being able to keep my mash temperature steady at whatever temp I want with direct fire and a false bottom. That does mean I need to constantly stir the mash while I'm direct firing it, but it's really no big deal for me.
I like the idea of using all my water in one go, put in all my salts, etc.
Jesse

Offline weithman5

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Re: Starter All Grain Equipment
« Reply #24 on: March 12, 2013, 01:09:02 pm »
i do more of a mash in a bag now.again i only brew 2-3 gallon batches.  i mill fine and keep the grain in a grain bag in an igloo cooler.  collect the runoff like normal.  i boil in a 4g electric kettle.  i do have a new kettle i will be making this summer. it is an 8 gallon IMUSA seafood steamer, which i will turn in to an electric kettle if there is room for the element. it has a tray for seafood that will also hold the grain bag on if i were to boil directly. 

one of the reasons for the mash in a bag is that it makes it easy to use the grains for bread and dog treats over the next week.  i just pull the bag and put it in tupperware
Don AHA member