I'm doing BIAB in a SMALL batch, one gallon net. Several reasons for this: recipe development, space, creativity, trying all grain without going all in. My last batch has a strange odor, maybe cardboard but I might be reading too many articles. I did not do too much oxygen exposure with the hot wort, i.e. didn't "aerate" and was careful. I have read some critical comments about BIAB and I'm not sure if that's with large batch limitations or what, but if I give my process in a nutshell please tell me if I'm either going about it wrong or limiting myself severely.
I mash on the stove in a 3 gallon stainless stock pot at specified temp. It stays pretty damn close to temp when covered and wrapped, use a remote digital thermometer.
I pull the loosely tied bag out and gently sparge with the proper temp water. I do this by placing the bag, which I open up atop a stainless colander, and pour S L O W L Y the sparge water over with a ladle to get the correct volume.
I do use corrected water acc'd to Brun'Water.
I DO squeeze the bag slightly to get more out of the grain but don't crush it down hard fearing tannins.
I follow the recipe through boil.
Cool with a copper chiller.
Ferment in a 2 gallon bucket then secondary in one gallon glass jug.
I find this easy and I believe they call it a single sparge or single infusion mash?? Is doing it this way rather than a small cooler and false bottom going to give worse results? Again, I'm looking at recipe development hoping I can scale up with Beersmith later if I adopt full grain. Also, it's single mash temp, not doing any step temps or processes I've yet to wrap my mind about. Just not sure if I'm limiting myself with this approach. Hope I'm clear and thank you.