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Author Topic: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?  (Read 14647 times)

Offline bigchicken

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Re: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?
« Reply #15 on: October 04, 2011, 11:23:41 am »
I have done just 1 BIAB and the beer turned out great, but cloudy. I bought a bag from Northern Brewer and I had horrible luck cleaning it. Took me over a half hour to pick out the grain when I was done. I have no intention of doing another one because of it.
TJ Cook

On Deck: Planning
Fermenting: Nothing
In bottles: It's All About MEAD!

Offline weithman5

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Re: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?
« Reply #16 on: October 04, 2011, 12:07:28 pm »
i usually have tossed the bag.
Don AHA member

Offline udubdawg

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Re: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?
« Reply #17 on: October 04, 2011, 01:19:54 pm »
I've done several of these when the weather got ridiculous outside and enjoyed it.  I echo the "best for small batches" comments.
I didn't like the amount my temps drifted in a pot, so I used the bag in a cooler like other people, then lifted it out into the brewpot where the sort-of-batch-sparge water was waiting.  Heated the wort from the cooler in a separate pot, then added it to the brewpot after I lifted out the bag. 
It won't completely replace my standard mashing method but I can see the attraction.  Once I even did a no-sparge with the BIAB method - I was like "that's it? - I'm done?!" It feels a bit like cheating but I've enjoyed the results.  I haven't noticed any loss of clarity in my beers but I have used a very fine mesh... 

...and make sure any stitches/seams are on the outside of the bag when you fill it to minimize the grain caught in the seam.

cheers--
--Michael

Offline tomsawyer

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Re: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?
« Reply #18 on: October 05, 2011, 02:39:24 pm »
I don't toss the bag, just turn it inside out and snap it a few times on the deck to remove as much of the grain bits as possible, then soak it in a few changes of hot water, then hang to dry.  It doesn't need to be devoid of grain bits, any more than the MLT does.
Lennie
Hannibal, MO

Offline 1vertical

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Re: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2011, 04:56:24 pm »
My experience was a positive one. Not a bad method...you'll make beer!
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

Offline Simon

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Re: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?
« Reply #20 on: October 05, 2011, 06:04:45 pm »

I've done several batches of BIAB over the past few years but none for quite a while - mostly because I was cramped for space while renovating the garage and the full system needed to be packed away.

The killer dislike for me was the lack of efficiency. At first I kept coming up way short on my pre-boil gravity despite the BIAB people saying they got better efficiency. Yes, I just upped the grain bill to hit the pre boil gravity but why spend the extra money when you don't need to? The difference in the grain bill price would have been about $5 or so and, after a while, that would pay for the mash tun.

So essentially I think that it's good to use this to go to all grain but it's only a baby step - you still will want to get to a mash tun in the long run to get more stable mash temps, the ability to do larger batches, maximum efficiency (I know as home brewers we shouldn't worry about efficiency but $10 is better in my wallet than anyone else's).

However if it's BIAB or extract, then go BIAB.

cheers



Offline tomsawyer

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Re: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?
« Reply #21 on: October 06, 2011, 01:39:25 pm »

I've done several batches of BIAB over the past few years but none for quite a while - mostly because I was cramped for space while renovating the garage and the full system needed to be packed away.

The killer dislike for me was the lack of efficiency. At first I kept coming up way short on my pre-boil gravity despite the BIAB people saying they got better efficiency. Yes, I just upped the grain bill to hit the pre boil gravity but why spend the extra money when you don't need to? The difference in the grain bill price would have been about $5 or so and, after a while, that would pay for the mash tun.

So essentially I think that it's good to use this to go to all grain but it's only a baby step - you still will want to get to a mash tun in the long run to get more stable mash temps, the ability to do larger batches, maximum efficiency (I know as home brewers we shouldn't worry about efficiency but $10 is better in my wallet than anyone else's).

However if it's BIAB or extract, then go BIAB.

cheers

If you mash and sparge I don't see why the efficiency would be any different.  I thik people equae BIAB with no sparge and it is one popular way to do it, but you don't have to.
Lennie
Hannibal, MO

Offline packerduf

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Re: How many people "brew in a bag" and their thoughts?
« Reply #22 on: October 11, 2011, 02:12:10 pm »
I have done three BIABs/MIABs.  The first two were 2.4 gallon batches.  The third was a 5-gal PM.  I like the fact that all you need is a brew kettle and nylon bag.  I use the 5-gal paint strainers sold at Lowes and Home Depot.  Temperature control can be challenging, as stated above, but not a huge problem.  Obviously it is more time consuming than extract brewing, so plan accordingly.  Overall, I think it's a great alternative for those who do not wish to purchase the extra equipment for all-grain brewing.