Pages: 1
BIAB
Hello all: BIAB (Brew In A Bag) is a new form of all grain brewing that is easy for someone starting out . Im sure alot of you have heard of it. I was wanting to try and make a strong ale with this method. I have had success using it before with a raspberry ale that turned out pretty good. It was my first all grain batch.
Here's my problem. I want to make a 5 gallon batch and I would like to use 2 lbs of extract per gallon, which is about 14lbs of grain to make 3.5 gallons of wort and 7 gallons of water to sparge, total 10.5 gallons of water. Minus 1/2 to 1 gallon absorbed in grain and 1 gallon lost in 1 hour boil = 8.5 to 9 gallons left. Any ideas or suggestions.
BIAB - adds all your water (mash and sparge) in at once. Just add grain, mash, remove bag and boil.
This seems very similar to a no-sparge mash. I remember a few years ago, a setup where a kettle was lined with a huge bag, the mash was added, then after the rest, the bag was hoisted, leaving the wort behind, is this the method you are talking about? From what I remember seeing a youtube clip of the process, the argument was why not just mash in a mashtun? Probably just as easy, much less dangerous.
Not to denounce any method, or discourage from experimentation, however this has been aorund for a little while, and if there were any real significant advantages, I think it would be a hot topic and a trend, short or long lived who knows, but it still seems like a PITA to get your wort, especially with batch sparging so effective.
I am curious though if you have advantages and a good testimonial towards this process. Also do not get overwhelmed the AG process, thinking you are a new brewer so you need an easy method. AG is intimidating to read about sometimes, but the process is quite simple. It would suck for you to invest in any equpt for this BIAB, and then switch to a traditional AG rig, wasting the previous investment. Plus once you own the equipt, the only thing left to buy is grain, hops, and yeast, whereas with a BIAB you are forced to buy their kit? I think?
I would also question the efficiency of the system. This is like essentially collecting just the first runnings, meaning the second runnings will be left behind (in the bag because they are not being rinsed) So this will mean to collect enough volume and still have enough sugar, more grain will be necessary, and again now you may be paying for 20-40% more ingredients than are necessary. You are going to lose a lot more than 1 gallon of water to absorption, more like 2-3 gallons, and you do not want to squeeze this due to tannin removal from the husks.
Last is the safety. Raising 60-70#s out of a near boiling pot does not seem to safe.
There are two different versions of it from what I've seen. Onei s like you said, one huge bag in a brew pot, add enough water to get pre boil volume accounting for water soaked up by grain, and then mash, and remove bag. Pics I've seen have used a rope and pully to hoist bag from brewpot, let it hang over pot wile it drips into pot and once dripping is very slow begin the boiling process as normal. people have said they get about 70% efficiency with it. never tried it so I don't know.
Another version I have tried is stove top brewing using a grain bag where yoy use an oversized grain bag to mash your grains, then remove grain bag and place into 2nd pot and pour sparge water over it, loosen bag and stir to get all the grains rinsed, put lid on and let sit for 10 minutes then remove bag and let drain a little into brew pot, combine wort from both pots and you should have pre boil volume. A site I found that on mentioned he gets up to 75% efficiency without a problem, the secret was making sure you use enough sparge water.
I've tried it and only got 60% tops but my grain bag was tight when full so that could have been part of the problem.
there will be advocates for any system and if a person is happy with it then so be it. Best efficiency I got was without the grain bag and I got 75% and I am very new at trying all grain.
to each his own but don't be afraid to try something different if it might interest you.
DC
thirsty wrote:
Not to denounce any method, or discourage from experimentation, however this has been aorund for a little while, and if there were any real significant advantages, I think it would be a hot topic and a trend, short or long lived who knows, but it still seems like a PITA to get your wort, especially with batch sparging so effective.
I am curious though if you have advantages and a good testimonial towards this process.
I would also question the efficiency of the system.
Last is the safety. Raising 60-70#s out of a near boiling pot does not seem to safe.
The Brew In a Bag /No Sparge method seems to be common in Australia and is gaining popularity in the States. I've come across the BIAB topic on multiple forums and people report efficiencies in the 70's and sometimes even in the 80's though this usually includes step mashing or a continuously recirculated mash. I too am a bit skeptical of these high efficiencies but I haven't tried it myself so I don't have any first hand data to back it up. And there seems to be enough reports of higher efficiencies to at least make it seem possible.
I guess the advantage to this method is that it saves time and people can use it as an easy jump to all grain brewing as it leaves out a big step in AG brewing - sparging. Hence, less equipment, less time, less steps to the process to mess up.
As for the safety issue, I've seen pictures of BIAB set ups where people have some sort of a beam positioned above their kettle with a winch and a cable/rope attached that enables them to lift that much wet grain up and out of their kettle.
FirePitBrew wrote:
[
As for the safety issue, I've seen pictures of BIAB set ups where people have some sort of a beam positioned above their kettle with a winch and a cable/rope attached that enables them to lift that much wet grain up and out of their kettle.
Again, this method is supposed to simplify process? Experimentation is great, it is of my opinion and opinion only, that AG is not ovely complicated- and will be eventually the process sought after, why not just do it. This looks like a diversion, with disadvantages. Again strictly opinion. 
Oh I agree with you about AG not being hard and its only as much of a process as you want it to be.
As for the beam and winch deal, its only something you have to build once. Hell if you're like me and have unnecessary amounts of tools you can use an engine crane that you happen to have sitting around. I'm not defending the BIAB process; just playing devil's advocate for the sake of discussion.
And you're right, its a matter of opinion. Homebrewing is about finding what works for you and what suits your needs. I like my set up and my single infusion, double batch sparging, no mash out method - and I'm stickin' to it no matter what you fly spargers say! 
So instead of spending money on a cheap cooler and braid; people need to go get a beam and a winch for bigger batches of beer.
Its not called the land down under for nothing.
Pages: 1