Bag Reviews? - www.brewinabag.com/

[Culln5]

Hey Guys,
I'm seriously considering stepping up to BIAB from the extract brewing I have been doing and would like some input on bags. I'm one that would rather purchase better equipment up front than have to upgrade later. With that being said.....

I am considering the 30-42 qt bag from http://www.brewinabag.com/ for my 8 gallon pot. I like the perceived sense of strength that the bag gives off and it will allow for some growth in the future if I move to a larger pot.

Any reviews of the products this company offers?

George

 

[cheesehed007]

I recommend wilserbrewer and his custom made bags.. http://biabbags.webs.com check out his site. Great communication and fast shipping. Plus he's a HBT member. Here a pic of mine in action.


Sent from my van, down by the river.

 

[snooby]

Same, also got a bag from wilser and I am a very happy biaber.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[ksparkes]

+1 for a wilserbrewer bag, nicely put together. Add a ratcheting pulley too, makes for easy bag squeezing.

 

[dstranger99]

I've used the same paint bag for my last 5 BIAB's, Why buy something you don't need when you can spend $3.00 for a pair of 2 at Lowes?

 

[Hello]

I ended up going with http://www.brewinabag.com/ which has not come in the post yet. I wanted to get wilserbrewer's bag but when i was ready to buy, I could not get to his site on any computer or device. In spite of my best efforts, I had to buy elsewhere unfortunately. I can get to the site now though, which is good.

 

[Homercidal]

Wow. I thought the whole reason to do BIAB was to spend very little to do AG. For the price of that bag you could almost build a cooler mash tun...

I do like the straps on them though.

 

[EoinMag]

There are better bags out there. They might be fast, but they are not the best

www.custombiab.com

 

[JDGator]

i buy cheap bags from my LHBS for about $5. they are 24"x24" and i usually have 20lbs of grain for my 10gallon batches.

I can also do 4-5 batches depending on how careful i am with the bags

 

[geoffm33]

Wow. I thought the whole reason to do BIAB was to spend very little to do AG. For the price of that bag you could almost build a cooler mash tun...

I do like the straps on them though.

For me, BIAB wasn't about the cost, but the simplicity and space constraints.

As for a purpose-built BIAB bag vs paint strainer bag? While I could buy several paint strainer bags for the cost of one (wilserbrewer) pre-made voile bag, I have a feeling this bag will last a really long time. Also, I have had no issues with 16lbs of grain. Not to say a paint strainer bag couldn't, but I feel more comfortable with purpose built in this case.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks everyone for your support. We try hard to bring you a quality product at a very fair price, in a timely manner. We also offer a 14 day no haggle satisfaction guarantee if you are unhappy for any reason.

Wilserbrewer BIAB Bags are only $21, w/ $4 flat rate shipping. The deluxe 4 piece Grand Slam Package deal w/ added hop bags and ratchet pulley is only $32 plus $4 shipping.

Details can be found here http://biabbags.webs.com/

Regarding the OP, the supplier linked charges $42 for a large custom bag with shipping, I will offer 2 (two) large custom BIAB bags for the same $42 shipped...how you like them apples?
PM for details if interested.

Thanks!
Wilser

 

[Culln5]

Yeah, the move to BIAB for me is not so much about the cost either. But to brew better beer! I'm not set on a bag yet, just trying to get opinions.... Everyone has one.... LOL... Like I said in the OP, I like the idea that their bag would be suited for when I upgrade my pot and I like the perceived strength. I will, however, look at all of the suggestions (HBT sponsors too of course).

George

 

[Culln5]

Regarding the OP, the supplier linked charges $42 for a large custom bag with shipping, I will offer 2 (two) large custom BIAB bags for the same $42 shipped...how you like them apples?
PM for details if interested.

To be fair, the bag is $30 and shipping is $5.95..... I am going to check your bags out also!

George

 

[wilserbrewer]

To be fair, the bag is $30 and shipping is $5.95..... I am going to check your bags out also!

George

Thanks, to be fair and accurate, I was quoting a large (over 17") diameter custom bag. The pricing is confusing to me on the site you linked, where anything custom size or over certain dimensions is $5 additional, and $5.95 shipping isn't really mentioned until final checkout.

So to be accurate, I'll offer two (2) large custom bags shipped for the price of one at $40.95.

Thanks!
wilser

 

[Weezy]

I've intended to buy a better bag once I decided on a new kettle. But, to be honest, I make extremely clear beer with paint strainer bag+whirlfloc. Nut I'd appreciate proper finish on the top of the bag though (handles or Velcro etc)

Whats the pros and cons of of tapered/pointy bottom vs. Square bottom bags?

 

[EoinMag]

Tapering has advantages when pulling the bag, especially in bigger pots.

Sent from my HTC One using Home Brew mobile app

 

[geoffm33]

Exactly. When pulling the bag and letting it drip over the kettle, the tapered bottom allows it to flow down the taper to a point. Without it, the grain may separate into both corners and cause a mess.

 

[Weezy]

Good point, but I was thinking true cylindrical bags:
http://www.biab-brewing.com/?page_id=116

Vs. Tapered
http://biabbags.webs.com/

For the pull and drain, tapered does make a ton of sense. But I do a lot of small batch and low grav stuff...with the cylindrical bag seems like it might be better for small volume mash?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Good point, but I was thinking true cylindrical bags:
http://www.biab-brewing.com/?page_id=116

Vs. Tapered
http://biabbags.webs.com/

Just my opinion here, and of course there may be some bias, ok now that I have the disclaimer out of the way.

Either a cylindrical bag, or a tapered bag if both are well fitted will fill out the entire brew kettle once the grain is added. A point to note, the biabbrewer forum which details the cylindrical bag advises the bottom diameter to be 15% less than the diameter of the kettle, and the bag top diameter to be 15% greater, not a true cylinder but portion of a cone, a truncated cone or a frustum, for the geometry nerds here to be more precise, so if the cylindrical bag is undersized it could perhaps not line the entire interior of the kettle.

Again just my opinion, I feel that the cylindrical design is somewhat overdone and comes at an unnecessary expense, ($10) additional, and also has more seams that could be prone to wear or failure.

Both will work well, I just don't see any true advantage of the cylindrical bag given it's complicated shape, costly manufacturing, and increase in seaming to be a better bag.

So the short answer to your question, IMHO is the difference between the two is 10 bucks....cheers!

I'll get off the soapbox now.
wilser

 

[Zigzag]

+1 to wilserbrew. Received my bag (in Canada) very quickly and it is a far higher quality than any paint straining bags I looked at. He's apparently also a nice guy and threw in a free dryhopping sock with my order.

 

[Weezy]

Thanks, that's helpful.

 

[Woody1911a1]

another +1 to wilserbrew . great quality . get the whole package . that lil ratcheting pully worked great and the hop bag contained the pelletized hops a dream .

 

[Hello]

Wow. I thought the whole reason to do BIAB was to spend very little to do AG. For the price of that bag you could almost build a cooler mash tun...

I do like the straps on them though.

Thanks, to be fair and accurate, I was quoting a large (over 17") diameter custom bag. The pricing is confusing to me on the site you linked, where anything custom size or over certain dimensions is $5 additional, and $5.95 shipping isn't really mentioned until final checkout.

So to be accurate, I'll offer two (2) large custom bags shipped for the price of one at $40.95.

Thanks!
wilser

I still want a bag for my 10 gallon batches so when I am ready I'll be buying from you. I can get to your site now as of yesterday. My kettle is 17" x 17" and it has a dip tube and a thermometer. Is that an issue for BIAB?

 

[wilserbrewer]

I don't have any interior fittings into my kettles, but my understanding is that it is not a problem, the bag is strong and large enough to simply conform around the hardware.

A little care is needed when removing the bag just being aware of the fittings, simply pushing the bag away from the temp probe when extracting the bag is a sound practice. As long as you are aware, and paying attention, shouldn't be an issue.

 

[cheesehed007]

I have both a thermometer and a ball valve on my kettle. I found a colander that keeps the bag away from both and put in the bottom of the kettle for the mash. Worked great.


Sent from my van, down by the river.

 

[divrguy]

Here's an interesting review. I bought a keggle bag from wilserbrewer years ago. I got tired of hulking that keggle around so I bought a 10 gallon and 15 gallon aluminum pot. The bag doesn't fit correctly but I thought (3years ago) I'll wait until this bag fails and get a new one. So, I did a year and a half on a keggle and years on 10 and 15 gallon batches and this thing is still going very strong. Initially I thought it can't last that long because it looks thin buts it's strong as hell and well stitched together. I can't thank Wilser enough for this bag... Some day, I'll get 2 more to fit my new pots but I have to wait unlit this thing gives out.. I gotta say... It may be a long while. Lol


Cheers!

 

[geoffm33]

Here's an interesting review. I bought a keggle bag from wilserbrewer years ago. I got tired of hulking that keggle around so I bought a 10 gallon and 15 gallon aluminum pot. The bag doesn't fit correctly but I thought (3years ago) I'll wait until this bag fails and get a new one. So, I did a year and a half on a keggle and years on 10 and 15 gallon batches and this thing is still going very strong. Initially I thought it can't last that long because it looks thin buts it's strong as hell and well stitched together. I can't thank Wilser enough for this bag... Some day, I'll get 2 more to fit my new pots but I have to wait unlit this thing gives out.. I gotta say... It may be a long while. Lol


Cheers!

I've always wondered what wilserbrewers repeat customers are like. Thought they would be upgrades/downgrades, but now I wonder if he has any at all

Damn fine product

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks! You guy crack me up...

Here's an interesting review. I bought a keggle bag from wilserbrewer years ago. Initially I thought it can't last that long because it looks thin buts it's strong as hell and well stitched together. I can't thank Wilser enough for this bag...

You likely have one of the original bags cross stitched on 1960's vintage Singer, nice to see one of those old dogs still in service.

I've always wondered what wilserbrewers repeat customers are like. .......... I wonder if he has any at all

Damn fine product

Most of my repeat customers are severe burn victims, had a guy set his new bag next to his burner on a windy day, you can guess the rest. Had another guy let his bag get sucked into the garbage disposal. Had another repeat customer that I offered my "loyal customer discount" to, he refused the discount and stated he wanted to be sure to keep me in business and insisted on paying full price

Funny thought, perhaps this BIAB Bag supply is a poor business model, these things just last too damn long...just kidding. Makes me laugh and think of the Gillette razor business model, he replaced the straight edge razor that would last for half a lifetime with disposable blades and made a fortune.

Maybe I'll look into disposable BIAB Bags that cost 10% of current pricing. Oh, we already have them, they're called paint strainers. Cheers and thanks!

 

[sammy33]

I got my bag a couple weeks ago and have had the chance to do a few brews with it. One word...Awesome!

Way better than my paint strainer bags. Much cleaner mash and boil. Here is the bag.

It fits my 5.5G 22qt kettle perfectly. Thanks for the custom fit Wilser!

An action shot.

No sparge drain.

Cheers

 

[Sanjuro]

Just got my Wilser bag in the mail today along with the hop socks, pulley etc. He made it to fit the 16 gallon Bayou Classic kettle I just bought. This'll be my first batch of BAIB I'm stoked... Now if I can just figure out how to control my temperature during fermentation..........

 

[divrguy]

I have a 15 gallon alum pot and I use one of my good sleeping bags. I realize everyone may not have one of these laying around but man it works well at holding temps.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[MikePote]

I own the bag the OP posted in the original post and love it. I only have 5 or 6 brews under my belt but have been very happy so far. It is HIGH quality and I have no doubt it will last for a long time. Although I haven't made a really big beer yet I have no doubt my BIAB bag will hold up to whatever I can fit inside it because of the straps that support all the weight. They even have loops if you want to hook up a pully or bar to lift from. I am not familiar with the manufacturer who has posted on this thread so I have nothing bad to say about him but you wont be disappointed if you buy the brew bag from brewinabag.com. Whatever you choose you will be happy you made the jump to all grain.

 

[greyghost]

There are better bags out there. They might be fast, but they are not the best

www.custombiab.com

They are the best but as a young mother her family comes first. So it is some times harder and slower to get a bag. i just got a second bag as as backup just in case. I ended getting one from http://www.brewinabag.com/ I prefer one with handles and the webbing. the shipping was super fast. The workmanship is good. maybe not quite as good as custombiab.

 

[craigmw]

I purchased my bag from http://www.bagbrewer.com/. They have super sturdy bags and the one I purchased fits my kettle very nicely. I've been using it for 8 months and it continues to perform perfectly. They are $35 including shipping, and you just provide dimensions for your kettle and you get a custom bag. I could not be happier.

 

[Haxmax]

I also just received my bag from http://www.bagbrewer.com. Using it for the first time this weekend. Very impressed with the quality. Custom made and it fits my Kettle perfect.

 

[Culln5]

Well after doing my due diligence, I wound up going with the brewinabag.com bag. All of the manufacturers mentioned had pros and cons, and it just came down to my personal preference. It appears to be constructed sturdily and fits perfectly. I'll be brewing with it this weekend and have no doubt it will perform the task..... Now whether I am efficient is another story. Thanks for all your input.

George

 

[squash1978]

I purchased my bag from http://www.bagbrewer.com/. They have super sturdy bags and the one I purchased fits my kettle very nicely. I've been using it for 8 months and it continues to perform perfectly. They are $35 including shipping, and you just provide dimensions for your kettle and you get a custom bag. I could not be happier.

This is where I got my bag from. The turn around time was pretty quick, especially for a custom made bag. Really good customer service too, the guy emailed me confirm my order and gave me an ETA for shipment. The handles are really nice and sturdy and because it's made to the dimensions of my kettle it fits nicely around the top of my kettle while mashing.


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[jleiii]

I got mine from http://www.biab-brewing.com, and so glad I did. The nylon webbing ('straps' as my daughter the seamstress insists...) with loops and velcro to tighten the top around the pot rim is leaps and bounds better than a drawstring. Hook the loops on my ratchet and hoist it up in seconds.
Since I got mine I saw another that has the webbing down the sides and across the bottom with vertical lifting loops, as well as webbing around the bottom (true cylinder shape). A little overkill, but I'm having my daughter make me one like this for my backup pot.