Thoughts on process

[BBBco]

I am about to switch to the world of BIAB. I've got a decent amount of extracts under my belt (some sitting above, too) and I've been doing my research. I got a new kettle - 9 gallon, Wilserbrewer bags and propane burner this past holiday season and plan to use them for my BIAB.

I have read that 5 gallon batches may be a little tight. Does anyone use an igloo cooler (10 gal) to mash and sparge still using a bag? Seems like I can hold mash temps better in there. How much will that extra gallon help me?

I know it defeats the purpose of BIAB to an extent, but I hope it will allow me to use the equipment I have and still get my 5 gallon batches.

Thanks for your input. Cheers!

 

[tmendick]

you could add water after you take the bag out.

 

[Cyclman]

I do small batches in a small cooler, BIAB, works great, holds temps forever.

 

[McKnuckle]

The 9 gallon pot will work well with many, possibly most 5 gallon batches. Or just brew 4 gallon batches and RDWHAHB.

That said, your post prompted me to think about the choice a bit...

BIAB one vessel (HLT/MLT/Kettle)
Pros:
One vessel to clean
No transferring of liquids
No heat loss after hitting strike temp due to transfer
Ability to easily perform step mashes and mashout

Cons:
Need to constantly monitor mash temp
Need direct heat source to compensate for heat loss

Mash in a Bag (MIAB) cooler + one add'l vessel (HLT/Kettle)
Pros:
Mash temp remains stable
No need for direct heat

Cons:
Need to clean cooler (hopefully minimal grain residue)
Need to transfer liquids from HLT --> Cooler --> Kettle
Heat loss after hitting strike temp due to transfer
Requires water additions and calculations for step mashes/mashout

 

[Black Island Brewer]

One of the things I love about BIAB is the single vessel, so adding coolers or other pots seems counter productive to that end, but is still an option.
With a nine gallon pot, you can boil a five gallon batch fairly easily, but some higher gravity beers will be too big for a full volume mash. That is easily solved by doing a thicker mash and then adding water to get to your needed pre-boil volume, possibly by rinsing the bag with some of the water to get more of the sugars rinsed out.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I know it defeats the purpose of BIAB to an extent, but I hope it will allow me to use the equipment I have and still get my 5 gallon batches.

Thanks for your input. Cheers!

While a little small, 9 gallons will work very well. To put things in perspective, you can mash 24 lbs of grain at 1 qt / lb (6 gallons strike) for a total mash volume of only 8 gallons. Of course you would need to sparge for a brew this ridiculously large
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

A 9 gallon pot will work fine, you just need a little experience' and use care while approaching boil. Some like fermcap S, an anti-foam agent to help avoid boilovers.

On the plus side, a smaller kettle will hold heat better during the mash, if your kettle fits in your oven with the bottom rack removed, even better to maintain mash temps in a warm oven.

There are advantages to a smaller more proper sized kettle, and while 9 may be a smidge small, a larger 15 would be "oversized" for most 5 gallon baches.

 

[RM-MN]

I am about to switch to the world of BIAB. I've got a decent amount of extracts under my belt (some sitting above, too) and I've been doing my research. I got a new kettle - 9 gallon, Wilserbrewer bags and propane burner this past holiday season and plan to use them for my BIAB.

I have read that 5 gallon batches may be a little tight. Does anyone use an igloo cooler (10 gal) to mash and sparge still using a bag? Seems like I can hold mash temps better in there. How much will that extra gallon help me?

I know it defeats the purpose of BIAB to an extent, but I hope it will allow me to use the equipment I have and still get my 5 gallon batches.

Thanks for your input. Cheers!

7 1/2 gallon pots are a little tight for a 5 gallon batch. 9 gallons should be much better. If you learn to control your boil off you won't need as much water as many suggest and if necessary you could add water back if you boil off too much.

 

[BBBco]

Some great information and insights. Greatly appreciated!

 

[madscientist451]

I use a cooler for BIAB because I had trouble with mash temps in my pot.
The other problem I had was I couldn't help but spill wort when pulling the bag from the pot, and I brew inside and it made an extra mess to clean up.
I drain from the cooler into the brew pot, it goes on the stove and I'm ready to boil.

 

[TexasWine]

I use a 9 gallon pot and have brewed 6 gallon batches up to 1.074 very easily. Just use a sparge step to hit your pre boil volume, as others have mentioned, and you'll be fine. I also recommend fermcap S.

And just a side note, this past weekend I did a dunk sparge for the first time and actually found it to be easier than the pour over. Previously I always made a mess with the pour over (I brew in the kitchen). With dunking everything was contained in the bucket I dunked into. And I got 88% brewhouse efficiency to boot.

 

[Likefully]

My 2 cents - i started using a bag in the mash tun (cooler) because the toilet line I was using gave me hassles. I haven't looked back. For a while I used the tap in the cooler and nothing else (although the flow was a bit difficult to control).

When i drain the mash tun I just lift the bag up slightly so everything can drain out and once the sparge is done I lift the bag (with all the spent grain in it) and dump it in a bucket - i sometimes add what comes out to the boil (if i need the volume). Then once done I empty the grain into the bin, shake and rinse the bag and I am good to go. The mash tun just needs a rinse, but there is no grain left there.

 

[snowman_fs]

I'm a 10 Gal round cooler mash tun BIAB guy. The cooler holds temps so well I would not give it up. The extra step of cleaning a cooler mash tun is almost negligible. I clean it while my wort is raising to a boil. Keep in mind if you have not done an all grain batch yet that you don't need to do a full volume mash. You can sparge or rinse the grains after the mash with extra water to increase your volume and hit your pre-boil volume.

With that in mind, one of my favorite ways to brew is the following and would apply for you if you have a cooler.

I mash in the cooler. (Using a tea kettle for step additions if desired).
Heat enough water for a batch sparge in the Kettle.
Transfer the grain bag from MT to BK for mashout/sparge.
Once the bag is out of the BK combine both volumes of wort into the BK.
As the BK ramps to boil rinse the MT and put away.

With the process described and my 10 Gal cooler and 50 L pot I can make 10 Gal batches from about 1.070 and lower. If you are sticking to 5 Gal batches I would say anything is available with a 10G MT and a 9 Gal kettle. Just the normal attention to boil overs etc.

 

[RM-MN]

I use a 9 gallon pot and have brewed 6 gallon batches up to 1.074 very easily. Just use a sparge step to hit your pre boil volume, as others have mentioned, and you'll be fine. I also recommend fermcap S.

And just a side note, this past weekend I did a dunk sparge for the first time and actually found it to be easier than the pour over. Previously I always made a mess with the pour over (I brew in the kitchen). With dunking everything was contained in the bucket I dunked into. And I got 88% brewhouse efficiency to boot.

That's the opposite of my experience. I had a little more than the necessary water in the bucket and dunked the bag a bit too vigorously and had wort all over the kitchen. I set the bag in a colander that sits in a plastic bowl and now all I get is a few drips.

 

[JustLooking]

Mash in a Bag (MIAB) cooler + one add'l vessel (HLT/Kettle)

Admit it. You just made that $hit up.

 

[McKnuckle]

I mash in the cooler. (Using a tea kettle for step additions if desired).
Heat enough water for a batch sparge in the Kettle.
Transfer the grain bag from MT to BK for mashout/sparge.
Once the bag is out of the BK combine both volumes of wort into the BK.
As the BK ramps to boil rinse the MT and put away.

Just goes to show you that there's always yet another way out there to do things. That actually sounds like the best of all worlds - I'm going to try it for sure. Thanks!

 

[MindenMan]

My BIAB method is slightly different, I heat my mash water in my BK and when at temp I add my bag and then stir in my grains, cover, and walk away. Similar enough I know. I use 1.25 qts per pound of grain in my triple bottom BK. When 90 minutes have passed, I move my bag of grain to my Zapap tun, drain the first running wort, and then sparge to 7 gallons. My pots do not have drains, so pulling 11 or so pounds of wet grain out of my BK before I lift it off the burner really saves my back.

 

[Iceman6409]

For what it's worth I have a 9 gallon kettle as well and I do stove top brewing. Personally not will to take the chance on boil over and such on the stove. Therefore for now I use a picnic cooler with a bag for mashing. Pros - very stable temperatures, NO drainage problems whatsoever, no need for false bottom or any of that kind of stuff, MUCH faster and easier cleaning. Not the most efficient method but unless I get a bigger kettle this is my method.