BIAB bag supplier

[Tom Parsons]

Hello all,
I have just completed my second BIAB brew day and I think I need to change the bag I use.

My bag is roughly 60cm square and my boiler is roughly 36cm diameter. My problems are that when I lift the bag out the top if the boiler, the grain forms a 60cm long sausage shape dripping wort over the side of my pot I am struggling to see how I can avoid this with a square bag?

I guess I should be using a cylindrical bag? If so, where can I get one?

I also think I'd like to do a bit of a sparge as my efficiency was only around 60% each time - although pouring some wort over the side will be partially responsible! How do others secure the bag above the pot to sparge? I want to avoid the use of a second vessel if possible.

 

[Ben034]

I use a pan trivet, such as this:

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products.../lämplig-trivet-stainless-steel-art-30111087/

Slide it underneath the bag after lifting and let the bag sit on top. Then put a clip on the bag after spinning slowly to tighten the bag at the top. You can then complete a mini sparge. Works well but I'm looking to get a slightly larger pot as I would like to bypass this process. Would be happy with 60% efficiency (assuming you aren't brewing at a large scale) as a couple of 100 grams extra malt is (in my opinion) negligible compared to making the process more complex.

 

[Ben034]

I use the BIAB bag from here

http://brewinabag.co.uk/en/12-biab-bags

Not the cheapest but quality is good. Some people use nylon bags designed for laundry (eBay?) or voile fabric but the quality is not likely to be as good. Depends on the amount of grain you need to hold.

 

[Rockuronium72]

I use a pan trivet, such as this:

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products.../lämplig-trivet-stainless-steel-art-30111087/

Slide it underneath the bag after lifting and let the bag sit on top. Then put a clip on the bag after spinning slowly to tighten the bag at the top. You can then complete a mini sparge. Works well but I'm looking to get a slightly larger pot as I would like to bypass this process. Would be happy with 60% efficiency (assuming you aren't brewing at a large scale) as a couple of 100 grams extra malt is (in my opinion) negligible compared to making the process more complex.

I totally agree, the fundamental idea of BIAB is a full volume no sparge mash. For an extra quids worth of grain you can avoid the pointless effort of sparging & increase your efficiency by quite a few points.

 

[Tom Parsons]

I use the BIAB bag from here

http://brewinabag.co.uk/en/12-biab-bags

Not the cheapest but quality is good. Some people use nylon bags designed for laundry (eBay?) or voile fabric but the quality is not likely to be as good. Depends on the amount of grain you need to hold.

Do you use the conical one or a square one? I don't see how I can avoid the problem of the grain bag becoming wider than the pot with a square bag - am I missing something?

 

[Ben034]

Do you use the conical one or a square one? I don't see how I can avoid the problem of the grain bag becoming wider than the pot with a square bag - am I missing something?

I use this one. Once lifted, I squeeze a little and then slide the trivet under. If you then twist it to tighten it a few times as if you were going to tie a knot and fix it with a clip it shouldn't leak over the edges. Perhaps you have a very narrow pot?

 

[MagnusTS]

I got a really nice cylindrical one from AliExpress for about $7.
They do them in a range of sizes, and I got one to fit my FV perfectly.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Foo...66.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.41c3c06ca7buqL

 

[braziliain]

I get my bags from BJ Filters on eBay. He will custom make to any size or spec you want if you message him. My custom bags have all been under a tenner and my last one was massive!

He made one to fit my coolbox perfectly.

 

[Harbey]

How do others secure the bag above the pot to sparge? I want to avoid the use of a second vessel if possible.

I use a pizza tray! fits perfectly into the recess of my FVs. It was a complete fluke that I discovered it. Something like this would do you I guess.

 

[BeerCat]

I have a few bags and brewinthebag is the best quality and finest mesh with handles. Get a conical one if your going to hang it up http://brewinabag.co.uk/en/biab-bags/18-biab-bag-for-pots-up-to-40cm-diameter.html

 

[XiRho]

I have the conical one as above and I use a large colander that fits nicely in my kettle and set it on top whilst I heat from mash to boil. I give it a bit of a squeeze as well at first, then let it drip whilst the wort is heating. It also helps me heat faster by acting a bit like a lid.

 

[BeerCat]

I have the conical one as above and I use a large colander that fits nicely in my kettle and set it on top whilst I heat from mash to boil. I give it a bit of a squeeze as well at first, then let it drip whilst the wort is heating. It also helps me heat faster by acting a bit like a lid.

What pot do you have there? Looks decent and could you show a photo of the colander you use? I have not come across anything suitable. I hang mine on a hook on the fence but an alternative would be handy.

 

[XiRho]

That's the SS Brewtech 10 Gal kettle. The Colander is this one:

https://www.nisbets.co.uk/vogue-stainless-steel-colander-14in/k349

 

[Cwrw666]

I totally agree, the fundamental idea of BIAB is a full volume no sparge mash. For an extra quids worth of grain you can avoid the pointless effort of sparging & increase your efficiency by quite a few points.

No you can't. Adding more grain decreases your efficiency. Even if it makes the job easier. Though a quick dunk sparge is hardly a lot of work.

 

[foxbat]

These are the best. They are practically indestructible. There are more suppliers than just this one. You're looking for that reinforced tape strip that runs around the rim and down the seams.

 

[Rockuronium72]

No you can't. Adding more grain decreases your efficiency. Even if it makes the job easier. Though a quick dunk sparge is hardly a lot of work.

Wrong wording, I should of said to compensate low efficiency, I increase my grain bill by 10% to nail my desired gravity.

 

[MickDundee]

I bought one from Home-Brew-Online and it isn’t very fine mesh.

I bought it because I was finding my other bag too small and having bits of grain floating about post-mash but haven’t had a chance to use it yet. I think I might use it and my old bag together so I’ve got the fine mesh of my old bag with a safety net for any grain that may escape the bag.