BIAB Do I Don’t I

[JeffDragon7]

I’ve always thought grain brewing was heavy on time and lots of expensive equipment, recently i saw a video by the Malt Miller on BIAB £60 for bucket with element etc.
60 minutes mash 60 minutes boil, so my questions are as follows

1 is it really that simple. Ie 2 hours to brew
2 is the result of these BIAB brews much better than kits
3 can all grain brews be done this way


Any advice would be gratefully received

TIA

 

[Agentgonzo]

is it really that simple. Ie 2 hours to brew

No, it's not 2 hours. It takes a while to raise the water to mash temperature and get your stuff ready.
Then a 1 hour mash.
Then it takes time to drain/sparge
Then it takes time to raise it up to the boil
Then it takes 1 hour to boil.
Then it takes time to chill and put it into the fermenter
Then you have to clean up.

Normally a ~6 hour brew day from start to finish

can all grain brews be done this way

Yes

 

[JeffDragon7]

No, it's not 2 hours. It takes a while to raise the water to mash temperature and get your stuff ready.
Then a 1 hour mash.
Then it takes time to drain/sparge
Then it takes time to raise it up to the boil
Then it takes 1 hour to boil.
Then it takes time to chill and put it into the fermenter
Then you have to clean up.

Normally a ~6 hour brew day from start to finish


Yes

Obviously i appreciate heating and cleaning times, im looking at the no sparge BIAB method. On the site it has 30 ltr vessel and states you can brew 21ltr. Is this true. Ty for answers

 

[Sadfield]

1. Not 2 hrs and not necessarily 6. Can be done quicker.

https://www.homebrewersassociation....ally around,heating up I sanitize everything.
2. I know plenty of ex-kit brewers that now exclusively all grain brew. Ignoring debates about quality, what you get is control over every part of the process and recipe. This includes not being tied to 5 gallon batches. Try fitting a batch to whatever stock pot or boiler you may already have in the kitchen. A 5L batch can be knocked up pretty easily and quickly, to see how it compares against a kit brew.

3. Pretty much, there may be some extremes that prove challenging.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Obviously i appreciate heating and cleaning times, im looking at the no sparge BIAB method. On the site it has 30 ltr vessel and states you can brew 23 ltr. Is this true. Ty for answers

Yes, you can brew 23L in a 30 litre vessel. . Even without sparging, it'll take a bit of time to raise the bag out of the brewpot, let it drain/squeeze it etc.

30L brewpot is the right size for a 23L batch. You need the extra space for losses etc during the brewing process.

 

[Moe]

I started with the same kit, but from a different shop.

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.u...iler-chiller-mashing-bag-mash-kit-p-3859.html

Everything you need to make the wort, bar a couple of hose pipe connectors.

At first probably 5 hours for a brew day, but it gets quicker with practice. It’s not all hands on for the full time either.

I’d recommend it doing it

 

[JeffDragon7]

I started with the same kit, but from a different shop.

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.u...iler-chiller-mashing-bag-mash-kit-p-3859.html

Everything you need to make the wort, bar a couple of hose pipe connectors.

At first probably 5 hours for a brew day, but it gets quicker with practice. It’s not all hands on for the full time either.

I’d recommend it doing it

Thats good as the chillers are not cheap

 

[JeffDragon7]

1. Not 2 hrs and not necessarily 6. Can be done quicker.

https://www.homebrewersassociation....ally around,heating up I sanitize everything.
2. I know plenty of ex-kit brewers that now exclusively all grain brew. Ignoring debates about quality, what you get is control over every part of the process and recipe. This includes not being tied to 5 gallon batches. Try fitting a batch to whatever stock pot or boiler you may already have in the kitchen. A 5L batch can be knocked up pretty easily and quickly, to see how it compares against a kit brew.

3. Pretty much, there may be some extremes that prove challenging.

That sounds like a good plan

 

[Sandimas]

Did a BIAB this morning, took just over 4 hours. And you don't have to be there the whole time, you can fit other things around it.

I did a kit over Xmas just to see what the difference is as I have fond memories of some kits: it's bigger than I thought, BIAB beer quality is way better.

 

[JeffDragon7]

Did a BIAB this morning, took just over 4 hours. And you don't have to be there the whole time, you can fit other things around it.

I did a kit over Xmas just to see what the difference is as I have fond memories of some kits: it's bigger than I thought, BIAB beer quality is way better.

Keen to try this. I would guess its just the boiling phase i need to watch over

 

[The Baron]

I did this with the same kit as suggested earlier from HBC years ago. Some great can kits out there but your horizons will open when you can make up many of the AG kits some of which are copies of professional brewers beers also you can start to make recipes that suit your palate and tweak them.
The downside is time depends on how much time you want to put into the hobby and bear in mind most of AG brewing is cleaning and sterilising.

 

[Nicks90]

It doesn't take time really, as you don't have to watch it.
Whilst my water is heating, I measure out my ingredients (Inc hops). 5 mins
Go back out after a while and Mash in and wrap the boiler up, 5 mins
Give it a stir after 30 mins and have a tidy up, 5 mins
Pull the grain and sit the bag in a large colander to drain over the boiler whilst the temp gets whacked up to boil power. Slowly dribble several litres of water over the grain as a psudo sparge, and then use a pan lid to squeeze the grain bag in to the colander. Ditch the grain and clean the bag and another quick tidy and sanitiser the fermenting bucket. By the time that's all done the wort is boiling. Add first hops, 20 mins
Go out at the right time to add second hops and drop my chill coil in the boiling wort to sanitiser is for the remainder of the boil, 1 min
Go at at end of boil timer and turn everything off and turn the tap on for the chiller, 1 min
Go back out when my little Bluetooth temp sender says it's at 20c and drop the wort in to the bucket and then clean everything, 10 mins

Job jobbed
I reckon out of a 4 hour 'brew window' I spend about 40 minutes actually doing STUFF, rest of the time I'm in my office working

 

[JeffDragon7]

I did this with the same kit as suggested earlier from HBC years ago. Some great can kits out there but your horizons will open when you can make up many of the AG kits some of which are copies of professional brewers beers also you can start to make recipes that suit your palate and tweak them.
The downside is time depends on how much time you want to put into the hobby and bear in mind most of AG brewing is cleaning and sterilising.

I’ve looked on the malt master and the recipes just on there is staggering, i wish i still had my old old Dave Line book that i bought but never got to try lol

 

[JeffDragon7]

It doesn't take time really, as you don't have to watch it.
Whilst my water is heating, I measure out my ingredients (Inc hops). 5 mins
Go back out after a while and Mash in and wrap the boiler up, 5 mins
Give it a stir after 30 mins and have a tidy up, 5 mins
Pull the grain and sit the bag in a large colander to drain over the boiler whilst the temp gets whacked up to boil power. Slowly dribble several litres of water over the grain as a psudo sparge, and then use a pan lid to squeeze the grain bag in to the colander. Ditch the grain and clean the bag and another quick tidy and sanitiser the fermenting bucket. By the time that's all done the wort is boiling. Add first hops, 20 mins
Go out at the right time to add second hops and drop my chill coil in the boiling wort to sanitiser is for the remainder of the boil, 1 min
Go at at end of boil timer and turn everything off and turn the tap on for the chiller, 1 min
Go back out when my little Bluetooth temp sender says it's at 20c and drop the wort in to the bucket and then clean everything, 10 mins

Job jobbed
I reckon out of a 4 hour 'brew window' I spend about 40 minutes actually doing STUFF, rest of the time I'm in my office working

Thats doable for me

 

[Twostage]

If its speed you're after then neither the mash nor the boil have to be a full hour and you don't have to chill either. I've done many BIAB brews with a 30 min mash, 30 min boil then just switch everything off and pitch the yeast in the morning.

 

[The Baron]

That's more or less what I do Stage2 except I do a 45 min mash then let it cool and do a whirlpool as it cools from 70c if it is a IPA

 

[JeffDragon7]

If its speed you're after then neither the mash nor the boil have to be a full hour and you don't have to chill either. I've done many BIAB brews with a 30 min mash, 30 min boil then just switch everything off and pitch the yeast in the morning.

I’m happy with 1hr mash n hr boil. Just can’t afford to spend £100s on full set up

 

[jof]

I do biab with sparging, because I don't like the thought of not getting the maximum sugar out of the grain.
Im using the stainless steel equivalent of a Peco boiler, but NOT an all in one as it saved me a couple hundred quid.
Yes it's a bit more faffing about, but I'm happy with my process & results I get.
Our BIAB bags do the same job as the malt pipe in expensive all in ones, and we need to sparge using tap & jug rather than just switch on a pump. But at least there is no pump to get blocked mid brew.

 

[JeffDragon7]

I do biab with sparging, because I don't like the thought of not getting the maximum sugar out of the grain.
Im using the stainless steel equivalent of a Peco boiler, but NOT an all in one as it saved me a couple hundred quid.
Yes it's a bit more faffing about, but I'm happy with my process & results I get.
Our BIAB bags do the same job as the malt pipe in expensive all in ones, and we need to sparge using tap & jug rather than just switch on a pump. But at least there is no pump to get blocked mid brew.

I’m hoping to start in a small way with a basic 30 litre boiler with thermostat. I may get the bug and upgrade in future so the £60 outlay for a cheap set up is not an issue how ever i proceed in the future

 

[MashBag]

1 is it really that simple. Ie 2 hours to brew
2 is the result of these BIAB brews much better than kits
3 can all grain brews be done this way


Any advice would be gratefully received

TIA

Idle beer is probably my superpower

Defo Yes to questions 2 & 3.

Yes it can be 2 hours for the brew, but you need good technique and a bit of space.

Fill with water from the hot tap. Hot as you can. Consider turning the immersion heater up the night before brewday.

Timers are your friends.

Do the mash. Press, drain, squeeze the bag while you coming upto boil.*

Induction hobs are great, you can give it quick blast to help the mash temps. But remember the stock pot needs to be magnetic.

Do not add any thing for the first 15 mins of boil, it just makes a mess. It will boil over.

Watch the boil from 95c (@MSL) It will boil over. Manage the lid. Do not even blink until you see large snotty lumps appear.

45 min boil is viable.

Don't chill. Don't buy one, it will only disappoint or frustrate. Instead buy a pot with a good fitting lid.

Leave the lid on IMMEDIATELY after boil (and leave it alone)
You have effectively made a big tin of soup. It will be perfectly OK until tomorrow... And much cooler, if fact bledy close to room temp.. Now there's handy.

So while we are here.. top it up, and adjust the temp it you need to. Ice is also your friend.

Topping up the fermenter is much easier and quicker that boiling perfectly drinkable water and much easier that trying to work out your volume losses to steam and grain absorption. But I suggest you keep this information to yourself and not repeat it. Tell no-one.

Beer does not generally commit suicide and turn instantaneously into undrinkable toilet cleaner the minute you take your eyes off it. Don't wake up sweating at 2am worrying about bleach or airlocks. If you eat off it, it's clean enough for the yeast too. Airlocks stop dead birds dropping out of the sky into your brew, as does a good lid. For everything wise there is CO²

Get the "kitchen timer" app for your phone to time the "next step". It's free, accurate and you can get breakfast, drink tea, walk the dog etc until you need to attend to the beer again. A himalayan trek might be a bit too long though

*Buy some thick rubber gloves. Yes these are protective, but they enable you to get on with the job.

PS. It will boilover. Blow on it.. till your teeth fly out. Teeth are not fermentable, but having to scrape up the boiling sticky goop, will leave an aftertaste.

PPS. Wait for thread to double in size, for all these suggestions of banishable hereracy.