BIAB with electric boiler?

[johnc86]

Only found this method yesterday and I'm impressed at how simple it looks. Lots of Aussies reporting good results with it too. I am about to do my first extract brew soon as I get my boiler sorter. After that I might try BIAB.

What I dont know is the suitability of this with a home built electric kettle element boiler, as in all of the guides iv seen the guys are using metal boilers with gas.

I recon with some chicken wire built up on legs to protect the bag from the element would make it possible....

Anyone done it?

 

[artyb]

im[seriously] looking into doing the biab .....

id had thought you would need a'' false bottom'' above the electric heating elements, :wha:

i was toying with immersion heaters in a plastic [mango] barrel with some form of support for the bag covering the elements..and a drain off point in the barrel so remove the wort...

 

[corby_brewer]

When i first started AG brewing, i used the BIAB method. I produced very drinkable beer just using a ELECTRUM boiler and a grain bag.

 

[Tony]

I did the same as CB when I started... some good beers but I did find it difficult controlling the temperature.

 

[johnc86]

when you you found it difficult controlling the temperature what, in what way was it difficult?

I would like to get a thermostat in the long run so I could use it with the boiler to maintain the temperature.......

 

[corby_brewer]

when you you found it difficult controlling the temperature what, in what way was it difficult?

I would like to get a thermostat in the long run so I could use it with the boiler to maintain the temperature.......

That will never work for BIAB mate, when i have more time i will explane why.

 

[johnc86]

I shall look forward to it :thumb: .

 

[caerleon]

Ok im lost...what is a BIAB??

 

[corby_brewer]

BIAB = Brew In A Bag.

There is a very good post on here somewher about it, im still trying to locate. So that i can re-post it.

 

[Tony]

when you you found it difficult controlling the temperature what, in what way was it difficult?

I would like to get a thermostat in the long run so I could use it with the boiler to maintain the temperature.......

Hi John, I used a 'grill' that came with our microwave - a kind of circular grill on legs that fitted perfectly in the bottom of the electrim and kept the bag off the element. I found though that I couldn't maintain a good temp and it would lose heat quickly - even with insulation. I tried putting my thermometer to the bottom and flicking on the heat every now and then (manually) but then the wort in the bottom would heat and grain wouldn't.

I've just read somewhere two accounts of BITB where it was managed very successfully but can't find them

I'd say, concentrate on getting some very good insulation on the boiler, getting to temp, tucking up and leaving it. Good luck with it, as I said, I did a few very good beers that way but if you want my advice - especially if you are going to be spending any money - look at getting a thermobox and making a tun that way.
:

 

[Muddy Funker]

I thought that this might be the answer to my prayers as I was just about to start a new thread titled " I'm confusing myself" :wha:
I've done a few kits now and already want to start moving towards all grain. I was thinking of doing a few partial extracts but just can't get my head around the extra equipment I will need!
A beginner kit I bought had the syphon, pressure keg, fermenting bin ect and I now have a load of bottles and bottle wand.
What is doing me in at the moment is what exactly is the minimum amount of extra eqipment I will need to make a sucessful Partial/AG brew? Is it worth doing partial or just go the whole hog to AG?
I've learned so much here and from youtube vids lol but it's the equipment knowledge that is letting me down. I am limited for space and money so rather than having various boilers and mash tun ect is this method viable? I'm gonna go do more research but is this effectively a boiler with a huge teabag with all the grain in it? Strike water - Add Teabag - Mash - Sparge - Boil - all in the same vessel?
If this is so then it has to be the way forward for me for the time being as I don't have the money or space for seperate items of equipment.
Phew, I hope this makes sense as to why I'm confused. I never knew about biab until today and seeing this thread. I think I'm more confused now as this is another good looking option I never knew existed :hmm:
Right I'm off to watch some youtube to see how this all works!!!

 

[Aleman]

Brew In A Bag is a viable and valid method of making all grain beer.

You heat all your liquor up in the vessel, add your grain in its voile, NOT Muslin, bag and mash for 60-90 minutes. I knw people who do this say if you have a big enough bag you can apply direct heat, but having tried something similar a long time ago in an electric boiler it does not work (with electric) . . . however a couple of camping mats makes excellent insulation, and it helps shortening the time it takes to heat liquor up, so insulating the vessel is a good idea. At the end of the mash you hoist the grain out (using a pulley) and allow it to drain . . . don't squeeze it . . . bring it to the boil and once the foam has subsided add your hops . . . at the end of the boil . . . turn off . . . cool . . .(Or even run off onto a 25L Jerry can, put the lid on and put aside to cool overnight) run off into FV . . . . add yeast . . . . ferment.

I would drop recipe efficiency down to 60% for the first few goes until you get an idea of what yours is.

Give it a go . . . . really ask yourself what have you got to loose?

 

[artyb]

ive just bought a massive,s/steel stockpot on egay to try this..... :party:

36 bucks :party: and im collecting it friday..... :thumb:

gas ring next....


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 500wt_1154

 

[Muddy Funker]

Thanks Aleman,

I think I will give this a go as soon as pay day arrives. I figure I'll build a boiler with the 60 litre bin and tesco elements as others have demonstrated, get some camping mats as suggested and give it a whirl.
I'm actually quite excited about this! A cheap, viable alternative way into all grain. Not perfect I'm sure but certainly a step away from kits.

Thanks :

 

[caerleon]

Because i live in a very small flat and have a somewhat non-understanding GF. I think BIAB method would be ideal for my Nano brewery. Does anyone know what material the bag is made from i can get her to sow it up well enough to hold the wet grain and get it to fit direct into my bucket, with a support cord to the centre so i can raise the whole thing out...well thats the idea from an engineer at least.

Does anyone know what material to use for the bag?

Thanks

 

[Muddy Funker]

Because i live in a very small flat and have a somewhat non-understanding GF. I think BIAB method would be ideal for my Nano brewery. Does anyone know what material the bag is made from i can get her to sow it up well enough to hold the wet grain and get it to fit direct into my bucket, with a support cord to the centre so i can raise the whole thing out...well thats the idea from an engineer at least.

Does anyone know what material to use for the bag?

Thanks

I had to google this word in Alemans reply as I'd never heard it before.
Here's your answer mate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voile

 

[caerleon]

Because i live in a very small flat and have a somewhat non-understanding GF. I think BIAB method would be ideal for my Nano brewery. Does anyone know what material the bag is made from i can get her to sow it up well enough to hold the wet grain and get it to fit direct into my bucket, with a support cord to the centre so i can raise the whole thing out...well thats the idea from an engineer at least.

Does anyone know what material to use for the bag?

Thanks

I had to google this word in Alemans reply as I'd never heard it before.
Here's your answer mate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voile

Ta. I thought it would be better to use 100% Polyester to withstand the heat, rather than cotton and going by the news its soon to increase in price anyway =). My GF is quite good at sowing and she has a noisey machine to boot...perhaps i can con her into making a little cottage industry of BIAB supplier LOL.

I will give it a go, im not that far from a fabric supplier.

 

[Muddy Funker]

Because i live in a very small flat and have a somewhat non-understanding GF. I think BIAB method would be ideal for my Nano brewery. Does anyone know what material the bag is made from i can get her to sow it up well enough to hold the wet grain and get it to fit direct into my bucket, with a support cord to the centre so i can raise the whole thing out...well thats the idea from an engineer at least.

Does anyone know what material to use for the bag?

Thanks

I had to google this word in Alemans reply as I'd never heard it before.
Here's your answer mate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voile

Ta. I thought it would be better to use 100% Polyester to withstand the heat, rather than cotton and going by the news its soon to increase in price anyway =). My GF is quite good at sowing and she has a noisey machine to boot...perhaps i can con her into making a little cottage industry of BIAB supplier LOL.

I will give it a go, im not that far from a fabric supplier.

I found this thread in a useful forum http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=37

Mods, I couldn't see anything in the rules to say not to link to another forum. Feel free to remove if I've been naughty :thumb:

 

[johnc86]

When I get paid I'm going to get all the stuff I need to have a shot at this.

My question atm is this. Should I get a 60l bucket or a smaller one? I only intend to do 40 pint brews. The 60l buckets are pretty massive and Im short on storage. Also, once the grain was removed from the wort there would be a lot of dead space in the boiler. I presume the more space there is for the heat to escape into, the harder the element will have to work and the longer its gonna take to reach a boil. As far as I can tell, 40l should be more than enough but feel free to steer me in the rigth direction if im talking poo :lol: .

I need as much info as possible about the immersion element as well. I'm not sure how easy it will be to fit or how to wire it up. will one x 3kw be enough? Are they easy to fit?

 

[HowlingDog]

Good BIAB info here http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/i ... opic=11694

HD