Posted: 7/11/2012 12:51:27 PM EDT
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Anyone do this? I went to an all grain class this past weekend and having never brewed before it seems a bit intimidating. The extract brewing looks like it would equate to baking a cake with a Betty Crocker mix. So It seems that the biab idea would collide the two worlds?
If you guys have tried doing this i'd like to hear your opinion. The two pros that I see are 2 hours off brew time and that I don't need a mash tun. |
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Quoted:
Anyone do this? I went to an all grain class this past weekend and having never brewed before it seems a bit intimidating. The extract brewing looks like it would equate to baking a cake with a Betty Crocker mix. So It seems that the biab idea would collide the two worlds? If you guys have tried doing this i'd like to hear your opinion. The two pros that I see are 2 hours off brew time and that I don't need a mash tun. So funny that you say that. I've always said that I did AG from the get-go because brewing extract would be like saying you wanted to learn to bake cakes, then using cake mix. I haven't done BIAB but there is a lot of info available on HBT. A few guys from the local home brew club do it, but I've never tried it. I would recommend doing batch sparging in an Igloo style cooler, but I'm a bit biased since that's what I do. If you have any questions I'd be happy to help. |
 I do everything in one pot. "Disintegr8or"'s build was my inspiration. It works great, I got 84% efficiency on my first brew. Working on a write up for HBT on my build.
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I've done about 10 to 12 batchs BIAB.
My effiency runs about 80%+ usually. I step mash, with a protien rests and everything and my beers have been good and getting better. I have found that ferment temps are more important to good beer. Also on my light ales I do not do a secondary but bring the temp up in the low 70's for the last 2 or 3 days to clean up the beer and it has really cleaned up the off flavors. The yeast you use is also very important to flavor. I like clean American ale yeast for my ales but it is a matter of personal taste. Also run your proposed recipes thru a brew formulator online so you can balance your hop levels with the "style" you are shooting for it really helps. I use this one: http://www.beerformulator.com/ I did a few extract brews and decided to go all grain early. It just lets you tweak your formulations and is more interesting. Also google " How to Brew" You can read it online and it will get you up to speed on brew theory and the whys and how tos quickly. Once you get the process down you can find a beer custom built for your tastes, you can't buy that in the store. cheers! |
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Thanks a ton guys, this is really encouraging. I think this will be the route I go for my first brew session. CS223, let me know when u get that write up done and post it, I am eager to read what you have done.
Now, I need to go figure out what brew pot to order. |
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Quoted: Now, I need to go figure out what brew pot to order. Bigger is better. I got the 44qt Bayou classic The reason was the basket sits 3" above the bottom and I needed that much space to install the ULWD 5500W heating element, it needs 1.5" either side of center to rotate. I'd prefer a bigger pot, 56 qt. would be good but I didn't see one with the same basket spacing from the bottom. You don't have to use the basket with BIAB, lots of folks don't. If you are considering any of the Bayou Classic pots, they make brewing related stuff too, call Barron over at Hoggetown Ale Works in G'ville. He stocks some of them, and is considerably cheaper than Amazon, Lowes & Home Depot. |
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I'll check them out. So on your BC pot did u install any bulkheads for a thermometer and ball valve? I will be using the gas burner so I'm not sure how beneficial a basket will be.
I found a 9 gallon SS pot with 2 bulkheads and lid for $127 and I found a plain 40qt Alum pot with no fittings for $50. The ball valve and temp gauge sure do look convenient and easier on ur back. |
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Quoted: I'll check them out. So on your BC pot did u install any bulkheads for a thermometer and ball valve? I will be using the gas burner so I'm not sure how beneficial a basket will be. I found a 9 gallon SS pot with 2 bulkheads and lid for $127 and I found a plain 40qt Alum pot with no fittings for $50. The ball valve and temp gauge sure do look convenient and easier on ur back. Yes, I installed a total of four. one for the heater element, one for the therm, one for a MG anode and one for the valve. One thing about BIAB is you need a good side pot to hold your grain plus the the total volume of water if you're you're not sparging and to have enough headspace so it doesn't boil over. Lots of folks use kegs (keggle) and cut the tops out. I don't care for the weldless bulkheads. I went with soldered in spuds from brewhardware.com, in fact Bobby put a picture of my kettle on his website on the spud page. There is a thread on HBT on food safe silver soldering to stainless. It would be helpful to have a false bottom of some sort just to keep the bag off the bottom so it doesn't scorch. You are by no means required to use the full water volume with BIAB, you can still sparge. You put your first runnings in the brew kettle then add the second runnings after sparging. You can get by with a smaller pot but at that point you might as well just just use a mash tun because you're not really saving much in time & steps IMHO.  |
Ah ok, I didn't think of the second pot. I was thinking in terms of doing everything all in one pot. That makes sense now. That is a nice pot with the heat elements, and blichman valve. However,I am just a redneck trying to get by with the bare necessities to make a decent brew.  (read: I am a cheap mofo)
Thanks a bunch for answering my questions. I'm gonna watch some YT vids now and immerse my self in some BIAB edgeumication. |
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BIAB is the only way I have brewed. Albeit I just started in March and have only done 10 brews so far. I find it pretty easy and get great results. I would definitely get as big of a kettle as you can afford. I have been buying from www.spikebrewing.com. The guy is a one man operation but he is super fast to answer questions and ships fast. I bought a close out deal he had on some 13 gallon kettles and I wish I paid for the 15 gallon ones. I have to sparge on anything with more then 12-13 lbs of grain. I use the method that http://biabrewer.info/ outlines so I do a 90 minute mash out and a 90 minute boil so I need more water then if you do a 60 minute boil. Only problem with biabbrewer is they are based out of AUS so you have to convert back to SAE from metric. However the guys on their forums post up alot of recipes scaled to biab and are willing to convert and help with recipes. If you want send me your email address and I'll email you the xcel calculator spread sheets I have for my recipes based on the biabbrewer site. You would just need to plug in your kettle dimensions and boil time to calculate volume and grain bill. |
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BIAB is the way to go, ebb. It's too late now for you to come by, but I am doing a double batch brew tomorrow with one of my clients who is also a brewer/winemaker. I use single kettle BIAB, and have made some awesome beer with it. Double batches are very easy, all I do is mash in an unmodified cooler. While I am mashing the first batch, I heat water for the 2nd batch in my kettle. Once mash is over, and 2nd batch water is up to 190 or so, I transfer water to buckets, and transfer 1st batch wort and grains to my kettle with bag installed. I mashout to 170 and remove grains to boil. Once the 2nd batch of heated water comes down to 15 degrees above mash temp for the second batch I dough-in the 2nd batch in the cooler and it mashes while the first batch boils. Only adds about 90 minutes to a brew day, but I get 2 batches and only one cleanup out of the deal. We need to setup an Arfcom brew club. I know there are at least 4 of us, maybe 5. |
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In just a short time I have realized that in the brewing craft, there are many ways to skin a cat. Now I just need to skin one for myself so I can figure out what is what.
I have looked into the 15gal kettles, this one to be more specific. What do you guys think? Kettle (edit to make hot) One of the problems is actually not wanting to brew larger 5gal batches right out of the gate. I will eventually but to be honest, I am not sure what I like to drink yet. I would hate to pour a batch that I worked for hours on down the drain. I do like session beers and lightly hopped brews along with a few vanilla porters. Will the 15gal kettle be hard to brew 2.5 gallons in regards to the heat with all the extra head space? Now that I type this, I do remember an aluminum BC kettle somewhere in my shop... so scratch this last concern. 
Now that sounds like it could be fun! Having a ARFCOM brew club. If nothing else, a chance to try some different brew tastings with "your kind" as my wife calls this place
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Quoted: One of the problems is actually not wanting to brew larger 5gal batches right out of the gate. I will eventually but to be honest, I am not sure what I like to drink yet. What happens is you make a 2.5 gal batch of "holy crap this is good!" beer and it barely gets you to the end of the week.  I wouldn't sweat 5 gal., seriously. If you want an easy first recipe that will please just about everyone, try this Centennial Blonde It's lightly hopped and it was 8 days grain to glass for me. I'll be keeping it on tap. Don't worry about having to dump a beer, it's all good but I'd just avoid some of the more exotic stuff like flavored or spiced beers right off. The simple ales will help you fine tune your method & equipment and get you by until you decide what you like. You can buy some of the seasonal commercial assortments like Sam Adams and other breweries put out to try different styles. And now Publix has a craft brew section that you can mix & match brews from more popular micro breweries, flat price of $10 a sixer. If you find one you like, there is more than likely a clone recipe for it. |
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Now that's funny. I just got off the phone with the wife and asked her to stop by the Haile Publix on the way home for me. Hopefully she picks me some good stuff!
I have tried different beers over the past month, Tipples has taken a bunch of my coin as of late. I started to review the new stuff that I have sampled and posted the results as a half assed forum blog to keep track of what I do and do not like. If the mods deem this not acceptable to link to then remove and forgive me. It's not intended as a cross promotion. From talking to a few of my buds that live in other states I feel like an outcast due to me not liking the hopped up beer. I just don't have a taste for it yet I guess. now I do like a 2 hearted ale every once in a while but that's my hop limit for now. If there is something I can get local to Gville that you recommend let me know and I'll try it. My taste testing |
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Quoted: One of the problems is actually not wanting to brew larger 5gal batches right out of the gate. I will eventually but to be honest, I am not sure what I like to drink yet. I would hate to pour a batch that I worked for hours on down the drain. I do like session beers and lightly hopped brews along with a few vanilla porters. As CS223 said, stick to a "normal" beer and you'll be just fine. Save the "Mermaid Sweat Lambic fermented on roasted fig blossoms and infused with Egyptian honey" type recipes until you are more experienced. |
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Quoted: Your 2 favorite beers were Shiner and a Sam Adams?Now that's funny. I just got off the phone with the wife and asked her to stop by the Haile Publix on the way home for me. Hopefully she picks me some good stuff!I have tried different beers over the past month, Tipples has taken a bunch of my coin as of late. I started to review the new stuff that I have sampled and posted the results as a half assed forum blog to keep track of what I do and do not like. If the mods deem this not acceptable to link to then remove and forgive me. It's not intended as a cross promotion. From talking to a few of my buds that live in other states I feel like an outcast due to me not liking the hopped up beer. I just don't have a taste for it yet I guess. now I do like a 2 hearted ale every once in a while but that's my hop limit for now. If there is something I can get local to Gville that you recommend let me know and I'll try it. My taste testing Maybe home brew isn't going to be your thing. And I'd kill for a glass of India Brown Ale right now. |
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Quoted: Now that's funny. I just got off the phone with the wife and asked her to stop by the Haile Publix on the way home for me. Hopefully she picks me some good stuff!I have tried different beers over the past month, Tipples has taken a bunch of my coin as of late. I started to review the new stuff that I have sampled and posted the results as a half assed forum blog to keep track of what I do and do not like. If the mods deem this not acceptable to link to then remove and forgive me. It's not intended as a cross promotion. From talking to a few of my buds that live in other states I feel like an outcast due to me not liking the hopped up beer. I just don't have a taste for it yet I guess. now I do like a 2 hearted ale every once in a while but that's my hop limit for now. If there is something I can get local to Gville that you recommend let me know and I'll try it. My taste testing Kinda funny. I brewed a Munton's extract IPA a while back, wasn't anything to get excited about. Drank most of it, gave some away. Wouldn't brew it again. Next trip to the store I picked up a Rogue Dead Guy Ale and I swear it was a dead ringer for my extract brew.  |
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Quoted: I love DGA, just don't like the price. Exactly how close was that kit.....Kinda funny. I brewed a Munton's extract IPA a while back, wasn't anything to get excited about. Drank most of it, gave some away. Wouldn't brew it again. Next trip to the store I picked up a Rogue Dead Guy Ale and I swear it was a dead ringer for my extract brew.  |
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Size wise, I think you're GTG. But before you order call over to Hoggetown and get a price on the Bayou pots, they have some in stock. In your link, they all but tell you it's a cheap made pot and if you're using a gas burner, I'd think you want something with as heavy bottom as you can afford to prevent scorching. Here's the Bayou catalog, pg 25 has their brew kettles. Given the choice I think I'd rather have a heavy aluminum pot rather than a thin SS pot for using on a gas burner. |
| A side note, I borrowed my brothers Bayou Classic aluminum pot to boil some peanuts. It's a real PITA to clean aluminum, glad I didn't go that route for a brew kettle. Odd on the BC kettle, Barron said they had them in stock, I know I've seen SS kettles in the store other than the Blingman's. When you factor in shipping HAW is competitive for the most part with internet. I don't mind paying a little more though, they really are a good bunch of folks and when you need some oddball little part, an o-ring, etc. they have it. Not saying I don't order from the net as is evident from my write up but I buy all my grain & ingredients from HAW. |
| He did say they had the plain jane SS BC pot but not the one with the ball valve that BC lists as a "brew kettle", I should have specified that in my post above. I talked to a chris hart down there, he seemed pretty knowledgeable. I'm not opposed to drilling a hole in the pot, I just need to buy a step bit. |
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Quoted: He did say they had the plain jane SS BC pot but not the one with the ball valve that BC lists as a "brew kettle", I should have specified that in my post above. I talked to a chris hart down there, he seemed pretty knowledgeable. I'm not opposed to drilling a hole in the pot, I just need to buy a step bit. LOL, yeah Chris is a pretty good guy, he's always so damn happy & smiling when you go in there, I want what ever he's been drinking. They do carry the weld less ball valve kits. I picked up one, think it was $18 and I ended up returning it and getting the "Blingman" valve I have now. They are also carrying the cam lock fittings and I think they have the NPT nuts too. Harbor Freight carries step bits, the Irwin Unibits are a bit pricy but a worthwhile investment if you anticipate needing them in the future. |
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That's a great looking system. I might have to go that route real soon. Nice job. |