Here's how I BIAB

Have a question about how to do a BIAB or have a technique that you want to share. Just brew it!

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Tabasco
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Here's how I BIAB

Post by Tabasco »

Probably nothing new, but I brought my camera into the brew room a few batches ago.

http://tyoung.org/biab.html
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christler
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by christler »

Nice! I've been doing biab for about a year now and I always like to see how others do it. I live that there isn't a ” right way” you just do what works for you. I might have to try your sparging method. I do a cold water dunk sparge but winner if I'd get better eff with that method
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by Beer-lord »

I love your hop spider! :D I believe in the KISS principle as well.
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by gwcr »

Nice writeup! Always good to see how others get to the same result...BEER!

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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by Trollby »

I find my 20qt pot works great for LBK size BIAB batches.

I just need to get my butt back in the swing of things and get my pipe-line going again, fall temps mean nice outside BIAB season
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teutonic terror
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by teutonic terror »

Thanks Tabasco!
That looks alot like my procedure except I do 5 gal batches in a 7.5 gal pot and do three sparges with big ol' squeezes at the end! Last I do a cold water rinse to get my boil volume, if needed!
Love the hops spider, because I thought I was the only one that got "creative" with the clothes hangers! :p
Now I just clothes pin the edge of my hops bag over the edge of the pot to the handle and it's very easy to lift the front edge and pour the hops in!
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by Brewbirds »

And another beer topic gets added to my Google bar.

:cheers:
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Tabasco
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by Tabasco »

teutonic terror wrote:Thanks Tabasco!
That looks alot like my procedure except I do 5 gal batches in a 7.5 gal pot and do three sparges with big ol' squeezes at the end! Last I do a cold water rinse to get my boil volume, if needed!
Love the hops spider, because I thought I was the only one that got "creative" with the clothes hangers! :p
Now I just clothes pin the edge of my hops bag over the edge of the pot to the handle and it's very easy to lift the front edge and pour the hops in!
Ok, you do full volume boils. I can't do that indoors with my induction burner .... but the induction burner is an option. You're using propane, right?
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by Inkleg »

Well brewed sir, well brewed!
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by shewdawg »

Thanks for posting. I love to see how other people brew and I believe that someone else said that the KISS principle is the best. As you'll heard I did my first the other day and stressed most of the time. Enjoy hearing that brewing is "simpler" than we make it out to be at times. Love your engineering and will definitely look at doing similar things in the future.
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teutonic terror
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by teutonic terror »

Tabasco wrote:
teutonic terror wrote:Thanks Tabasco!
That looks alot like my procedure except I do 5 gal batches in a 7.5 gal pot and do three sparges with big ol' squeezes at the end! Last I do a cold water rinse to get my boil volume, if needed!
Love the hops spider, because I thought I was the only one that got "creative" with the clothes hangers! :p
Now I just clothes pin the edge of my hops bag over the edge of the pot to the handle and it's very easy to lift the front edge and pour the hops in!
Ok, you do full volume boils. I can't do that indoors with my induction burner .... but the induction burner is an option. You're using propane, right?
Yes sir I am. My pitiful electric range won't even push 4 gallons to a boil for a 2.5 gallon batch.
I picked this method up from an Aussie on another brew site. He was using a colander in the bottom of the bucket to get space for the bag to drain when he squeezed it. I broke two colanders before I started using a stainless bowl in my bucket! I usually get about 74-78% efficiency.
I liked this method when I did use it and I think my next oatmeal stout will be done like this because my last one I had a terrible stuck sparge.
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Tabasco
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by Tabasco »

teutonic terror wrote:
Tabasco wrote:
teutonic terror wrote:Thanks Tabasco!
That looks alot like my procedure except I do 5 gal batches in a 7.5 gal pot and do three sparges with big ol' squeezes at the end! Last I do a cold water rinse to get my boil volume, if needed!
Love the hops spider, because I thought I was the only one that got "creative" with the clothes hangers! :p
Now I just clothes pin the edge of my hops bag over the edge of the pot to the handle and it's very easy to lift the front edge and pour the hops in!
Ok, you do full volume boils. I can't do that indoors with my induction burner .... but the induction burner is an option. You're using propane, right?
Yes sir I am. My pitiful electric range won't even push 4 gallons to a boil for a 2.5 gallon batch.
I picked this method up from an Aussie on another brew site. He was using a colander in the bottom of the bucket to get space for the bag to drain when he squeezed it. I broke two colanders before I started using a stainless bowl in my bucket! I usually get about 74-78% efficiency.
I liked this method when I did use it and I think my next oatmeal stout will be done like this because my last one I had a terrible stuck sparge.
My induction burner is just adequate ... at its limit ... doing hop boils in this 16qt pot. This is why I do partial volume boils ... as I want to keep it indoors. But the full volume you do is better. You get better hops utilization for one thing. If you're open to topping off with cold water, you could boil with less volume on that range ... but I know many are not open to this.
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teutonic terror
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by teutonic terror »

I have considered, especially before I got my larger kettles, using top off water in the fermenter.
I saw no difference in this or Mr Beer.

To me though, it looked too easy to miscalculate my wort volume and end up with watered down beer.
As far as the range goes, if I do a long boil on it, it takes forever for the top to cool down and I really don't trust it.

I've just found it simpler to get my boil volumes, using BrewSmith most of the time, and sit next to a practically full kettle with my hand on the gas regulator and my spray bottle at the ready! :D
It cost me a little more for equipment but I'm more comfortable with the procedure in case something does go wrong.
Plus, I love sitting outdoors, listening to something good on the radio and cooking a good homebrew. :cheers:
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by Wings_Fan_In_KC »

That was one of the best and most informative posts I have read in a long time.

Thanks for taking the time to snap those shots and then post them up.

Awesome.
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Re: Here's how I BIAB

Post by joechianti »

Very nice photos. I'm also resisting outdoor brewing, and also use a 16 quart pot. You have a good system going there. Thanks for sharing! :urock:
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