How to go from Extract to AG for < $10.00

[jimmysuperlative]

I can't believe I only just found your post here Thirsty?!!

Every now and then I check out this site to see what's doin'. Great pictorial of your brew day process ...should be viewed along with PistolPatch's download as a study guide.

If anyone is thinking about giving BIAB a go, I can only recommend that you dive in an attempt it. It's easy, inexpensive, less time-consuming ...and at the end of the day, it allows you to make great beers.

I doubt I'll ever set up a more traditional brew rig (I am trying to double batch my BIAB). The AHB forum users want those who are BIABing to enter their beers into competitions to get some "formal" feedback on the method. For me it's simple: BIAB helps me make better beer ...and I'll never grow tired of that.

[bub]

Jimmy... I think your avatar pix wants me to log into some catholic educational site... I'll pass
Might want to store that image elsewhere
BUB

[jimmysuperlative]

Please don't tell the Pope on me, bub!!

[sbillings]

This is actually quite similar to the method I have been using for a number of years now. It differs in two respects:

1. I suspend the bag in my electrim boiler (Polypropylene bucket with kettle element) , by fixing it to the neck of it, with bungee cord.

2. I batch sparge by heating a stock pot of water on the hob.

I find that my set-up works particularly well with small amounts of grain, yielding efficiencies in excess of 80%, when 3Kg-4.5Kg of grain are used. Efficiency tends to drop sharply as I add more grain, after that, though.

[SpillsMostOfIt]

sbillings,

I've been doing a DunkSparge (TM) for a while and it does help to eke out some more malty goodness.

Thirsty Boy and I brewed on Tuesday and varied the technique a little as an experiment (in tedium, as it turns out). We mashed in my small boiler, BIAB-style with 3:1 L:G, then drained the bag and DunkSparged in my FB Boiler to bring the pre-boil volume up to where it should be. Apart from being a pain in the proverbial procedurally, we managed a much lower extraction efficiency than I am used to when I mash in the post-boil volume and sparge with the expected boil-off, etc.

[BDawg]

Good to see you up here, Sean (Guild). Haven't seen you up on the boards in a while.


For you BIAB guys, do you think 10 gal batches are too big?

[SpillsMostOfIt]

For you BIAB guys, do you think 10 gal batches are too big?

How can a batch of beer be too big? Shame on you for suggesting it!

I've just finished bottling a double-sized batch (46 litres) of an Austramerican Pale Ale (Australian Pale Ale grain bill, American hopping regime). It was a joy to brew and did not stress any of my equipment at all, although I recognise that I wasn't exactly pushing the limits of the bag - I had about 8kg of grain.

I think the only thing that could come unstuck would be sub-par stitching of your BIAB baggie - if your baggie was made by your great aunt who sewed for the Gemini program, you will be fine, but if you just stapled your baggie together, expect problems... I made both my baggies and they are holding out just fine.

[GooberMcNutly]

You may want some kind of pulley system if you are working by yourself. I put a step ladder over my kettle and ran a pulley from the top step to help me lift and hold the bag.

And a 10 gallon barleywine might just have too much grain. Especially in a converted keg, as they have a lip around the inside that hangs up the bag if it gets too fat. If you have a big pot, then you will be fine.