90 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

Unfortunately it's getting more and more expensive to keg. Luckily I have a bunch of kegs.

ZOMG, you're not kidding. I see HERE that refurbished (used) ball-lock kegs are now $75 at BeverageFactory.com. Luckily my wife's cousin had a metric assload of kegs he was selling and he let me have a few at his $25 cost so I'm set for the moment but holy #### that is getting really spendy. I remember Homebrew Adventures (or was it Adventures in Homebrewing) in Michigan where you could get a 5-gallon ball-lock keg for $15. Yes, it was used and dirty but it held pressure and they clean up pretty nicely.

[neddles]

So is this BIAB no-sparge?

Indeed

[Steve Urquell]

ZOMG, you're not kidding. I see HERE that refurbished (used) ball-lock kegs are now $75 at BeverageFactory.com. Luckily my wife's cousin had a metric assload of kegs he was selling and he let me have a few at his $25 cost so I'm set for the moment but holy #### that is getting really spendy. I remember Homebrew Adventures (or was it Adventures in Homebrewing) in Michigan where you could get a 5-gallon ball-lock keg for $15. Yes, it was used and dirty but it held pressure and they clean up pretty nicely.

AIH is still the cheapest place for kegs. You can get 4 pin locks for $35 each. If I was starting from scratch, that's what I'd buy. https://www.homebrew...sed_p_3179.html

[denny]

To fair Denny didnt you try holding the bag with your hands while it drained?That wont work.BIAB is very easy to do at least up to 6 gallons IME and probably more if you have the right size equipment. It does require one thing... you need overhead support for bag while it drains. This is as simple as putting an eye bolt into an overhead joist or rafter and using a $7 ratchet pulley to lift and hold it. Many of us brew in basements, garages, and under decks where this works best. Heck if you are in a garage just hook it to your garage door track.

 

Yeah, see that's what my problem is...if I have to install a hoist to lift the bag, where's the "easy" factor?  At that point it seems just as easy, if not easier, to use a cooler mash tun. 

[SchwanzBrewer]

Yeah, see that's what my problem is...if I have to install a hoist to lift the bag, where's the "easy" factor?  At that point it seems just as easy, if not easier, to use a cooler mash tun. 

 

And more useful for bigger beers without sacrificing batch size.

[HVB]

Yeah, see that's what my problem is...if I have to install a hoist to lift the bag, where's the "easy" factor?  At that point it seems just as easy, if not easier, to use a cooler mash tun. 

I can see that if you are an established brewer and have the equipment but if you are just coming into the hobby the 4 minutes it takes to install a pulley is a lot less than it takes to build a MLT and not to mention cheaper.

[denny]

I can see that if you are an established brewer and have the equipment but if you are just coming into the hobby the 4 minutes it takes to install a pulley is a lot less than it takes to build a MLT and not to mention cheaper.

 

I can build a mash tun in 10 min. for under $40.  Given the enhanced ease of use and utility, that seems pretty damn reasonable.  Don't get me worng, I have nothing against BIAB.  It just seems that sometimes the benefits are overstated.

[positiveContact]

I can build a mash tun in 10 min. for under $40.  Given the enhanced ease of use and utility, that seems pretty damn reasonable.  Don't get me worng, I have nothing against BIAB.  It just seems that sometimes the benefits are overstated.

 

that sounds like a challenge!  to youtube denny!

 

but really - for 5 gallon batches you don't need a pulley.  that giant strainer that drez posted earlier would work and that requires zero effort.

[Tim the Enchanter]

I'd forgotten how much I love the brewing section of this forum. This thread turned into a BIAB and bottling debate without even trying (and thanks, BIAB is new since I last brewed). I've been hiding in the PH too long.

 

I might try BIAB to get reduce the equipment I need to get started, but I still like the cooler mash tun.

[denny]

that sounds like a challenge!  to youtube denny!

 

but really - for 5 gallon batches you don't need a pulley.  that giant strainer that drez posted earlier would work and that requires zero effort.

 

Nope, I'd still be lifting a hot, wet, heavy bag.  Just don't see that as being something I care to do.  My average 5 gal. batch ks about 16 lb. of grain.  That will hold about 2 gal. of water, adding another 16 of weight.  Don't wanna deal with that.  And I certainly haven't found it easier than what I do now.

[positiveContact]

Nope, I'd still be lifting a hot, wet, heavy bag.  Just don't see that as being something I care to do.  My average 5 gal. batch ks about 16 lb. of grain.  That will hold about 2 gal. of water, adding another 16 of weight.  Don't wanna deal with that.  And I certainly haven't found it easier than what I do now.

 

I meant zero setup effort!

[HVB]

I'd forgotten how much I love the brewing section of this forum. This thread turned into a BIAB and bottling debate without even trying (and thanks, BIAB is new since I last brewed). I've been hiding in the PH too long.

 

I might try BIAB to get reduce the equipment I need to get started, but I still like the cooler mash tun.

 

I got one you can have, send me an address 

[positiveContact]

I got one you can have, send me an address 

 

that can't be cheap to ship.  he might be better off building one.

[HVB]

that can't be cheap to ship.  he might be better off building one.

can have is the optimal phrase in my response

[BrewerGeorge]

No sparge is an issue for me, what efficiency do you see with that? 55% or so?

[positiveContact]

No sparge is an issue for me, what efficiency do you see with that? 55% or so?

 

only slightly less efficient than batch sparging.  the assumption here is that you are already getting good conversion.

[neddles]

No sparge is an issue for me, what efficiency do you see with that? 55% or so?

Depends somewhat on the OG but far higher than 55%. I'm getting about 86% on 1.040 beers and it tends to gradually go down as my OG goes up. Looking back it looks like the latest bigger beers I have done were OG 1.069 @ 77%, and OG 1.073 @75%. This is efficiency into the kettle BTW. No-sparge BIAB

[HVB]

No sparge is an issue for me, what efficiency do you see with that? 55% or so?

To steal something Brauer wrote in an old thread of mine

 

It would be nice if it was linear, but the water absorption and volume added by the dissolved sugar make it a logarithmic relationship.  Kai's batch sparge/partigyle simulator is probably the simplest way to determine the maximum possible efficiency of a no-sparge batch.

 

Here's a simple chart of some theoretical, maximum no-sparge efficiencies based on grain quantities (assuming 6.5 gallons pre-boil and minimal dead space):

6# - 86%

7# - 84%

8# - 82.3%

9# - 80.4%

10# - 78.7%

12# - 75.3%

 

In practice, I've made a lot of beers in the 10# range and can rely on 75% efficiency, no-sparge.  I recently made a Sticke Alt with 11.5#, though, which would predict at just over 76% and also got 75%.

https://www.brews-br...ease/?p=1388493

[positiveContact]

Depends somewhat on the OG but far higher than 55%. I'm getting about 86% on 1.040 beers and it tends to gradually go down as my OG goes up. Looking back it looks like the latest bigger beers I have done were OG 1.069 @ 77%, and OG 1.073 @75%. This is efficiency into the kettle BTW. No-sparge BIAB

 

my minimal sparge beer about agrees with this.

To steal something Brauer wrote in an old thread of mine

 

https://www.brews-br...ease/?p=1388493

 

I think the argument for the BIAB is that the absorption rate is slightly less so you get a little bump from that.

[HVB]

my minimal sparge beer about agrees with this.

 

I think the argument for the BIAB is that the absorption rate is slightly less so you get a little bump from that.

good point, my absorption rate is much lower.