# Draining Craftbrewer BIAB Bag



## OneShoe (10/6/13)

It is a nightmare, does anyone have any tips? It must of held at least 10L of wort when I picked it up today, and it was not draining anywhere fast, took a fair bit of work to get my precious wort back from it!


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## QldKev (10/6/13)

Throw it and make a swiss voile one. I have only used the cb one once and it was hopeless.


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## GalBrew (10/6/13)

Yep, that sounds vaguely familiar. I always do a 78deg mash out before draining and use a winch to pick the bag up and let it drain. I also twist the bag to squeeze the wort out. The best thing to do is to do a few brews and work out your losses (or go 3v). Then you can alter your recipe to suit.


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## earle (10/6/13)

Yes takes a lot of squeezing and it seems to get worse the more brews you do. Think I'll be going Swiss voile soon. Did a roggenbier yesterday and with the rye the nightmare of getting the wort out was even bigger.


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## nathan_madness (10/6/13)

I've always used a CB bag till the last 2 brews on the weekend and wow using swiss voile is so much easier. I just let it hang there for 10 minutes and when I took it off the grain was caked together with no squeezing. Just use a 1.5m x 1.5m square piece and tie the four corners together to lift it out simple as.


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## seamad (10/6/13)

Don't biab anymore, but pulled up on a pulley and tied off, put on big thick black rubber lined gloves and twist the bag around and around and get it pretty dry.


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## OneShoe (10/6/13)

Yeah it is a pain. Aydos was brewing next to me using SV and drained in no time. Paying for something that is out performed by some material from spotlight is a bit of a pain.


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## slash22000 (10/6/13)

I used the CB bag once. Never again. I just about threw my spine out.

Now I use it as a nice big hop bag for the boil.


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## brad81 (10/6/13)

Never had a problem with it, except that it is flammable.

Have ordered another one as a result. Good, solid and strong.

Hoist it, twist, squeeze. Works for me.

*also wuss out and use some dish pig gloves


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## Bribie G (11/6/13)

A few years ago when BIAB was getting accepted and everyone was looking for bags, Craftbrewer brought out their bag and Ross kindly offered to give me a bag to try out. The first few brews it worked fine, but then I also got drainage problems.

The bag is made of nylon as apparently the company that makes them was unable to get a food-safe "certificate" for a bag made from voile which is an acrylic material.

Whilst very grateful to Rosscoe for the free bag I found that whilst it was excellent for the first few brews it got worse and worse and I noticed that it was developing a "memory" from being hung. In other words it maintained the creases from being hung. Also the weave seemed to be closing up and not letting the wort out.

I used a brand new bag I bought on the day at the system wars challenge a few years ago (I arrived there without my bag  ) and as you can see it worked ok, but on seeing the YouTube again I'd have to say it wasn't as free draining as voile, but adequate at the time.

That was about 3 years ago and maybe the material has changed or something but nowadays I just use a big circle of Spotlight Voile and tie it off like a swagman's stash.


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## Aydos (11/6/13)

I second with Bribie. The circle of SV works a treat, learnt that off Bribie himself. Mines being going great for around 15 or so brews now and going strong. Its amazing to see how slow the Craftbrewer bag really does drain.


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## roverfj1200 (11/6/13)

Have used my CB bag for 14 brews now and have no trouble with it. I rasie the bag with a rope and pully. Left over my urn it drains on its own well before the wort comes to a boil. I mash out at 78c and sometimes use two cake racks to squeeze the bag if my pre boil looks a bit low.

Cheers.


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## Bribie G (11/6/13)

Different batches of nylon net used by the company that makes them?


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## OneShoe (11/6/13)

Haha Bribie looking at your video that was me exactly, except my girly arms gave up and I made Aydos lift it out for me with his big guns, after I made a mess of his floor.

I guess my main annoyance as a new brewer was I though bugger it I will spend the extra $$$ to get something commercial instead of making my own, yet it turns out I have to make my own anyway now and I just wasted money in the end.


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## Bribie G (11/6/13)

If you're on the Northside there are Spotlight stores at Everton Park and also Morayfield in the shopping centre opposite Masters (5 mins of the M1).

Basically you just spread out a sheet of voile 1.5 x 1.5, put your urn in the middle and mark out a circle using a marking pen, then carefully cut it out and get someone with an overlocker or Janome to do a simple hem round it. I've heard of people going around the margin with a gaslighter torch as well and melt it but sounds dodgy to me. :blink:

Also learn how to do a hangman's noose to throttle the thing.

Edit: did Aydos get his naturally airconditioned  garage fixed up yet?


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## angus_grant (11/6/13)

My CB BIAB now drains a lot better after it blew a hole in the side whilst brewing my first 7.5kg Belgian Triple. I have some voile in a drawer somewhere but not enough to do a full BIAB I think. May pop down to Spotlight in the city one lunch hour and grab some more. Then all I have to do is plead with the mother-in-law to stitch up the bag for me...

And all in 2 weeks as I have a double-brew day booked for the 22nd which I'll need a new bag for. I highly doubt my Brau-clone will be ready before then considering I need a new pump, bottom filter plate, bottom seal, etc, etc.....


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## Liam_snorkel (11/6/13)

angus_grant said:


> My CB BIAB now drains a lot better after it blew a hole in the side


yeah likewise, mine has a heap of little holes in it which I've had to sew up (caused by my mash paddle nicking the fabric). Only once has a hole opened up enough to let grain through. Boy that day sucked. They definitely help with drainage though..

I went to spotlight on logan road today - couldn't find anything labelled swiss voile in the curtain section. There were a couple of rolls which looked like they might be, but the labels had been removed. On closer inspection (along the 'cut'), the fabric seemed to have large thread in one direction and small in the other. Does this seem right?


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## Nick JD (11/6/13)

I see no point in sewing a "bag". A circle works perfectly. I tie mine up by wrapping cord around the collected edges 3 times and then a reef knot. Never had it slip.

Last thing you need to worry about is seams if you're lifting 20kg of wet grain.


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## .DJ. (11/6/13)

I just use a square of voile... no need for sewing...


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## spryzie (11/6/13)

I sewed mine. Round base same size as pot and then some sides to make a cylinder

My wife saw what I did and pointed out it was retarded. I could have sewn one piece as the cylinder instead of six.

I think I saved face by explaining I meant to do it to spread the load across many seams. 

I also sewed some handles to tie rope to. Not had a bag fall since doing that!


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## paulmclaren11 (11/6/13)

I have used SV and I also ordered a bag from Grape and Grain which works well (although bit big for my pot).

I also have a bucket in a bucket 'press' which makes obtaining the wort a lot easier and frees my arms up to hold beer instead.


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## tricache (11/6/13)

Mmmmm just got a 50L keg I'm about to turn into a keggle for a BIAB setup...might do a bit of research to see which way to go and which has the best draining and which will work with the opening at the top of the keg (which I am yet to cut)


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## Nick JD (11/6/13)

People often make the comment that if you have a lid, cut it with this fitting in mind.


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## tricache (11/6/13)

Nick JD said:


> People often make the comment that if you have a lid, cut it with this fitting in mind.


My exact reasoning for not cutting it yet (and I don't have access to the plasma cutter atm)

I am assuming bigger is better (isn't it always?)


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## roverfj1200 (11/6/13)

I have the urn concealed element and with the CB bag have very little flour in the base after brewwing. Do you get much with the SV? I would be concerned the element may burn out quickly with a heavy cover of dregs.



Cheers


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## Aydos (11/6/13)

Ha ha Bribie my shed is still the same, still naturally air conditioned. Works well for doing lagers right now. You fridge is still going strong too and the mill has been handed down again now. When are you coming up for a beer Michael?


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## Florian (11/6/13)

aydos said:


> When are you coming up for a beer Michael?


22nd of June!


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## Phoney (11/6/13)

My Gryphon bag is still going strong after 100+ brews.


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## AndrewQLD (11/6/13)

Those having problems with the CB bag flow slowing down after a few brews, Sodium Perc is your friend, I soak mine after every brew and rinse well, at least 30 brews later it is like new as far as the drainage rate goes.


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## Crusty (11/6/13)

AndrewQLD said:


> Those having problems with the CB bag flow slowing down after a few brews, Sodium Perc is your friend, I soak mine after every brew and rinse well, at least 30 brews later it is like new as far as the drainage rate goes.


I do this as well.
Mine is still draining fine.


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## Rowy (11/6/13)

I know Ross has been having trouble draining his bag for some time.


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## OneShoe (11/6/13)

Mine was shit the first brew, I might soak in perc for good luck. If not I am going to spotlight.


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## seamad (11/6/13)

Rowy said:


> I know Ross has been having trouble draining his bag for some time.


brewers droop ?


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## Rowy (11/6/13)

seamad said:


> brewers droop ?


Apparently so. Just don't tell anyone he's a bit funny about it.


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## bum (11/6/13)

Perhaps you should suggest he give it a soak in napisan, rowy?


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## Rowy (11/6/13)

bum said:


> Perhaps you should suggest he give it a soak in napisan, rowy?


I may do that though my advice is that he may need something stronger. He's prone to certain infections that need something in the line of penicillin to fix.


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## bum (11/6/13)

Don't fear the foam, Ross!


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## seamad (11/6/13)

march pump?


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## seamad (11/6/13)

and a rims tube


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## Futur (7/3/17)

Reviving a bit of a dead thread here, but has anyone had any luck with CB's "new" BIAB bags? https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=4221

I have one I bought in 2015 and it's quite hopeless, especially when recirculating with a pump.When I try and drain it turns into a big wort balloon - useless.


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## Old Bloke (7/3/17)

My CB bag is fine. I burnt a hole in the first one I had. I bought a replacement again from them and haven't had a problem. Regards Chris


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## Bribie G (7/3/17)

The original ones were hard to drain, but I believe CB switched to a different material years ago. Maybe you bought old stock at the time?.

IMHO the best "bag" is a circle of voile from Spotlight, hemmed, and hoisted with a hangman's noose. No seams, dead easy to empty out and clean.

ed: my two are coming up 7 years old and still look brand new.


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## Rocker1986 (7/3/17)

Mine's been fine too. I have two of them now because I tore a small hole in the first one so I use that for boiling hop flowers now. However, I haven't had any problems with that one or the new one draining. Mind you, my brew days are pretty relaxed, easy paced days so I also have no problem with stringing the bag up above the urn and leaving it sit there for 20 or 30 minutes to drain out while I go and have a beer or something. Only difference I've noticed is bigger grain bills take longer to drain. I do squeeze it before totally removing it and the grains are damp but not soaked in wort.


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## 1974Alby (3/5/17)

Couldn't fin my circle of voile on the weekend and so used my 'old' CB bag for the first time in years. I had forgotten why I stopped using it. I was brewing a double batch and the bag was practically water tight! Hoisting out 12kg of grain along with 30+L of water was not fun...after hanging it there for about 20 minutes I recke 3-4 litres had drained out....I ended up dumping the whole lot in a 50L Nally bin and scooping the wet grain into sieve over a bucket 1 litre at a time!! PITA :angry: . Have now thrown the bag in the bin and heading back to spotlight!


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## Randai (4/5/17)

Yeah I have used probably a newer CB Bag, I think the only time I have had issues draining is when I had like 20% oats in a stout, but considering when I pulled it out it was like a cake of grains and oats.
It worked great for the last couple of years I have been using it, letting it drain for a few minutes on an oven rack over the pot.


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