First I was planning on sewing my bag. But then I didn't before I tried the BIAB method
Since that first try of the BIAB method, I found that it was not really necessary to cut and sew the bag. A square amount of voile uncut has all the strength of the original weave in tact and cleans and hangs nicely as is.
I also found that a standard Goo Tin Shipping Box donated by the LHBS to bring home bags of cracked grain is perfect mould and I already am a tiny bit bent on "reusing and recycling" recently so I kept on using the box. You simply stick your hand in the centre of the square of voile material and then you just push your hand into the box lining the mould. You open your various grain bags and simply pour them in. All the dust, flours, and grains are self contained in the box and this makes for quick and easy clean up as a benefit. Take your twine and snip off a small piece and gather the edges of voile hanging over the box and tie off the bag like a large dumpling bag. The dry grain holds the box shape rather nicely once you remove it from the box and makes for an easy time settling it slowly down into the brew pot once you've hit your desired mash temperature.
(1)
Cardboard box mould to place the voile in and pour the grain bags into. Tied off voile bag like a large dumpling bag.
(2)
Then I just use a length of twine uncut from the roll of twine to wrap around the top neck of the bag three times without tying and then a single wrap on the vent top and done. Bag suspended. The majority of the weight of the bag is taken up due to buoyancy once in the water. As you feel like it, you just take your fore finger and finger and pinch daintily the neck of the bag where it is tied and dunk your "jolly big tea bag" up and down with no effort at all and no splashing, or overflows. The bag is suspended above the bottom of the pot and is in no danger of burning against the bottom. The loose ends of the voile material simply wrap around the twine in a few turns and are out of flames way. Because its not tied on, just a second to reverse turn the voile and unwrap three turns around the bag and its free to lift out and begin the boil.
Secret Weapon #2 tin foil around the stove surface under the burner. Makes cleaning up a breeze.
I was also going to kit out the pot with ball valves. Found this to be unnecessary as well. A proper racking cane will easily transfer the liquid into the No-Chill Cube. Hose down to the bottom of the cube and a lovely transfer with little aeration. I was going to get more fancy with the racking cane, but when you clean it and sanitize it and rinse it its already full of water and already primed and ready to go. Three to five seconds into a bucket or spare jar or spare ALDI 2L juice container and the water is clear and the wort is flowing. Pinch the hose and in two seconds you have it lifted out of the bucket and into the No-Chill Cube.
I must be a strong buggar because I lift the bag out with no strain or issues.
Until I get my new 100 litre pot, in the kitchen the large 2-ring NG burner raises temperature 1C almost every 70 seconds. Efficiency would be better and times to raise temperature lower if I went with an all Aluminium pot instead of a Stainless Steel one. I'll also have a look at both electric and NG jet burners for getting the 100 litre pot up to the boil as single batch is the limit of the simple setup above.
For people just getting into BIAB, the guide could be used to show a range of kit outfittings from the simple to the complex. I was planning very complex and I am surprised at how simple I've left it.
Cheers,
Brewer Pete
