BIAB vs Robobrew

[Rorschach]

Hey all
I've run a few extract brews and I reckon I'm ready to take the plunge and go AG pretty soon, next brew hopefully.
I'm pretty keen on a BIAB set-up, but the Robobrew keeps coming up as a viable (although more expensive) alternative, certainly for convenience.
Any pros or cons to either method? Or anything else I've not considered?
TIA

 

[motman]

Hi, I went from extract to double batch biab.. that was great but petty much on a par with the robobrew for cost (keeping in mind I had double batch capacity).

I've just recently downsized to the pump version robo due to having two small kids and not being able to make the time to keep me away from them and them away from the hot stuff. Also, making a double batch discourages you from experimenting (due the risk of having to manage 40 lt of horrible beer!) and for me brewing is like cooking, a constant journey in experimentation and learning.

No difference in quality in my opinion, just ease and size. Efficiency is irrelevant on the home brew scale, so I personally would not consider that either.

Have fun either way!

 

[Quokka42]

I BIAB because it allows me to all grain on my budget, in fact it makes beer affordable for an over 50 single dad with a crapload of debt and a crappy paid job.

If I could afford a Robobrew I would switch in a flash. My boiler is a 30l refurbed robo I lucked on for a bargain (all the guys at KK are great BTW.) You will still have the control you need if you are a talented brewer, but you will save so much time. I have to time my brews on the rare occasion my son is being cared for by someone else for 6 hours plus, so it's a dream for me. With the Robo method you are still in charge of your brew, but can do other stuff during the mash, etc.

 

[Rocker1986]

You can do other stuff during the mash etc. with BIAB too. I always leave the urn sitting there to its own devices while I go off and do other things for the hour or so it sits. I've never used a Robobrew but I'm happy with the BIAB and 40L urn set up. If or when the thing ever dies I'd quite happily buy a new urn than change to a RB.

 

[zensome]

I am new to brewing like you and have only been obsessed since February this year. I will document my short journey in the hopes it may help another new brewer. I have a friend who has been extract brewing for 30 years and the beer has never really changed, and while I wouldn't say it is horrible it isn't really something I would prefer to drink (if he can't do a brew for $20 he won't do it, but I suppose he drinks beer for a different reason then me). I thought to myself there must be better ways to make beer and it was a bit of a personal challenge to me to see if I could do it.

My first brew was an extract IPA (LME, DME, crystal steep, a few hop addittions in the boil and a dry hop), I think I got lucky, the beer blew me (and him) away, from that point on I was obsessed with brewing. I did a couple more extract brews (one not so good) and decided I wanted to move to AG like you, but which way to go, I looked at the Robobrew (to me it looked cheap and flimsy), I looked at the Grainfather (looked good but expensive and I wanted to make bigger volumes) and settled on BIAB because it seemed to tick all the boxes for me including the budget.

My first bag brew was fun, the beer was great but I wanted more. I decided I would build my own Grainfather-esque system, it would be easy to add a malt pipe and pump to what I already had - a 50L boil kettle with electric element. I didn't quite get that far, somewhere along the way during countless hours of research on these forums, other forums, youtube, several brewing books and whatever I could find on the internet I ended up putting together a 3V HERMS, so to my original 50L boil kettle I added a 50L heat exchange, 57L mash tun and a couple of pumps.

I am about 12 brews in and like a kid in a candy store, I brew every weekend (sometimes both days) and I am over the moon with the results. Mid April I bought a 3 tap kegerator and have been kegging my beer since. Honestly the beer is that good I can not keep up with demand, commercial beers I used to love now taste stale or watery and friends rave about what I am producing.

It has been a whirlwind journey in the short time since I put my first extract brew down, but I am now where I want to be, although I still find myself tinkering most weeks with little changes to the system and I have just got all the gear together to build a counterflow wort chiller. My advice is to read and watch whatever you can find, see which method of brewing gets you fired up and go for it, you won't be disappointed whichever way you go.

Cheers