First Attempt At Biab

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m3taL

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Well i visited a member off the forum the other night who has moved very close to me... he is very much into AG Brewing. He passed down to me some equipment that i can experiment with until i am in a bit more of a position that i can get some deacent Equipment to do my AG.

The equipment i have taken and decided to use it in my own way.

2 x 25L Food Grade Buckets
- 1 Has a 2400w Element in it and a Tap
- 1 is just a plain bucket i will add a Tap to this.
- Both have lids.

The bare bucket will be Insulated to use as a Mash Tun and i will Use a BIAB bag inside it.

My plan is to Make a 18L Brew with it however i'll only be able to make a 16L Mash then add some topup water BeerSmith 2 has sorted this out for me.

then i will stick it into my 18L Cube and use the NO Chill Method.

The Plan:

- Warm up Strike water in the HLT
- Place a BIAB Bag in the other Bucket
- Transfer Water into the bucket and Mash in
- Install a themometer into the lid of the Mashing Bucket to keep an eye on temps and keep it well wrapped up to hold temp there should be next to no Head space in the bucket which should help to keep temps (this will be trial and error however its 40c in my garage atm im sure holding temp will be easy)
-Drain out wort back to boil bucjet, sparge grains and then transfer that to boil bucket also.
-Do a regular boil and hop additions then No-Chill into my 18L Cube.
-Add to fermenter when temp is right.

My first Brew will be quite a simple Blonde style ale with cascade additions

3kg JWM Pilsener
.5 KG JWM Munich 1

Cascade Hops (iv got this in stock hence using for my first brew)
10 @ 60
10 @ 30
10 @ 10


Will be interesting to see how it all works out, Might do a dry run with the vessels to see how they go before i get the grains in there. Hoping for it to be a insight into making some good beer and get rid of that extract price and tang!

Any opinons ideas would be awesome!!
 
What's wrong with Tang? Grew up on it. Somethings stirring in the morning....

Seriously, keep a close eye out for leaking with that Bucket o'Death
 
Heating water to strike temp in that bucket with an element installed is dangerous enough. Boiling wort at just above 100c could be deadly. Plastic softens with the heat, small leak at the element bulk head. Shocking to even contemplate....
 
Why not just get a large stockpot and a gas burner? Only one vessel to clean up afterwards and less messing around.

get rid of that extract price

I got into AG thinking I would save some $$, I think I've spent 10 times as much. :lol:

EDIT: Sorry, should probably read a bit more carefully before commenting.

He passed down to me some equipment that i can experiment with until i am in a bit more of a position that i can get some deacent Equipment to do my AG.
 
Hmmmm Bucket O death..... dont really like the sound of that......

This person reckons they done a lot of brews in it.... but i can very much see how it would end up being dangerous......

the GC is seeming to be it may be my first and last brew :unsure: :unsure:

Maybe i'll just wait until i can get a stock pot or find a keg........

cheers!
 
I've got an esky mash tun (26L approx) and an older alu 35L pot (with tap) which can be fitted with the heating element... I started with these years ago... even tried to sell a few times but no interest...

If you're happy to pick them up, they are yours in exchange for a few beers... also got a huge crate of longnecks (30+)..... PM me if keen.
 
Heating water to strike temp in that bucket with an element installed is dangerous enough. Boiling wort at just above 100c could be deadly. Plastic softens with the heat, small leak at the element bulk head. Shocking to even contemplate....

What's your coffee kettle made from. Be honest.
 
I've got an esky mash tun (26L approx) and an older alu 35L pot (with tap) which can be fitted with the heating element... I started with these years ago... even tried to sell a few times but no interest...

If you're happy to pick them up, they are yours in exchange for a few beers... also got a huge crate of longnecks (30+)..... PM me if keen.

PM Sent, Cheers
 
If I could make one more suggestion based on my limited BIAB experience (4 brews now), set up a skyhook. I used one for my last 2 brews and it made life significantly easier.
 
If I could make one more suggestion based on my limited BIAB experience (4 brews now), set up a skyhook. I used one for my last 2 brews and it made life significantly easier.

Yep got that sorted, Garage Door Brackets hang from the roof over my brew area so thats handy, they have nice big screws hanging in there and with the door down theres no extra weight on them so plenty of strength... i can hang on it and im 103 Kg
 
Heating water to strike temp in that bucket with an element installed is dangerous enough. Boiling wort at just above 100c could be deadly. Plastic softens with the heat, small leak at the element bulk head. Shocking to even contemplate....




I Think its quite sturdy concidering its fairly old and has been used a lot before i got it... but i do have that fear of it going up in smoke..... not keen to see if my RCD works......
 
What's your coffee kettle made from. Be honest.

I don't have a "Coffee" kettle.
I do have a hot water kettle that is manufactured from rigid rather than soft plastic. There is a difference, and you know it.
 
Not saying don't use it. Be bloody vigilant and aware that it is dangerous.
 
An entire nation uses the Bucket O Death, and I used a couple of them for years with no ill effect. The difference is in the plastic. High Density Polyethylene gets very soft when hot, but the Handi Pail type plastic which is PolyPropylene is good when hot. UK safety authorities have no problems with the B.O.D.

elctrimboiler.jpg
 
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