I think we're having a hard time trying wrap our heads around the fact you aren't using a false bottom during your mash. I would imagine you are losing sugars due to grain scorching.
Why? The bottom of the mash tun is heated for maybe a total 3 minutes out of the 90 minute mash, (at least until mash out), during which time the mash is stirred, so no issue there.
If not spending any more money and ridding your life of cloudy beer is your goal...there are good beer ingredients going down the drain...which, in turn makes you spend more money per beer.
Like what? I'm getting better efficiency per kg than I was with BIAB, and I understand 80% is pretty respectable, would you tell me otherwise?
Get/make a false bottom...(cake rack $10,maybe?) Get another bag do a biab without scorching the grains and lauter to your hearts content. You will have a much easier time lifting the grain over to your "bag sitting in a bucket being used as a filter" pre-boil lauter tun. Don't squeeze it if you don't want to. If that is what you are referring to as "the pain" of BIAB.
Use a clarifier like Whirflock or Irish Moss.
Use a glass carboy for your secondary fermenter and wait till the beer is clear.
Make a MLT
Get a vinamat wine filter if you are in a hurry
Here's a suggestion I know will draw the ire of many. Go back to extract brewing. It isn't that much more expensive with all things considered, faster, cleaner, consistent, clear beer every time.
I will probably eventually get around to using false bottom, but I'll use a screen fine enough to trap grain, but course enough to allow free movement of liquors. With a tap installed under the screen. This is much more traditional set-up, one that you'll find in the books, but it costs money, and I don't want to spend till I upgrade my entire rig (and output capacity). Simply suspending a bag in the mash tun, during the mash, also means a loss in thermal efficiency of your mash tun, as you have to suspend the bag somehow. This is almost always done outside the mash tun, which means a gap, which allows air (and hence heat) exchange with the outside environment. In my case, doing a 10-15L mash, this is a difference of 2-3 minutes of heat per hour, compared to 10-15 minutes of heat per hour with a bag suspended in the tun. If you're talking about scorched grain being an issue, I know which method I'd prefer.
Flocculant (Irish moss) is already used, but there's only so much it can do.
Secondary fermentation is a bit like the flocculant, there's only so much it can do, and I already do it.
MLT? Got to admit I'm lost here, care to enlighten me?
Why would I use an external filter? I already have a great filter! Much rather use traditional techniques (or variations of), purely for aesthetic reasons.
Extract? HEATHEN! Sorry, couldn't help that. Kind of defeats the purpose though.
Don't worry freezkat, there's no hate, this is the fun bit.