Making The Jump, Need Idea On The Tools..

[Crambo]

Hi peeps, so after trying my first and helping with doing an AG BIAB i'm keen to make the jump. Looking for tips on the equipment to get. Have been suggested a large electric coffee urn as i'm hoping to do it outside on my balcony/deck as much as the weather permits. Am open to other suggestions? Also a point in the right direction getting or making a bag and hop device would be ace as well.. Cheers :drinks:

 

[bowie in space]

Get a 40L urn, no less. I got a birko off ebay for about $170. It has an exposed element but I cover that up with a stainless steel strainer/colander. It's not glamorous but it does the job. I got my bag from Gryphon and am still happy with it after about 30 - 40 brews. (Honestly don't know how many I've done but it sounds about right). I know Craftbrewer also do a bag, check the website link at the top of the page. I got free shipping from Gryphon, but I think Craftbrewer bags are cheaper, either way you will have a good quality bag.

I've heard the crown urns are good too, or you could get a 50L keg, cut the top off and get a gas burner. For me, all up I got AGing for about $220 and haven't upgraded in two years. Urns are good because it's a cheap way to get into AG and will serve you well. They don't get a vigorous boil but a steady rolling boil. I'm not sure about the impact that has, but my beers turn out ok.

After mash out, I chuck the spent grain and throw the bag in the washing machine using the "delicate" wash cycle and by the time the wort is boiling the bag is ready to be reused as a hop bag. I hang the bag off a hook about a foot or two above the urn. The hook comes in handy when I sparge the grain too.

The main problem with my set up is I can't do double batches in one go. I will eventually rectify that once SWMBO gives me the go ahead. Right now a keg set up is more important for me. I brew on the back deck with all this gear too, so go for it mate. You'll never look back. Welcome to the dark side. :icon_cheers:

Bowie

 

[kelbygreen]

well all depends on what you can afford really and if you want to go gas or electric both have there pros and cons and heaps of threads about it but the kettle/urn is prob not what your asking.
few things I would suggest

A good thermometer. I got a lab one its good but the whole thing has to be submerged to read properly so when I was doing it in a 20lt pot with sparging it was not the best option but full volume is ok

A good spoon (or mash paddle) to stir the mash I got a long SS one it can fit in a fermenter with 23lts of wort and touch the bottom and still stick out the top, It cost me like $25 but the plastic ones was like $17 and this one will prob out last me where I been threw 2 plastic ones

if using a urn then maybe some insulation for it so it hold temp better and heats faster. I was mashing in a esky with a bag till I made the manifold so not the best on that lol. I see people just wrap towels around the pots and urns but not sure on there heat loss.

you can buy bags from craftbrewer and Gryphon had them but I think he closed his doors not sure who else sells them. You can pick up voil (polyester I think you need, wait for others to verify) from places like spotlight or places that sell curtains. I used that and didnt make it just cut it so it would fit in the esky.

maybe a pully system so you can lift and hang the grain. Or a bucket or container with a grate ontop to sit it on. Again I just had a bit of rop hanging from the beam lifted the bag with one hand and hogtied it with the other let it drain into a bucket

A bucket for sure I used a food safe one that had measurements on it upto 9lts so I could measure mash and sparge water

 

[Spork]

Recent convert to AG - BIAB myself. I chose BIAB over 3v mostly because it takes up less space. You will need a boiler. I chose a 40 litre urn, you may prefer to get a big stockpot, a gas burner or electric element, and a tap for the stockpot. You need a bag, or if you don't want to wash grain bag between mashing and boiling, 2 bags. G & G have economy models for both grain and hops, Craftbrewer have more "deluxe" ones. Both work fine, although I chose to "upgrade" to the CB ones. Some on this forum don't even use a bag. Just a large square of Swiss voile from spotlight. Finally, hoisting the bag (esp. the very fine mesh CB ones) can be harder than you think. If at all possible, I strongly suggest a pulley and a cleat as minimum, or better still a couple of pulleys for a block and tackle type setup, and a cleat to tie off to. Get a decent thermometer. A big paint stirrer for mashing in is much better than just a big spoon too.

Thats it, assuming you already have the basic gear for K&K. If you don't, getting a Cooper's kit or similar will be a good start, it has the fermenting vessel, hydrometer etc. And a STC-1000 temperature controller, a 'fridge, a heat source...

 

[kelbygreen]

oh as for a hop sock I wouldnt worry, Well maybe with a urn it might burn onto the elements??? I am not sure but sure heaps dont use them. I am not sure if you put a pick up tube on a urn or not and if not how much kettle loss you get but a few hops wont matter infact some say they help compact the trub cone and bring the break material down I kinda found the beers I made without a hop sock had a compact cone and the ones I made with one the break was all fluffy and not much of a cone. But in saying that I changed pots when my hop sock decided it would give up on me so it could of been the larger pot and full volume boil more then the hops I am not 100% sure lol

Bowie you dont need a vigorous boil just a rolling one so you will still extract the same out of the hops the extraction starts at about 80deg I think so any boils good a foaming vigorous one is a waste of energy, money and water lol also I am sure it may impart a different flavour on the grain maybe caramalise it more

 

[Anofre]

19L kmart stockpot + maxi BIAB with Spotlight viole on a potbelly stove is how I started all grain.
Best way to learn about hitting/holding temps is the hard way!
U only really loose efficiency unless u really stuff up. It's all still tastier then cans.
Very easy & wen u upgrade pot is handy still.

Keggle & fire, cheap as, high vol. +-$30 for tap etc if u have access to drill & bit + grinder
50L & beautiful thick stainless.

Any big pot really will do & any extra just makes it easier!

 

[Spork]

Thats interesting Kelbygreen
My trub / break / crud in the bottom after the boil is pretty "fluffy".
might have to try a batch without the hopsock and see what happens.

 

[Charst]

I have a 50 Litre Keg and a 3 ring burner and it does the job, If I had the cash I would have gone a bigger pot for the flexibility to do double batches.
Ive been to a few BIAB Demos at Grain and Grape in melbourne and the boys there are all about a dirty big pot and electric handheld submersible elements.

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/product_in...roducts_id=8227

I thought gas myself until i seen the electric element, looks easy as you like and no chance of blowing yourself up. less equipment on a balcony aswell.

 

[kelbygreen]

yeah in my 20lt stock pot it was always fluffly and was loosing prob 2-3lts in a MAXI BIAB. I should also add when I got the Keggle I stopped using the bag as I made the manifold and I also started adding the whirfloc at 5mins instead of 10mins so I guess I made a few DRASTIC measures and which one contributed is unknown.

Also I found I got less trub with BIAB if I let the bag drain on its own and not squeezed it, The main reason I went to a mashtun and manifold is that I could get clearer wort into the kettle. With the BIAB I still used a manifold and tap to clear the wort a bit. I used to drain the tun threw the tap and recirculate till the wort was a little clearer. Then hang the bag up and let it drip into a bucket while it was getting to boil and during the boil. The wort that comes out when hung and dripped is so damn clear its not funny if you squeezed it then it would be so damn cloudy almost white.

I now have (well will have when setup) a 80lt pot, 70lt esky mashtun, 50lt keggle will make into HLT and still have 33lt esky and keggle for singles just ordered a italian spiral burner to