Moving To Biab

[Baulko Brewer]

Hi Fletcher,

It is an immersion heater. It could be what you are looking for, use it with your stovetop, if you like.

I think Craft brewer sells them or you can evilbay.

 

[JDW81]

looks good Flano...what's the element-thing in your pot called? where can i source one if i go that route? might make my small balcony in my apartment more favourable than the stove top, and i could use a larger pot.

I spent two years brewing on the balcony. I have a 3v system and space was pretty tight, if you go BIAB it will be a piece of piss. Clean up is easier than in the kitchen too. An immersion heater like the one above would be a great place to start, they've got plenty of grunt, are safe, reliable and easy to clean.

 

[slash22000]

First I've heard of these immersion heaters, looks like exactly the sort of thing I could use in my little apartment ... Was dreading the idea of gas burners etc.

Is there anything specifically I should be looking for in buying one? On eBay I can buy one from China for like $10 ... I'm sort of assuming those are dodgy or are they just generally inexpensive? Any recommended brands that won't burn down the place?

 

[breakbeer]

On eBay I can buy one from China for like $10 ... I'm sort of assuming those are dodgy or are they just generally inexpensive? Any recommended brands that won't burn down the place?

do you mean these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2500W-Hot-Water...=item4166bbfbbf

I just saw these on the weekend & wondered the same thing. Anyone have one of these or a good reason not to use one?

 

[JDW81]

do you mean these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2500W-Hot-Water...=item4166bbfbbf

I just saw these on the weekend & wondered the same thing. Anyone have one of these or a good reason not to use one?

I'd be spending a bit more on an immersion element. You'll need one which is a bit longer so it can reach all the way to the bottom of the liquid. Check out some of the sponsor sites, they'll have ones which are appropriate for the job. It is worth spending a bit extra so its lasts. As my old man says "buy well, buy once'.

The biggest reason not to get a cheap one is safety. Brewing involves lots of water and water and electricity don't mix. Cheap elements are more likely to burn out when run at full whack, running the risk of exposing wires and giving you an almighty shock.

 

[Diesel80]

I use an Immersion heater for biab.
The over the side version from Tobins electrical has been used in 10x biab now and is going strong. No signs of wear.

Cost me about $90+delivery ~100 all up. Has a hook on the side to hang over the side of pot. this is screwed into place and can be adjusted.

I would go for a narrow 40L pot if using one of these. You will get a good boil going. My 80L pot is 50+cm wide and it struggles to bring 37L up to boil due to large wort surface area. I solved that problem by adding a gas burner aswell.

With a nice narrow pot it will p!ss it in no worries.

Cheers,
D80

 

[fletcher]

thanks diesel, i just emailed tobin's to get an idea of their stock and such. cheers! do you have the specs for the one that you used for your 40L?

 

[fletcher]

Hi Fletcher,

It is an immersion heater. It could be what you are looking for, use it with your stovetop, if you like.

I think Craft brewer sells them or you can evilbay.

thanks mate. yeah if i cant use anything else, i'll double it up. great suggestion, thanks!

 

[felten]

http://www.tobins.com.au/HTML/ItemHTML/PIH2400.htm

that the one?

 

[fletcher]

http://www.tobins.com.au/HTML/ItemHTML/PIH2400.htm

that the one?

that's doable. i might hit that up. thanks man

 

[Diesel80]

http://www.tobins.com.au/HTML/ItemHTML/PIH2400.htm

that the one?

Yep that is the one. But it was obtained on Ebay for ~$105 delivered, not from Tobins but obviously a customer of theirs. The unit was clearly packaged by Tobins and even had a delivery slip on it from tobins addressed to me.

So i am guessing that is not the best price they can do!

Check this ebay add:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Portable-Travel...=item4ab5c28aff

same picture as when i bought mine in 2011 from seller jbgadgets - it was a tobins unit. I paid 88+15 delivery.

May be worth asking the seller above if it is a tobins unit.

Cheers
D80

 

[fletcher]

thanks guys. tobin's giving me a pretty crazy price and said it would take 2 hours to heat up approx 30-36L of water?

what's it like for you guys? and in what volumes of wort? 2 hours seemed a bit off, don't know if i worded the question wrong to him or not but i don't think so

 

[wbosher]

Can I also make a little suggestion.
Those one grain brews seem to get a slight sour taste for me ...have no idea why.
If I add about 200 grams of dark crystal it gets rid of the sourness and also gives the beer a nice smokey sort of flavour. Adjust the recipe to the same grain weight.

When using crystal, do you steep it first and then add the bag and grains after the steep, or just chuck it all in together?

 

[glenwal]

When using crystal, do you steep it first and then add the bag and grains after the steep, or just chuck it all in together?

just add the crystal to the mash (ie. along with the rest of the grain)

 

[wbosher]

The reason I ask is I've heard that you shouldn't squeeze a bag with crystal in it, yet you can squeeze the BIABag

 

[Nick JD]

You can squeeze any bag you like! It doesn't release tannins - brewing myth # 87.

The husks have been sitting in hot water for an hour and a half holding on to all their tannins, and then a quick squeeze lets them all out? I don't fink so.

Tannin extraction from grain needs high pH and near boiling water (like making a cup a tea). The myth arises because 3V brewers wish they could drain their mash as quickly and easily and efficiently and they needed a reason to slag it off.

The thing you do get with squeezing is a lot of crap - but this will flocc out in the boil.

 

[wbosher]

Thanks for dispelling the myth for me Nick.

 

[Diesel80]

thanks guys. tobin's giving me a pretty crazy price and said it would take 2 hours to heat up approx 30-36L of water?

what's it like for you guys? and in what volumes of wort? 2 hours seemed a bit off, don't know if i worded the question wrong to him or not but i don't think so

If you get a narrow 40 /50L pot you should be right.
Keifer on here used one in a 50L keggle and even posted some heating times with the same element i linked (or very fn similar).
Qld Kev also has some info on his website that is worth a look.
Everyone using a crown / birko urn is using 2200-2400W of electrical energy to boil their brews up, and it doesn't take them 2hours to get a boil going.

To reduce time to boil if you have an aluminium pot, insulate the outside of it (good anyway if it is your mash tun as well, which in BIAB it is). Select the narrowest pot you can for the element to still sit on the bottom of the pot. The smaller the surface area of wort exposed to the open air will also enable faster boil.

Get amongst it.

Cheers,
D80

 

[wbosher]

I would go for a narrow 40L pot if using one of these. You will get a good boil going. My 80L pot is 50+cm wide and it struggles to bring 37L up to boil due to large wort surface area. I solved that problem by adding a gas burner aswell.

With a nice narrow pot it will p!ss it in no worries.

I just bought a 50L stock pot (never done this before), is 400mm x 400mm. Is that too wide to heat using a gas burner?

 

[fletcher]

If you get a narrow 40 /50L pot you should be right.
Keifer on here used one in a 50L keggle and even posted some heating times with the same element i linked (or very fn similar).
Qld Kev also has some info on his website that is worth a look.
Everyone using a crown / birko urn is using 2200-2400W of electrical energy to boil their brews up, and it doesn't take them 2hours to get a boil going.

To reduce time to boil if you have an aluminium pot, insulate the outside of it (good anyway if it is your mash tun as well, which in BIAB it is). Select the narrowest pot you can for the element to still sit on the bottom of the pot. The smaller the surface area of wort exposed to the open air will also enable faster boil.

Get amongst it.

Cheers,
D80

thanks mate, I'm going to grab one of those elements and my stove and a narrow pot and get into it