I cant give you the answer you seem to want. From the pictures in the book you have yes it would appear that people were doing BIAB some time ago.
That is the answer I want mark. You previously said above that I was wrong my brewing history was a mish mash and insinuated that I couldn’t have been doing BIAB prior to it being invented here on AHB.
I think that its fair and reasonable to say that Pat re/invented the concept of BIAB (and the name) independently.
By that I mean worked it out for himself (well a few of us here had our ore in the water but it was mainly Pat). Without reference to bruheat or any books that talked about the idea.
Not sure why you have brought Pat or into this again? Why exactly would you think it is fair and reasonable to say Pat or any other AHB member re invented the concept of BIAB when HB authors such as Berry, Dave Line and Graham Wheeler all had books available at the same time that had taught (and continue to teach) the BIAB method along with other methods since way before AHB existed?
If you take a look back at old threads and posts in the early days of AHB the members were relatively inexperienced homebrewers feeling their way and appear to be learning from mostly from American HB sites and John Palmers “How To Brew” which was the brewing Bible on here at the time and did not cover single vessel brewing.
Pat did not work it out for himself it was actually another member that posted the idea then Pat and other AHB members worked out the simple concept of BIAB just as other brewers had prior to Brewheat and HB the books that appeared in the early sixties. I don’t have a copy anymore but believe it was Ken Shales that mentioned in his 60s book that it was amazing how many expert homebrewers suddenly appeared in the UK as soon as the legal requirement to have an excise licence to brew at home was scrapped in 1963.
Now going back to the references, I have been through most of my library and cant find a single reference to BIAB that predates the modern iteration of BIAB. Most of my older books are early copies of technical books (more for novelty than use). The oldest non technical one I have is "The Book Of Beer by Andrew Campbell" 1956. It is more descriptive of the process than anything else and mainly discusses brewing very much in a narrative, descriptive rather than technical way and has no pictures. Only discusses commercial brewing equipment of the time and older methods, which I gather from the book were still fairly common in the UK, no mention of BIAB.
So you continue to argue your point based on the fact you do not own HB books that mention BIAB and refuse to accept that they do exist even though myself and other members have shown they do and posted extracts and pictures of them?
The oldest Home Brewing books I have are by Graham Wheeler and date from 1990 onwards. Although they do mention bruheat, not used (for BIAB) in the way you have in CJJ Berrys' book
Which edition of Wheelers book do you have Mark? I have Graham Wheelers book “Home Brewing” second edition 1993-1997 and that certainly mentions the BIAB method. It starts off explaining the difference between kit, extract, partial and grain brewing. On page five it briefly mentions under the heading “Fully Mashed Beers” That a mash tun or
at least a grain bag will be required.
Later in the book under “Mashing Equipment” (page 181 and continuing on p182) it lists 5 methods. The second last one describes BIAB exactly and in detail. However Wheeler calls the method “Mashing using a grain bag and boiler” not BIAB. He was apparently not a fan of the method describing it as messy and difficult but does finish the paragraph with this sentence and exact words:
“Nevertheless, many home brewers use the grain-bag method and almost every “Masher” learned his craft using one.
Perhaps you could check again and confirm if this is missing from your book Mark?
Frankly I pretty over it all. You have been trying to prove its a pommy process since at least 2013, I think its widely accepted that there were versions that predated the work Pat did. I for one am more than happy to see him get any credit he is due, at a minimum he reinvented, reintroduced, revitalised a method of of brewing that has helped hundreds or maybe thousands of brewers to get into all grain brewing in an affordable, approachable. manner.
Big ups Pat (your missed)
SE kindly give it up or put a sock in it.
I have never thought or tried to prove it’s a pommy process. I have always suggested and maintain it is a simple process that was developed independently all over the world by independent brewers looking for a simple and affordable method to brew at home. Also a minimal amount of easy to hide equipment when it was illegal to brew at home without an excise license.
I actually saw a BIAB set up in Ireland first. It belonged to a neighbor and family friend that made beer mead and potcheen. Malt was not easy to get hold of but malting barley was grown by local farmers under contract to Guinness so he and his wife malted their own.
Also should be mentioned that bags were not only used by brewers, they were commonly used in jam making to lift and separate the boiled fruit from pots after being boiled. I recall my grandmother and her friends using JMIAB setups making jam or crab apple jelly.
I am not personally offended Mark but will point out it is a bit rude to tell other members the information they provide is a mish mash and to put a sock in it just because you don’t know or would prefer not to know the facts.
Please try to remember it is OK to have your own opinion but not your own facts.
Cheers Sean
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