Who invented BIAB?

[dagryll]

I've read elsewhere that BIAB was invented in Australia. Does anyone know its origins? How long ago did you first hear about it? I'm thinking it probably developed out of the Bew-In-A-Dustbin method, but wondering if any old-timers out there have any info on this.

 

[Yob]

First reference (and earliest) is in Dave Line's Big Book of Brewing (that I've seen)

 

[dagryll]

Might have to get hold of a copy. These old books are great, as long as one doesn't use them as a bible. The Keith Linden book, Brewing Beer At Home (1970) is a curiosity.... 6-8 hour mash times....

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The modern BIAB can be credited to Pistol Pat. He used to be om here...but havent heard from him for a long time. I think he is in Perth

 

[mmmyummybeer]

I've read elsewhere that BIAB was invented in Australia. Does anyone know its origins? How long ago did you first hear about it? I'm thinking it probably developed out of the Bew-In-A-Dustbin method, but wondering if any old-timers out there have any info on this.

I thought the same, but was quickly informed by a few Aussie home brewers that it was in fact a UK inventions. Doesn't seem to be much definitive info though and only loose references to its beginnings, Which is a pity as it would be good to know and I was hoping it really was an Australian invention.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/11694-a-guide-to-all-grain-brewing-in-a-bag/page-1

 

[Lecterfan]

Actually the earliest reference was found in some of the medieval writings of the famous scholar St. Grogginus, often known as the arse-faced monk (for reasons best not discussed here). It is believed that St. Grogginus was one of the first of the scholastics to shift away from the Aristotelian-infleunced/neo-Platonic Christian metaphysic in favour of brewing heavily hopped West Coast IPAs. Although the translations are contentious, the academically accepted translation of Reflections of a God Fearing Man upon the brewing of a Shit-Hot IPA by the Grace of the Almighty (circa 1472) by Booby & Bumspittle is rendered thus:

"...and lo upon reflection, it seemeth to me - as lazy a man as God hath ever created - that I could be rid of this horrid pale blue 70 litre icebox which doth plague me with it's presence and causeth much grief to me without an adjustable twin roller mill and simply use my night-dress as a primitive filter to containeth my grains..." (pg. 156)

and later in the same volume:

"...woe to he without the pleasing sound of the gulls to soothe his mash bed, and rejoice verily for he that doth dunk his cereals wrapt (sic) herein the garments that once girded his loins...for even though thine losses to trub be mighty, thine step mashing with an adequate paddle blessed by the Father be a job done in an angels fart (translators note - this last saying was a common one at the time and through a mistake in translation by the original Professor Dontwantnuthinbutagoodtimehowcaniresist was eventually rendered as 'in the blink of an eye')..." (pg. 212).

It is worth bearing in mind that although 3v was well entrenched at the time, the invention of HERMS by the Spanish sailor and inventor Jose Wheresamyshipgone was still months away (and of course that famous tale involving the clydesdale, three sheep bladders and a local three legged goat named Pepe need not be recounted here haha!).

Back on topic.

St. Grogginus famously created recipes with measurements that called for "enough hops so that the aroma shall be experienced even by those in the holy land" (Man is Nought but Hops in the Whirlpool of God circa 1478) and was once quoted as saying "surely if Christ himself did strike me in the throat with his notably skilled Shaolin-trained Iron Palm, this be the level of bitterness that a good brew should contain" (Liars and Paederasts: Famous Medieval Scholastic Drunkards, Glammetalwasfun & Whathappennedtoblackielawless, 1984, pg xi).


But of course the above replies are more credible in terms of recent innovations. The original biab threads are a hoot to read. And if you think this post was long, wait until you read PP's!

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

He was a legand....he put up with a lot of crap but stuck to his guns. If you think his posts where long you should have been to some of the swap meets. Once he started a speech he would not stop....

I miss his long half pissed posts.

 

[S.E]

I brewed my first all grain in the UK around 1988-89 after purchasing a grain bag, bruheat boiler (commonly known as the bucket of death on this forum)and a copy of Dave Lines Brewing Beers Like those you Buy from the LHBS. The same HBS was still selling grain bags and the Bucket of Death when I last visited about three years ago.

Just had a look at my Dave Line book and it was first published in 1978 (after his Big Book of Brewing I think). Stage 2 of every recipe in the book “Contain the mashed grain in a large grain bag to retrieve the sweet wort”.

I don’t know if BIAB was invented in Australia or not though.

 

[Bizier]

Druids

 

[AndrewQLD]

It definitely wasn't invented here, but the method certainly was refined and improved here.

 

[S.E]

It definitely wasn't invented here, but the method certainly was refined and improved here.

Interesting, in what way was it refined and improved?

 

[AndrewQLD]

Interesting, in what way was it refined and improved?

A fair bit of testing went into looking at efficiencies with the method including the effects of full volume mashing on final wort as opposed to sparging, mash ph at full volume, crush size and efficiency ect.
From memory Dave Line used the bag more as a straining device and sparged as well.
The BIAB method that Pistol Patch and many others worked on was for a full volume mash with no sparging required and the main idea was to be able to use only one vessel for the whole process rather than having multiple vessels to do the job.

 

[Screwtop]

The modern BIAB can be credited to Pistol Pat. He used to be om here...but havent heard from him for a long time. I think he is in Perth

Boy do I remember his passion for Brew In A Bag, and his loooooooong phone calls. Pat was convinced that Brew In A Bag was the way to go. I think Ross organised a lady to sew up the first bag for Pat to use in his small one bedroom apartment at The Gold Coast. Talking to him one night on the phone I said "this BI ABB thing is a great way for newbies to get into all grain brewing". Pretty much after that is was referred to as BIAB and Pat was the leading proponent of the method. He has been interviewed for US brewing podcasts and provided input to Brad Smith for the upgrade of Beersmith so that BIAb could be included as a brewing method. Pat certainly was responsible for the BIAB movement, he was "da Man".

Pats move to Perth was accompanied by posts along the way as he dropped in on AHB'ers :lol:

I thought the same, but was quickly informed by a few Aussie home brewers that it was in fact a UK inventions. Doesn't seem to be much definitive info though and only loose references to its beginnings, Which is a pity as it would be good to know and I was hoping it really was an Australian invention.

He was a legand....he put up with a lot of crap but stuck to his guns. If you think his posts where long you should have been to some of the swap meets. Once he started a speech he would not stop....

I miss his long half pissed posts.

haha There were some classics eh Stu.

I brewed my first all grain in the UK around 1988-89 after purchasing a grain bag, bruheat boiler (commonly known as the bucket of death on this forum)and a copy of Dave Lines Brewing Beers Like those you Buy from the LHBS. The same HBS was still selling grain bags and the Bucket of Death when I last visited about three years ago.

Just had a look at my Dave Line book and it was first published in 1978 (after his Big Book of Brewing I think). Stage 2 of every recipe in the book “Contain the mashed grain in a large grain bag to retrieve the sweet wort”.

I don’t know if BIAB was invented in Australia or not though.

Yes, I've spoken to many UK brewers who used the method back in the 1980's.

It definitely wasn't invented here, but the method certainly was refined and improved here.

Definitely!!!!!

 

[slcmorro]

William Wallace, wasn't it?

 

[Hippy]

Pistol is still going strong on the biabbrewer sitehttp://www.biabrewer.info/index.php

 

[Diesel80]

I brew with a little AHB BIAB history.

I have the two bags Bribie G used to have before he went all bucket in bucket on us. Including his first bag from Nev at gryphon brewing back when he used to sell them (so the story goes), and the other I think was from CB.

If you are lurking Bribie, thanks for the bags mate, they are keeping my bathed in All Grain goodness!


back on topic. Sorry!

Cheers,
D80

 

[pk.sax]

I thought NickJD invented both the bucket, the pot and the bag!

 

[manticle]

A fair bit of testing went into looking at efficiencies with the method including the effects of full volume mashing on final wort as opposed to sparging, mash ph at full volume, crush size and efficiency ect.From memory Dave Line used the bag more as a straining device and sparged as well.The BIAB method that Pistol Patch and many others worked on was for a full volume mash with no sparging required and the main idea was to be able to use only one vessel for the whole process rather than having multiple vessels to do the job.

Somewhere on here is a great thread where someone floats the idea of single vessel, full volume and pat and others do lots of tests and trials. Can't remember the name but it would be good to link it.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I thought NickJD invented both the bucket, the pot and the bag!

Meh....