Considering moving to BIAB from 3 vessel brewing

[The Goatreich]

Hey all,
I've done 14 brews on my 3 vessel plastic AG setup, but I haven't done one in a long while now, possibly nearly a year. This is mainly due to the time it takes. I'm considering getting a BIAB setup so that I can relatively quickly knock up a 2 gallon brew on a weekend, meaning I get lots of practice with different recipes, and if I find one I really like I can always break out the 5 gallon kit.

Anyone else do this? Anything to watch out for?

 

[StevieDS]

That's interesting, I have recently just moved the other way, from BIAB to 3 vessel.
I actually enjoy the 3 vessel method even more and I don't honestly think there is a huge difference in the time it takes. BIAB is obviously a bit quicker but not a lot imo.
I still have all the BIAB equipment but I can't see myself ever going back to it (with the possible exception of using it for hefe brewing).

 

[The Goatreich]

I wonder if just doing 2 gallon batches on the 3 vessel would work. I realise the time would be nearly the same, but the bottling time certainly wouldn't be as bad.

 

[LeithR]

I went from kits to BIAB and still do the odd kit. I have studied both BIAB and 3 vessel, BIAB seems to be less expensive in that you need less equipment especially shiney. The mash and sparge seems to me to be easier for BIAB, There is one difficulty if you want to make a "Big" beer like Robinsons Old Tom using BIAB in that lifting the bag out of the boiler is a bugger, very heavy. I have now rigged up a pulley above my boiler to cope with this.

Presumably you can recover the cost of your additional vessels if you want to so nothing lost.

Makes life easy and makes good beer.

 

[StevieDS]

I wonder if just doing 2 gallon batches on the 3 vessel would work.

Ah good point. Well I'm planning to do a small 6 litre batch of barleywine in the 3v system next week so I hope it works :hmm:

 

[Awolphotography]

A couple of us have, we had 50-70 litre shiny set ups but due to time and family constraints didn't brew a often as we would have liked. Joe now uses a 70l BIAB setup and I have a twin 33l setup (he drinks more than me!) neither of us have noticed any reduction in quality and minimal if any drop in efficiency.

We are both firm advocates of the method, and do not see it as any lesser method than 3 vessel

 

[The Goatreich]

Nice, thanks. :)

 

[aamcle]

The Counter Top Brutus 20 may interest you. I'm using one they work and the hot grain left at the end of the mash is easier to handle than it is in a BIAB bag.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/counter ... -a-131411/

In effect the cool box replaces the bag but its much easier to manage, you also get clearer wort.


Atb. Aamcle

 

[The Goatreich]

Looks interesting, although I admit I baulked before I realised that this picture just had a funny perspective:

 

[Awolphotography]

Quick piccy of my twin 33l BIAB system, there is nothing to say BIAB can't be a little bit shiny!

 

[StevieDS]

That's a lovely set-up you have there :thumb: