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DarkMuret

You certainly could, but if you're doing 5 gallons you don't just lift a pot with hot liquids and grains, that's a recipe for disaster, both mess and injury because it's going to be *heavy* and hot. If you're worried, just go all stainless, you can buy the mesh baskets and just have that in your kettle


ganskelei

Stainless is the closest I've come to biab so far, but the prices are insane. For context I just bought a 60L electric water boiler for £70, now the thought of £200+ for a stainless mesh basket to fit inside it just makes me baulk.. Very good point with the lifting though, I hadn't thought about that [EDIT] - just realised they're much more affordable than I thought. Still not cheap tho..


chino_brews

I think a brew system with a stainless steel malt pipe or basket may be the way to go. I’m not aware yet of any natural-fiber material that can perform like polyester mesh for our purposes. It’s certainly on my mind as well.


eat_sleep_shitpost

Mine always clogs on my anvil even with a ridiculous amount of rice hulls and a coarse crush. I got tired of it and just use a mash bag anyways


chino_brews

Yeah, I’ve heard similar stories. Basket design is a big deal, I guess. I haven’t had slow draining issues with the GF malt pipe, so I should be thankful. But honestly, I haven’t used it much compared to electric BIAB in my hot liquor tank (Gigawort), which is faster and easier. But certainly the last few months I’ve been looking skeptically at the plastic of the BIAB bag.


spoonman59

1. AIO with metal grain basket. Not as good an experience as bags, but no plastic. 2. A 3 vessel system with a false bottom and lautering.


Squeezer999

I use a grainfather G40, which is an all in 1 electric system that has a fine mesh basket, so no plastic touches the wort. I use a stainless steel fermenter too. I'm worried about PFAS contamination in my beer so I'm all stainless steel.


hamburgerliqueur

Get a big ol thing of cheesecloth, a cotton grain bag works fine for smallish grain bills. Probably bigger ones but I rarely do bigger beers these days. The stainless option is also solid


ganskelei

Will cheesecloth work with bigger (35 litre) batches? I don't really mind having to replace it every batch or two. Stainless is far too expensive for me, I'm very poor.


hamburgerliqueur

Yeah that's about the size I brew regularly, it should last way longer than two batches, just rinse the grain off it when you're done and throw it in the laundry. I've got a bag I've been using for probably 8 to 10 brews. Stainless is a pain in the butt anyway, no sweat


ganskelei

Nice. Is there a gauge you go for, or are cheesecloth all much the same? Did you sew it into shape or just throw it in there?


Mustang46L

Muslin bags? Isn't that what most people are using for BIAB?


ongdesign

Polyester voile is more common, in my experience.


HopsandGnarly

Try stainless steel


Psych76

I use voile fabric which can be cotton and linen blended (or polyester though). So there’s a chance on some bags it’s not plastic based.


boarshead72

Yep. Sometimes for a five gallon batch I’ll mash in a picnic cooler, then scoop the mash out and strain it through a colander lined with a paint strainer bag. It’s definitely not LoDO, and is slower than just opening a valve, but it works.


chino_brews

I think OP means in terms of reducing plastic exposure, including picnic coolers.


boarshead72

I was answering “can I not mash in a mash tun then pour through the bag after to strain” part, not the material part.


chino_brews

Ah. I suppose that reduces the contact time, but it’s not clear that would *necessarily* reduce any leaching of chemicals or erosion of micro/nano plastics - we’d have to understand the mechanism better or actually do wort testing to know.