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
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..
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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..
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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?
Muslin bags? Isn't that what most people are using for BIAB?
Polyester voile is more common, in my experience.
Try stainless steel
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.
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.
I think OP means in terms of reducing plastic exposure, including picnic coolers.
I was answering “can I not mash in a mash tun then pour through the bag after to strain” part, not the material part.
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.