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Bag Anchoring

Post #1 made 12 years ago
by mally
Hi

Quick question for anybody that can help;
Does anybody use anything to keep their bag tight to the inner walls of their vessel?

I have seen drawstrings & "bungee" cords to secure the top of the bag, but i am more interested in anchoring the bag to the inner walls further down. Almost like a big clothes peg or tuning fork.

it isn't a huge problem really, so i am not going to be disappointed if their isn't a KISS solution :interesting:

The reason: When i am stirring the grain during dough in & mash, the bag can often swirl up and twist around, and i have a feeling this is somehow reducing the effect of proper mixing. Maybe it isn't, but it would be easier if the bag was anchored somehow to stop it.

Anyway, if anybody has thought about this, has a solution, or an idea, it would be great to hear it.
I have added a picture of what i am thinking in case it helps

Regards
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G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
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Post #3 made 12 years ago
by joshua
Mally, Just a thought, If You Have A SWMBO, a she has "Hair Pins' you might try to find some 18ga/2mm stiff Stainless steel rod/wire, and form a Hair Pin shape to fit the bag and Kettle.
Honest Officer, I swear to Drunk, I am Not God.
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Post #4 made 12 years ago
by mally
Thanks Joshua, thats definately an idea to consider, a bit like a large paper clip too!
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
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Post #5 made 12 years ago
by PistolPatch
mally wrote:When i am stirring the grain during dough in & mash, the bag can often swirl up and twist around,
Hey there mally,

If you us a 'potato masher' for your mash paddle, then all should be fine assuming your bag is big enough to line the kettle properly.

I think traditional home brewing mash paddles are something that home brewers have copied from old time breweries where they were dealing with massive pots. A traditional mash paddle (like a small cricket bat with holes in it) which is used in a circular motion is pretty useless is any type of home brew set-up I reckon when compared to...

The potato masher, usually in the form of a hand paint stirrer, works on an up and down motion. It works very efficiently, requires bugger all effort (just a jiggle up and down) and agitates the mash extremely well.

Can someone post a pic of their 'potato masher'? It always takes me about an hour to find my pics :roll:.

I am hoping this would solve mally's problem. Fingers crossed :peace:.
Last edited by PistolPatch on 18 Oct 2012, 21:42, edited 2 times in total.
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Post #6 made 12 years ago
by mally
Hi PP

Thanks for that, I think it is definately a simple solution. :)
I have seen some pics of the mashers some of you guys use, which would be perfect, its just that i cant seem to source one in the UK, or find one that isnt a ridculous price.
The only items I can seem to find are like drill attachment paint stirrers (see pic).

I guess this could be useful in itself, but i could just imagine the bag getting caught in it and me ending up with shreds of voile and couple of sprained wrists! :o

BTW - the bag if anything is probably too big for the pot (which may be the problem) :scratch:

Cheers
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G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain

Post #7 made 12 years ago
by PistolPatch
The bag being too big should be no problem if you can do the up and down motion thing - by hand - no drill!

The pics you have posted are close to what I'm trying to explain and maybe they would work okay if used by hand up and down? Hold on, just found a pic of what I mean...
Mash Paddle.jpg
The other thing to consider is how you add the grain...

I have seriously only had dough balls on two brews out of hundreds. What happened on those two brews, I'll never know but all I do is slowly sprinkle or 'rain in' the grain from say 30 cms above the top of the water. I don't do it slowly either - probably would take less than 30 seconds.

If you can't source a paddle like I pictured, maybe you can get a flash one made up from a stainless steel worker for a carton of beer?

;)
PP
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Last edited by PistolPatch on 18 Oct 2012, 22:17, edited 2 times in total.
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Post #9 made 12 years ago
by mally
Thanks for the link Joshua, but none of those shown look long enough to me. Or maybe it is just the picture :scratch:
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
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Post #10 made 12 years ago
by lambert
mally,
Tis is the longest masher I could find in the UK Clickety linky. Unfortunately they were out of stock when I wanted to order. I got a long ss spoon from them and the quality is very good...

L
Last edited by lambert on 19 Oct 2012, 05:47, edited 2 times in total.
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Post #11 made 12 years ago
by mally
Thanks Lambert, that looks perfect. Shame the delivery is so expensive, i suppose "beggars can't be choosers" though!
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain

Post #13 made 12 years ago
by 2trout
Mally,

I have thought of this "problem" before.

My idea would be to use a false pot bottom, or a heavy metal ring inside the bag to keep the bottom of the bag from collapsing in on its self. This would stop the whole stirring problem and maybe allow for better mash efficiency by allowing better water movement? Tie a string to the ring or false bottom and pull it out before draining your bag.

trout
"All I know is that the beer is good and people clamor for it. OK, it's free and that has something to do with it."
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