Of course for a BIAB Brewer this doesn't matter. Why have homebrewers cared for so long about the mash not being TOO thin? From Mr. Wizard of BYO - ". If the mash is too thin, the enzymes are less heat-stable and are more susceptible to denaturation (enzyme destruction)". I'm not a scientist but in laymans terms it sounds like it has to do with issues occurring if we don't control the temp post conversion...well..we ARE controlling the temp.
It just intrigues me when people do things one way for sooo long and feel that there is science and experience to back their techniques, not saying one is better than the other.
The paint strainer bag I bought to do BIAB in my converted keg is 5 gallons and won't fit around the top so I'm thinking of just making a MLT out of another keg and not caring about my mash thickness. Using a stainless steel braid like I do in my colmen cooler mlt but with a dip tube and a braid going all the way around at the bottom. Inspired by BIAB I may as well just put as much water as I need for my batch sparge into my mash tun at once and not care about the water to grist ratio.
I still plan on doing a BIAB next as it's a smaller beer and the grain should fit in the 5gal paint strainer bag but may not be able to keep it open during the mash.. Has anybody done this before? Run twine across the top of the keg through the handles, from the middle of that hang twine that's tied to the top of their paint strainer bag which is in the mash. Not as fancy as a pully system but it'd be easy to pull the grain out this way the negative I see is that you wouldn't be able to move the grain around once it's tied up. You'd rely on pulling the bag of grain up and lowering it like a teabag. Lol, teabag.
Thoughts on my rambling?
Post #2 made 15 years ago
Interesting Niko, yeah, there's not much support for the traditional or conventional L:G any more as it has been shown to be less important than perhaps previously thought (there's some formal info about this around here somewhere, I just can't find it?). A while ago I engaged a professional brewing course provider in a private conversation about L:G, he didn't have any real answers other than he was insistent that there's an ideal ratio for enzyme activity and mash chemistry and then there's less- than ideal, and on that basis alone he didn't think full- volume BIAB would be successful or worthwhile... ahem... cough... 
Perhaps modern malts go some way in allowing larger ratios/ dilute mashes too, but I've used some fairly low diastase malts with no hassle as well. I'll reiterate what I related recently to some friends, there's traditional brewing methods and wisdom which don't really stack up particularly well to an objective, scientific approach, nor to an enquiring mind prepared to challenge convention and try different approaches. BIAB has certainly done this.
I'm not familiar with the big 3 and 5gal paint strainer bags the only smaller ones, but I seethey're more popular over yonder. How much are they to buy and how durable do you think they would be?*
In the long run I'd get some swiss voile and make one to suit your keggle, or get one made up, shame the 5gal strainer doesn't fit, but there would have to be some way to secure it. Got a pic/ link?
* As an off- the- shelf BIAB bag though it is very attractive for Mini- and MaxiBIAB, the actual bag is one of the most challenging components to source for a novice, everything else is easy to obtain. The bigger ones don't seem to be common here though, but my step son is in the trade, I'll get him to look into it. If they are bigger than 32cm or 12 1/2 inches (to suit the 19L stockpot), they sound very promising, so many thanks for the tip!
Perhaps modern malts go some way in allowing larger ratios/ dilute mashes too, but I've used some fairly low diastase malts with no hassle as well. I'll reiterate what I related recently to some friends, there's traditional brewing methods and wisdom which don't really stack up particularly well to an objective, scientific approach, nor to an enquiring mind prepared to challenge convention and try different approaches. BIAB has certainly done this.
I'm not familiar with the big 3 and 5gal paint strainer bags the only smaller ones, but I seethey're more popular over yonder. How much are they to buy and how durable do you think they would be?*
In the long run I'd get some swiss voile and make one to suit your keggle, or get one made up, shame the 5gal strainer doesn't fit, but there would have to be some way to secure it. Got a pic/ link?
* As an off- the- shelf BIAB bag though it is very attractive for Mini- and MaxiBIAB, the actual bag is one of the most challenging components to source for a novice, everything else is easy to obtain. The bigger ones don't seem to be common here though, but my step son is in the trade, I'll get him to look into it. If they are bigger than 32cm or 12 1/2 inches (to suit the 19L stockpot), they sound very promising, so many thanks for the tip!
Last edited by Ralph on 29 Sep 2010, 05:10, edited 5 times in total.
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Post #3 made 15 years ago
I'll post more when I don't have a baby asleep across my chest 2pack of 5 gal paint strainer at Lowes for about $3 USD. I also got a pack of 2 1gal ones as some friends use these for their hop additions. Msybe I'll make the mlt from a keg and ss braid, run twine across the top thru the handles and tie the 5gal bag of grain with a length of twine to the center so it hangs in the water during the mash then I can pull it out and boil and if the bag breaks I can just drain the mlt and boil in my other keg.
2pack of 5 gal paint strainer at Lowes for about $3 USD. I also got a pack of 2 1gal ones as some friends use these for their hop additions. Msybe I'll make the mlt from a keg and ss braid, run twine across the top thru the handles and tie the 5gal bag of grain with a length of twine to the center so it hangs in the water during the mash then I can pull it out and boil and if the bag breaks I can just drain the mlt and boil in my other keg.