Starter..started for tomorrow’s bitter.
What are you doing with homebrew today?
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Now you're talking my language! There's a ton of bags on Amazon if you don't have a LHBS where they will be able to suggest a good solution....then there's the other bagger on the forum here...
I have an 8 that I bought a cheap bag for to play with small batch ex-beer-a-ments but yet to try out.
I use 5 gallon paint strainer bags from the hardware store. 2 for $5
Now that's an interesting solution. Might let a little more of the grain solids through without the chaff that would have the tanins. I don't mind some sediment during fermenting, but I just don't like the chaff and insoluble dust in the picture. There's nothing I can find that's useful or beneficial in the chaff, other than MAYBE a little color on some darker malts. But there's plenty detrimental tannins to be had if there's a boo-boo in the mashing temperature control or too much chaff makes it to the boil. Obviously, separating the chaff from the milled grains is a little more work than I have inclination to do. Remember, I'm lazy.
Is there pretty good absorption/utilization with the bags? I'm presuming one has to have the bag plenty large so that the grains are still loose after closing it for maximum utilization. Otherwise, the grain (not the chaff) will just turn into a lumpy paste in the bag if it can't be stirred and fully exposed to the mashing water. I know some use rice husks (more chaff) during mash to keep the mash loose with less water. I prefer a lower density mash, even if it does require some reduction during boil. I would think there's going to be at least a slight detriment to utilization in a bag, but I'm also presuming a recirculation system with a bag will offset the less mobile trapped grains. I have a really nice stainless steel ball valve on the bottom of my kettle that would make a recirc pretty easy to do. Anything new I get for cooking will be stainless. Pricy, but don't have to worry about rust/contamination.
It's certainly a very inexpensive option to a mash tun. More reading to do, but I'm thinking this might be the smarter move than another piece of equipment that has so many places that have to be disassembled and cleaned. Thanks for all the suggestions.
Good solution for the lifting, if you have something to hook the B&T to. I typically brew on my deck which is adjacent to the kitchen for shorter trips with all the water and necessities, but I used my last skyhook many years ago. (Nothing overhead to lift from) Can't find 'em at Harbor Freight, either. A lightweight tripod should work, though. Could probably cobble up something with 2x2 firring strips, pressure treated, and a wonderful clevis hanging down, or maybe use some old steel canopy poles to fab something a little more durable and flame retardant (if I get stupid and decide not to move it before lighting the burner). Portable, so I can move it out of the way when mashing or boiling so the heat doesn't burn it, but still good for at least 100 pounds of dead weight. Maybe some 1/2" box beam would be smarter. Heavier, but I don't want it caving in while I have a bag lifted, either. I have plenty chain I can use to hobble the legs so it can't suddenly kick out and drop things too. Add a cleat for tying off the cord, bingo, that's a goody! Pulling the bag out slowly would eliminate any need for drip/splash control. The wort is gonna drain off the very bottom because gravity works. But what about sparge? Is there any point in sparging with the bag? Gonna leave some pretty good sugars behind without a sparge, I would think. That might be a little tricker. Now I'm thinking a ring to fasten the bag to, open top, lift the bag after mash, then pour sparge water over the grains while lifted. That would also put a handle on the bag for lowering the grains into the mash water. Not that it's heavy at that point, but I like secure handles because my grip simply isn't what it used to be. Pinched nerves at C5/C6 are very humbling in old age.
I've got an old fence stretcher, but that would be akin to using a '66 Oldsmobile Electra 225 for a flyswatter, and the old 1/2" hemp rope (probably 20 years old) tends to lose a bit of fiber when using it, which would naturally fall right into the wort. I'm not sure the added flavors would be on target. A two pass (4x) B&T with some good nylon paracord, no dust/dirt/fiber to fall in the wort, and I'd only need about 6 pounds of force to lift the bag. But, I'd also need 4 feet of cord for every foot of lift I want. Not a big problem, but management/storage is something to consider. Gonna need a storage box that I can easily keep with the burner. OR .... Now I'm thinking a small gantry made with EMT conduit (for weight mitigation) that I can swing away from the pot and lower the bag easily into a bucket so I never have to touch the hot bugger. I just have to figure out how to keep the burner from tipping over, which might require some mods that would make an already heavy burner a little too awkward to handle.
Brainstorm in progress ..... Hey yall, hol' muh beer and watchiss!.
I LOVE this forum. There's no substitute for "Been there done that" experience."
Last night about midnight I was sipping on my Mild. It turned out to be one of my best brews so I changed up what I’m brewing and another mild is now mashing.
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I bottled simple cider, simply in 1 litre soda water bottles 
Soaked my syphon first in water with chlorine/vinegar and rinsed with star san.
Just to be save.
Threw (decanted would be too fine a word for what I did) the trub in my el cheapo bucket and added more apple juice.
Maybe you would have noticed that I quite like my simple cider
Cleaned auto syphon and put back in vinegar/chlorine, ready for bottling my saison.
Cleaned my Speidel fermenter (that's the one that had my cider) with water and will clean it with chlorine/vinegar as well, so it is ready for any brew with a non-diastaticus
Soaked my syphon first in water with chlorine/vinegar and rinsed with star san.
Just to be save.
Threw (decanted would be too fine a word for what I did) the trub in my el cheapo bucket and added more apple juice.
Maybe you would have noticed that I quite like my simple cider
Cleaned auto syphon and put back in vinegar/chlorine, ready for bottling my saison.
Cleaned my Speidel fermenter (that's the one that had my cider) with water and will clean it with chlorine/vinegar as well, so it is ready for any brew with a non-diastaticus
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Original post, that looked like it doubled, didn't show....
It's now above
Maybe
Hopefully
Who knows....
Mourning the death of my extra fridge. I fermented in there, I served from the kegs in there... and now it's only making cool air.
sigh. I'll miss it.
The local power company offers $35 for an old working fridge. I wonder if I can get rid of it by passing it off as working...
RIP
sigh. I'll miss it.
The local power company offers $35 for an old working fridge. I wonder if I can get rid of it by passing it off as working...
RIP
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Hey, the light comes on...it works....it just works....poorly!
It's a wide sucker!Mourning the death of my extra fridge. I fermented in there, I served from the kegs in there... and now it's only making cool air.
sigh. I'll miss it.
The local power company offers $35 for an old working fridge. I wonder if I can get rid of it by passing it off as working...
RIP
View attachment 21420
aAh well always keep one optimistic eye on the future no matter how grim it might seem.
Who knows what you might pick up next...
Oh that can looks lonely in there might need some company
help with the Mourning
Took a gravity reading onmy mild.
Oh boy this is Great! Chocolate heaps of chocolate man and some smooth roast flavours very good beer very happy Jan!
Colour looks copper ish 1.014 FG - OG was 1.034
Edit
(Ok so I checked numbers that's 58% attenuation and 2.6% ABV maybe some sugars left but I'm not sure I've had this sitting at 21c for 4 days I mashed right up at 69c for dextrines and for high FG last batch actually finished at 1.016. Also how clear sample is tells me yeast has flocked... just a heads up to other curious brewers in similar circumstances anyhow
This tastes perfect and it's crashing now 2.6% man that's a record lol)
Nice and flocked out already will crash this now and get it on come c02 so I can start guzzling num nums!
Oh boy this is Great! Chocolate heaps of chocolate man and some smooth roast flavours very good beer very happy Jan!
Colour looks copper ish 1.014 FG - OG was 1.034
Edit
(Ok so I checked numbers that's 58% attenuation and 2.6% ABV maybe some sugars left but I'm not sure I've had this sitting at 21c for 4 days I mashed right up at 69c for dextrines and for high FG last batch actually finished at 1.016. Also how clear sample is tells me yeast has flocked... just a heads up to other curious brewers in similar circumstances anyhow
This tastes perfect and it's crashing now 2.6% man that's a record lol)
Nice and flocked out already will crash this now and get it on come c02 so I can start guzzling num nums!
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Now cleaning keg.
Whilst heating cleaning water on the glycol controller to a set temp to 50c whilst I chill the mild to 7c.
Ah the rewards of all them hours ramshackling this hombrewery
Whilst heating cleaning water on the glycol controller to a set temp to 50c whilst I chill the mild to 7c.
Ah the rewards of all them hours ramshackling this hombrewery
I love the brewing slide! Helps those hops stay where they are put...Now cleaning keg.
Whilst heating cleaning water on the glycol controller to a set temp to 50c whilst I chill the mild to 7c.
Ah the rewards of all them hours ramshackling this hombrewery
View attachment 21427
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@RoadRoach , you are going to want the hook even if you steal the swing set from the kid down the street. The bag is hot and heavy and needs to drain for a while, easiest done by lifting above the pot.
And you are over thinking the bag, it's a bag , just a bag , fills up the inside of the pot and becomes the same shape.
Oh yeah, I havent been able to get the Sky Hooks around here either.
And you are over thinking the bag, it's a bag , just a bag , fills up the inside of the pot and becomes the same shape.
Oh yeah, I havent been able to get the Sky Hooks around here either.
That’s what I’m looking at for the one I made yesterday. It was 1.033, I’m already at 1.011. Super hungry yeast. Starter was warm and active. I also fermented at 69/70 until about 6 am when it was 75 and going nuts, at that point it was attenuated over 50% so no worries. Machine house uses Pub in their mild and they start it in mid 60s and let free rise to 80.
Kegged my Summer Ale, attenuation seems high(90%), it IS a lower gravity beer and it seems that 497 really chews throug the lower gravity wort, not the first time it's blown past expected fg.
Brewed my Shore Leave Cali Common, off a couple effeciency points, volume was a touch high, need to readjust my equiptment profile for the lower wattage boil.
Brewed my Shore Leave Cali Common, off a couple effeciency points, volume was a touch high, need to readjust my equiptment profile for the lower wattage boil.
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What yeast did you use? Sounds like Windsor to me.
