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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Gear/Equipment --> The Brew Bag

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davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


Hey everyone!  So I read the review here and over at Brulosophy about mashing with a brew bag.  I had one at home that I tried, but it still seems to let little bits through which I don't want.  I also paid 4 dollars for it...

So here I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a bag from The Brew Bag for my Coleman Xtreme that's on the way, but just wanted to check with those of you who have it, does this really truly do a better job than the typical ones you see at the stores?  My biggest thing is not letting pieces of grain make it through to the boil, which then seems to end up in the primary (and someone pointed out may have lead to infection...not sure how, but that's another topic...)




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


Goodness yes, the Brew Bag is far superior to the bags sold by the LHBS.  The gap in the Brew Bag is super small - your grain isn't getting through, I doubt flour can get through.

In fact, I'm taking my braid out completely, and just using my Brew Bag as the filter from now on.  It's THAT good.





Posted 34 days ago.

davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


Thank you!  One last question before I pull the trigger, what size mash tun are you using?  When you gave your dimensions, did you just give exact and the bag came bigger?  I like how much extra play you have with the bag in the review that you did. 



Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


For the custom bags, they asked the dimensions of my cooler, then made the bag to have that much overlay. 



Posted 34 days ago.

turduckenpillow
WI
11 Posts


I use Voile curtain, which I believe is the same material as the bag.  I use two different brew kettles and a cooler for different batches, so I just go with the "one size fits all" cut out curtain.  I definitely would like to upgrade to a snug-fitting bag with handles, though.

But to answer your question, no, I don't get any grains through the bag.  And my question is, how could that lead to an infection?  If you didn't mash high enough (and didn't immediately boil) and the native bacteria survived?  So more-or-less kettle souring?




Posted 34 days ago.

davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


To be honest, I have no idea how the grain getting through could have been the source.  It didn't make sense to me so I kinda took it with a grain of salt.  It was a response on another forum, but I do want to keep grains out of my BK/fermenter either way.  



Posted 34 days ago.

davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


Just an update.  Finished my first brew day with this new bag the other day and it's amazing.  I won't mash without it now.  I'm going to order one that fits my kettle dimensions just in case I want to go BIAB.  

Worth every penny!




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


Glad it worked for you.  I have pulled my braid out of my mash tun - I'm using the Brew Bag only now.



Posted 34 days ago.

davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


You literally don't need one with these bags. 



Posted 34 days ago.

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