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Pah! Too complicated! Too many vessels! Too expensive!

All you really need to get into this sort of brewing is:

• One pot (tap optional)
  One home-sewn bag (drawstring optional)
  One plastic jerry can (optional if you don't want to no-chill in your fermenter)
  One heat source.

Of course, I've added bits to my kit like the Hrundi V Bakshi Bucket Filter, a skyhook, the SpillsMostOfIt Dunk-Sparge Bucket(TM) and a bunch of other stuff to feed my inner magpie, but you don't have to.

My point is that you do not *have* to get all complicated with your kit. Whether you see it as a stepping stone or as the One True Way, BIAB is a great way to make great beers without a lot more kit that you use for extract brews.

It is definitely horses for courses, but for my money, BIAB is a great way to brew.

SpillsMostOfIt wrote:Pah! Too complicated! Too many vessels! Too expensive!

All you really need to get into this sort of brewing is:

• One pot (tap optional)
  One home-sewn bag (drawstring optional)
  One plastic jerry can (optional if you don't want to no-chill in your fermenter)
  One heat source.

Of course, I've added bits to my kit like the Hrundi V Bakshi Bucket Filter, a skyhook, the SpillsMostOfIt Dunk-Sparge Bucket(TM) and a bunch of other stuff to feed my inner magpie, but you don't have to.

My point is that you do not *have* to get all complicated with your kit. Whether you see it as a stepping stone or as the One True Way, BIAB is a great way to make great beers without a lot more kit that you use for extract brews.

It is definitely horses for courses, but for my money, BIAB is a great way to brew.

hahaha $190 too expensive....and thats not enough vessels for my liking.

how much did u pay for ur setup? burner and kettle included?

I was on the verge of going BIAB but have managed to score myself a 25L urn (HLT) and have plenty of mates with spare eskys so will nick one of those. Only thing left is a huge pot so i havent actually spent any money as yet on my way to AG regardless of which method i use.

I can see BIAB is a great alternative of those space and/or financially challenged but for me, the opportunity to skip it and go to full AG cam eup and i am going for it. I have not and will not bag (sic) BIAB but didnt feel it was the way to go for me.

SMO - cheers for the helpful advice along this journey. You certainly are passionate about BIAB and i love that. If I had the pot already i would be doing it too.

Fents - thanks for the detail. Looks nice and simple, just the way i like it. I have a pail type fermenter with a split lid i use for bulk priming so reckon its begging to be converted.

Cheers
DrSmurto

I've spent substantially more than is currently in use, but I've learned that all you need to do it this way is (based on what I paid):

75litre Aluminium Kettle: $50
2400W immersion element: $84 (inc delivery from NSW)
1metre Swiss Voile curtain fabric: $7.95 (I sewed it myself and had some nylon sash-cord already).
20litre Willow Jerry (holds 24litre): $13.95 ea from SuperCheapAuto on special. Does this count?

SWMBO tells me that my energy cost per brew is around $2.00, which I believe works out cheaper than barbecue gas.

Now, because I am me, I also bought:

A second immersion element (saves time)
A 20litre bucket to filter water through and to assist with my Dunk-Sparge ($9.95, but you can get them for free if you are cheekier than me)
A weld-less tap for my boiler (installed today, ~$24.00)
A brew stand (two milk crates - ummm... don't remember the cost)
A Mash-Tun Insulation Pack (a couple of bits of heavy corrugated cardboard I wrap around my boiler)
A 15-Amp extension cord that I spliced an in-line switch into: $20)
All the other bits and pieces that I bought as part of the Grande Experiment - $Heaps.

My real point is that if you want to, you can buy enough kit to brew in a bag and enjoy all-grain brewing cheaper than the Other Ways. If you're watching your pennies, you can get there quicker and brew this way until finances allow you to buy the other kit. You might never buy the other kit...

There are people (in Melbourne, no less!) who brew in 20litre plastic buckets with jug elements installed in them. I saw a two-for-one electric kettle deal in the supermarket last week, so you could have a boiler (or HLT) that would do perfectly fine for 15litre batches for $20 with a spare element if you wanted.

I don't want to sound too evangelistic (perhaps it's too late? ). Nor do I want people to get put off all-grain brewing due to perceived complexity and/or cost of entry.

All-grain beer is just too good to pass by.

SpillsMostOfIt wrote:2400W immersion element: $84 (inc delivery from NSW)

A second immersion element (saves time)

How long do these take to heat up?

Tipsy wrote:

SpillsMostOfIt wrote:2400W immersion element: $84 (inc delivery from NSW)

A second immersion element (saves time)

How long do these take to heat up?

I've not timed it, frankly, but it works out that once I've completed my mash and want to move onto the boil, it takes no longer to get to boiling than it takes me to weigh out the hops and other additions and have a cup of coffee.

It took a while when I had just one element, but I find that I tend to adjust my process to work with my tools. With two heaters, I cannot get the boil ingredients weighed and ready to add before the boil starts. I always boil for 90 minutes, so I have about 30 minutes before I have to worry too much.

If you are truly interested, I will time my next brewday to excruciating detail. But, I warn you, it will hurt you more than it will hurt me...

SpillsMostOfIt wrote: If you are truly interested, I will time my next brewday to excruciating detail. But, I warn you, it will hurt you more than it will hurt me...

That offer has just picked up my interest
I was just thinking one of these would be ok for heating the sparge water.