Brew In a Basket (stainless steel, 300 micron): Anyone using Chinese knockoffs ?

[AnbyG]

Hi all,

I am considering switching to a brew in a stainless steel mesh basket setup instead of my extract brewing. I am using a 5 gallon brew kettle from Northern Brewer, and I need something that fits this brew kettle. The ones by Arbor Fabricating or Utah Biodiesel Supply are very expensive and I can't afford them, but I don't see a whole lot of other "Made In America" alternatives. I do see a bunch of Chinese knockoffs on Alibaba. Any experience with these ? Are they robust or stuff that are likely to fall apart during the first brew ?

https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/stainless-steel-beer-brewing-filter-basket.html

Thanks,

Anby

 

[LittleRiver]

... considering switching to a brew in a stainless steel mesh basket setup instead of my extract brewing...

I would recommend that you try using a bag instead of a basket. It works really well, the bags are durable and strong, and they are super easy to clean (shake the grains off outside, rinse it in the sink, and hang it up to dry).

I use a Wilser bag, and I'm really happy with it. Wilser will custom make a bag to fit your kettle dimensions, but he probably already has one ready to ship that will fit. I know this probably sounds like a paid endorsement, but it's not.

 

[AnbyG]

I would recommend that you try using a bag instead of a basket. It works really well, the bags are durable and strong, and they are super easy to clean (shake the grains off outside, rinse it in the sink, and hang it up to dry).

I use a Wilser bag, and I'm really happy with it. Wilser will custom make a bag to fit your kettle dimensions, but he probably already has one ready to ship that will fit. I know this probably sounds like a paid endorsement, but it's not.

I have watched a handful of videos and it seems like draining the bag is a real pain. I do everything on my electric stove inside a tiny condo and hence I don't have a way to hang the bag to let it drain. Hence the basket idea. I have heard nothing but good things about Wilser bag, but I really want a basket.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Not much difference between a basket and a bag when it comes to letting them drain...

With only a five gallon kettle, either a basket or bag should be fairly easy to manage.

 

[madscientist451]

I have watched a handful of videos and it seems like draining the bag is a real pain. I do everything on my electric stove inside a tiny condo and hence I don't have a way to hang the bag to let it drain.

I started w/BIAB on my kitchen stove but got tired of Temperature swings and spilling wort when I pulled the bag out. A $20, 5 gallon round cooler from Walmart works fine for mashing smaller batches, although you can do full 5 gallon batches if you do multiple batch sparges. No more temp swings, no spilled wort on the stove, just add a spigot, A 90 degree elbow pointed down and put a BIAB bag in there and you're ready to brew. No stuck mashes, you can re-circulate manually if you want more efficiency and you can do step mashes. The brew in a basket idea is ok, but you'll still probably have some spilled wort on the stove.

 

[finished1]

I bought a 10 gallon kettle that came with a basket at my local home brew store and it was made in China. I have only used it once but it seemed to work fine. No leaks. It held up on my outdoor propane burner and used it with a bag. When the mash was done I just rigged a pulley system to hold the basket to let it drain into the kettle.

 

[JohnSand]

When I BIAB inside, I lift the bag out and put it in another pot. The second pot isn't as big as the kettle, it only has to be large enough to hold the grain. It helps if it can hold a colander too. You can sparge in the second pot if you like, or use a dish to squeeze the bag by pressing it into the colander. My second pot is a pasta pot I already owned. But you can buy a cheap 12 or 16qt pot at Walmart.

 

[AnbyG]

I worked out an way to do BIAB on my electric stove top. I mash in directly in the 5 gallon boil kettle on my electric stove, once I put the grains in, holding the heat at the bare minimum keeps the temperature of the mash pretty much within a +/- 3 Fahrenheit range. Once it is done, I place the cheap $3 bag from Home Depot directly in my Ale Pail primary, dump the mashed in content and pull out the bag. I place the bag+grains on top of a colander placed on top of the primary, rinse the grains and dump them. The contents from the primary now go directly to the rinsed boil kettle for boiling and hop addition. I clean the primary, wash it well with Starsan and then ferment in it when everything is ready. I won't be purchasing the Chinese knockoff. I will do a post with pics once I feel a little more confident in my method. Thanks!

 

[SanPancho]

Does your stove have a hood? Look for a place to hang the bag. Mine had a predrilled hole that i put an s hook into. I have to double up the bag string and tie it to get the bag high enough but it sits and drains- and cools- until i can squeeze it. As long as you a careful theres no spills.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I worked out an way to do BIAB on my electric stove top. I mash in directly in the 5 gallon boil kettle on my electric stove, once I put the grains in, holding the heat at the bare minimum keeps the temperature of the mash pretty much within a +/- 3 Fahrenheit range. Once it is done, I place the cheap $3 bag from Home Depot directly in my Ale Pail primary, dump the mashed in content and pull out the bag. I place the bag+grains on top of a colander placed on top of the primary, rinse the grains and dump them. The contents from the primary now go directly to the rinsed boil kettle for boiling and hop addition. I clean the primary, wash it well with Starsan and then ferment in it when everything is ready. I won't be purchasing the Chinese knockoff. I will do a post with pics once I feel a little more confident in my method. Thanks!

Sorry Andy, just my opinion here. I feel using your fermenter as part of the mash process is not best practice. While I realize that you sanitize the fermenter after exposing it to the mash, I think you would be better served to find another inexpensive bucket to use for the mash.

A mash is full of all sorts of nasties that you don’t want breeding in your beer, and to willfully expose your fermenter to that stuff is just not wise imo.

Breweries purposely have a hot side and a cold side, and equipment doesn’t mix between even using sanitizer.

I’m not a sanitation freak by any means, just seams counter productive to infect your fermenter every batch and then sanitize it. JMO

 

[SanPancho]

its also unnecessary if you can get your bag hanging situation down. dont even sparge. just figure out the efficiency for no sparge and go with it. costs a little bit more in grains, but them's the breaks.

however, once your done brewing. you can take those grains and do a dunk sparge, and then boil. usually enough to make a liter or two of starter wort. or if you hop it, you can use it to spiese your beer and naturally carbonate.

but i really think you should try to get a bag hanging situation. upload us a pic of your stove area. we gots all sorts of good ideas around this place.

 

[Miraculix]

A mash is almost sterile as it gets pasteurized by the heat during the process. Don't worry about it. That's why raw ale works, it never gets boiled but also does not spoil.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Sorry mispost

 

[Drewed]

I do 5 gallons on a stove top and instead of hanging the bag, I place it in a colander / metal strainer. This is suspended above the pot by a couple of square wood dowels ( the round ones roll.) This keeps the bag all the way out of the wort and allows me to spare or squeeze.
There is just enough room between the stove top and the vent fan to do this. IF you have a microwave over the stove then you are probably SOL.

 

[AnbyG]

I do 5 gallons on a stove top and instead of hanging the bag, I place it in a colander / metal strainer. This is suspended above the pot by a couple of square wood dowels ( the round ones roll.) This keeps the bag all the way out of the wort and allows me to spare or squeeze.
There is just enough room between the stove top and the vent fan to do this. IF you have a microwave over the stove then you are probably SOL.

I don't have any space, else I would have done so. My method is working for me, so far.

Does your stove have a hood? Look for a place to hang the bag. Mine had a predrilled hole that i put an s hook into. I have to double up the bag string and tie it to get the bag high enough but it sits and drains- and cools- until i can squeeze it. As long as you a careful theres no spills.

Don't have a way to hang the bag.

Sorry Andy, just my opinion here. I feel using your fermenter as part of the mash process is not best practice. While I realize that you sanitize the fermenter after exposing it to the mash, I think you would be better served to find another inexpensive bucket to use for the mash.

A mash is full of all sorts of nasties that you don’t want breeding in your beer, and to willfully expose your fermenter to that stuff is just not wise imo.

Breweries purposely have a hot side and a cold side, and equipment doesn’t mix between even using sanitizer.

I’m not a sanitation freak by any means, just seams counter productive to infect your fermenter every batch and then sanitize it. JMO

I totally agree this is not the best practice. I got a new bucket for the same.

A mash is almost sterile as it gets pasteurized by the heat during the process. Don't worry about it. That's why raw ale works, it never gets boiled but also does not spoil.

Got a new bucket anyway. I doubt it will ruin the batch. But I was thinking, why take a chance ? A new bucket is only $8 or so.

 

[JonathanOst]

Hi all,

I am considering switching to a brew in a stainless steel mesh basket setup instead of my extract brewing. I am using a 5 gallon brew kettle from Northern Brewer, and I need something that fits this brew kettle. The ones by Arbor Fabricating or Utah Biodiesel Supply are very expensive and I can't afford them, but I don't see a whole lot of other "Made In America" alternatives. I do see a bunch of Chinese knockoffs on Alibaba. Any experience with these ? Are they robust or stuff that are likely to fall apart during the first brew ?

https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/stainless-steel-beer-brewing-filter-basket.html

Thanks,

Anby

FWIW, I brew with one of these baskets (from Brausupply) and the only downside is how annoying it is to clean. Besides that I would say it's worth picking up and trying.