I scrub it off in hot PBW and rinse. Air dry and put it away. Easy.
Yep this is what I do.You don't even need to go mad with rinsing. Just get the big clumps off, leave to dry then shake it outside. When dry all the little grain flakes just fly right off.
Maybe it's just time for a new one.....I would be weary of picking up odors from washing machine or using bleach.
I just spray it down with hot water to remove all debris, soak in the bucket of oxy cleaner I already have onhand on brew days, and then hang dry.
I agree with several previous comments that it is key to clean it quickly/within a couple of hours.
Over time, I think the threads wear out and spread out so that the gaps between become smaller. Mine have stayed porous enough that I think they are still fine, but the once visually perceptible gaps have shrunk/disappeared.
I just spray it down with hot water to remove all debris, soak in the bucket of oxy cleaner I already have onhand on brew days, and then hang dry.
Ha. That's a different topic, but mine still work fine for now. Drain fine, good efficiency. But I will replace if I see signs of wearing that may develop into actual tear. I worry more about stuff getting out than stuff being trapped in.Maybe it's just time for a new one.....
Yes, a hot PBW soak restores it.Old thread I realize... Does anyone find that as their bag ages it becomes less porous? I use a HERMS system and am pretty much constantly cycling the wort through the coil in the HLT and back to a sparging head over the grain bed. With time, my bag seems to hold in more of the liquid, causing it to not only fail to reach the level of the temp probe, but to also impact the flow back to the pump. Essentially the bag has become less porous. Build up of proteins or starches in the fabric perhaps? I always rinse the bag clean after brewing, but never have used a washing machine or dishwasher as described above. I wonder if I should try soaking in something that will dissolve starches/proteins? Suggestions?
My system is built around continuous recirculation. I have to get the wort to flow from the Sanke head (upside down keg for mash tun), through the SS coil in the HLT and to the sparge arm. This way the grain bed is not only kept at the desired temperature but it is constantly washing the sugars off the grains. It makes for a very efficient brew day (Friday's Mexican lager had a 91% conversion). If the bag isn't leaking out the wort I have to increase the liquid volume and or semi suspend the bag and shake it frequently to 'force' it through the mesh. Hard to envision I suppose, but this issue seems to be related to the aging bag and losing porosity. I've gone ahead and ordered a new one and will try that.Ha. That's a different topic, but mine still work fine for now. Drain fine, good efficiency. But I will replace if I see signs of wearing that may develop into actual tear. I worry more about stuff getting out than stuff being trapped in.
My system is built around continuous recirculation. I have to get the wort to flow from the Sanke head (upside down keg for mash tun), through the SS coil in the HLT and to the sparge arm. This way the grain bed is not only kept at the desired temperature but it is constantly washing the sugars off the grains. It makes for a very efficient brew day (Friday's Mexican lager had a 91% conversion). If the bag isn't leaking out the wort I have to increase the liquid volume and or semi suspend the bag and shake it frequently to 'force' it through the mesh. Hard to envision I suppose, but this issue seems to be related to the aging bag and losing porosity. I've gone ahead and ordered a new one and will try that.
Mold is not due to your washing technique, it's how you're drying the bag. It's staying wet too long. I hand wash the grain bag with cold water from the garden hose, rinsing the grains and sugars off the fabric. Then I squeeze out the excess water and hang it to dry in my garage. I've been using the same bag for years with no mold. It is discolored from all the use, but works just as well as the day I bought it.The issue is the black spots ( mold possibly) it’s only on the rim of my bag, but it bothers me. I will try the washer, there is no agitator so with any luck it won’t damage my bag.
I guess I thought PBW fought beerstone on its own.I clean my bag with very hot PBW solution every 3rd or 4th brew day because the pores definitely close up on you if you let it go with only rinsing for too long. I also do a double strength warm water starsan soak occasionally to combat any beer stone.
There's a reason why I call it "The Forbidden Ale" .I have to weigh in to say my @wilserbrewer bag after 250 batches has only ever been IMMEDIATELY rinsed, then hung to dry.
And I may have to finally wash it, but only because I tried a batch of @Miraculix Hazy Cheapskate which had a 5# bag of store brand wheat flour. It clogged so badly that my next two brews drained noticeably slower than usual so I have to agree with @Bobby_M about the pores. My plan is a pbw soak prior to next brew. Depending on the laziness coefficient.
Beerstone on a bag?I clean my bag with very hot PBW solution every 3rd or 4th brew day because the pores definitely close up on you if you let it go with only rinsing for too long. I also do a double strength warm water starsan soak occasionally to combat any beer stone.
Why not?Beerstone on a bag?
Never thought about it. I usually rinse my bag immediately after pulling it. I've had it build up on fermenters (mostly cooling coils). I was under the impression that beerstone built up in fermenters and beer lines.Why not?
Beerstone is a type of scale of known as calcium oxalate (C2CaO4) in the brewing industry, calcium oxalate is a precipitate. This precipitate is largely due to a reaction between alkaline cleaners (caustic), hard water minerals (calcium and magnesium) and protein (amino acids).
I've never put mine in the washer. After I pull and empty the bag I hang it outside to dry. After it's dry I give it a good shake which removes most of the dried grains. Then I soak it in a Homer bucket in Oxiclean overnight. A good rinse the next day, and hang to dry again and put it away until next brew day.I finally ran mine through the wash ("trow it in the wash, it'll be grand") after making a batch yesterday. We'll see what happens next batch.
I have used a citric acid soak. This seems to open the pores better than PBW. Also less caustic & less worry about rinsing out the PBW.Old thread I realize... Does anyone find that as their bag ages it becomes less porous? I use a HERMS system and am pretty much constantly cycling the wort through the coil in the HLT and back to a sparging head over the grain bed. With time, my bag seems to hold in more of the liquid, causing it to not only fail to reach the level of the temp probe, but to also impact the flow back to the pump. Essentially the bag has become less porous. Build up of proteins or starches in the fabric perhaps? I always rinse the bag clean after brewing, but never have used a washing machine or dishwasher as described above. I wonder if I should try soaking in something that will dissolve starches/proteins? Suggestions?
Same here.I have only ever used water. Rinse it with the hose, soak it, rinse it some more, then hang it to dry. 40+ brews and that's all it's ever had.
Try putting the "cleaned" bag into boiling water for a few minutes and have a taste test of that water afterwards. Do you want that taste in your beer?Same here.
How about putting your "clean" bag in hot water for more than a few minutes to keep that taste out of your beer?Try putting the "cleaned" bag into cooking water for a few minutes and have a taste test of that water afterwards. Do you want that taste in your beer?
Doesn't get everything out. It is a start and better than nothing but the oxyclan really tackles the whole problem.How about putting your "clean" bag in hot water for more than a few minutes to keep that taste out of your beer?
Yes, that's an issue. I use an unscented oxyclean-type of product so I don't have this issue. I'd choose something without any scent, otherwise the whole idea is pretty much pointless.I was thinking more about getting out the stuff some folks don't want to use to clean their bags. Like laundry detergent scents and such.
Good point.When i washed mine in Dawn I had no head on the 2 beers I brewed. Make sure you soak it in PBW after Dawn and then no problem.
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