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LuceKos

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Hello,
I am fairly new (< 1 year) to home brewing and a very new member to this forum.  I have brewed about 25 extract kits and now I want to venture into BIAB territory.  I have all the equipment necessary (I'm pretty sure....I think) except for a bag. 

I've been scouring this and many other sites plus YouTube for information on BIAB procedures.  I've come to the realization that my biggest fear is in the terminology that is used here and elsewhere. As an engineer I work in absolutes and having this many questions in my mind for, what seems to be and is said to be, a fairly similar process as I am used to is daunting.

I have only made 5 gallon batches.  Nothing larger and nothing smaller. 

I built a 5 tap Keezer and I have an extra chest freezer that I use as a fermentation chamber.  I plan on making a walk-in type cooler before next summer for storage.   

   
 
Welcome to the forum!  Please feel free to ask questions.  As a BIABer for 7 years now, I can tell you it is pretty simple and straight forward. As a chemical engineer I have had very few processes as fun and forgiving as making wort.  Malted barley really wants to become wort and wort wants to turn into beer.

Terminology among brewers does tend to be a little on the loose side, mostly because you will find a lot of people from different backgrounds, experiences, and training brewing beer.  Whenever you run across a term that someone is using, think of it more as needing to be translated to the terminology or language that you use.  As BIAB has become more popular and has been embraced as a means of making wort not only in it's initially intended process of full volume, no sparge in the same kettle that you will boil in, but now in coolers  (MIAB or mash in a  bag), with sparge steps, with step mashes and decoctions, it has become more difficult to separate those that are following the original intention of the method from those who are adapting their mash methods to using a bag as the filter for their grain bed. In the end it does not matter as long as they are comfortable with their process and obtaining the needed results.
 
Oh shit, not another Engineer...

As an aside, Check out "coolbot" for your walk in cooler build. Although I'll admit that someone with the right knowledge can build the same thing for a little more than 1/10th the price...

Good luck, Enjoy, and feel free to ask questions. Oginme is a great resource for BIAB questions, me, not so much...
 
dtapke,
You wouldn't believe how many times I heard that...or something very similar.  Yes I am structural and materials engineer registered in 8 states. My concentration is concrete and cementitious based products and materials.   

I have seen those CoolBots.  They look fairly straight forward...I will be looking into using something like that for my project. 

This seems appropriate, too. 

 
Gotta give the engineers sh*t when I can. I'm an auto mechanic, so I inherently hate anyone with the title "engineer" as all they do is make my job difficult  :p

the coolbot can be made with inkbirds. just look through their website as to how they work and you can likely figure out how to make one yourself with a small heating element and an inkbird. or obviously use something "cooler" like a raspberry pi if you're so inclined. obviously it wouldn't have the fancy packaging though unless you're into 3d printing and felt like making your own.

https://www.amazon.com/12V-Polyimide-Heater-Film-25mmx50mm/dp/B06XR9YZDH/ref=pd_sbs_328_3/137-0007064-7406661?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B06XR9YZDH&pd_rd_r=1ed885bb-1956-4b0f-b49c-209bd19c7709&pd_rd_w=G3p2t&pd_rd_wg=DeJGJ&pf_rd_p=43281256-7633-49c8-b909-7ffd7d8cb21e&pf_rd_r=R8Q1SS23BGBA4WSWMKGY&psc=1&refRID=R8Q1SS23BGBA4WSWMKGY
 
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