TomSD

Recipes 

Batch size is what you end up with, not what you start with, so you are saying it right.

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Johnson Controller rewire | Keezer (FCM7SUWW) build | Love Controller box build | Soda Syrups/Concentrates

God is an imaginary friend for grownups., Walter Crewes (Morgan Freeman), The Big Bounce

Don't be afraid to ask dumb questions they're easier to handle than dumb mistakes!

Seven

Recipes 

I do 5.5 gallon batches and it's perfect for us because we don't go through it very quickly. I think I'd get bored drinking the same beer over and over if I did 10 gallon batches. Plus, I enjoy the brewing process so brewing smaller batches more frequently is enjoyable to me.

2brew1cup

Recipes 

A 5 gal batch is 2 cases of beer. And unless you are into light beers i think 2 cases a month is enough. Though i wish i had case of Saison everyday..

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JimTheHick

Recipes 

It would be enough if my father-in-law, wife, three friends, and co-workers weren't into my beer!!

cl330b

Recipes 

I choose to only do 5 gallons at a time and I personally am very happy with that. I drink most of it myself and my wife will have a few pints here and there. It takes me about 5 weeks to finish a keg. I need to get one more corny and then my system will be dialed in!

dobo

Recipes 

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dobo

Recipes 

I also do "5" gallon batches for variety reasons and since it is plenty for my own consumption (wife won't drink beer, but now she has me doing hard cider since I've got all the gear). It does make it a bit more tricky for the times that you are needing to brew for occasions where you are entertaining others. My particular challenge is our annual 4th of July get together where last year I had to time things out so I had about a barrel kegged and ready to go for 2 days of fun- while still having brew to consume durring and in between all that brewing (helps that I have 8 - 5gal corny kegs, and a 3 gal in my inventory so I can celler things and stock up).

Hind sight being 20/20 and needing a reason to upgrade the brewery is all fine and dandy, but if your just starting off from BIAB scratch, I would suggest springing for a brew kettle that will allow for 10 gal batches (so you need at least a 15 gal). You can easily do 5 gal batches in that for when it's just you, but you can also do a double batch when you have to keep the friends and family happy. That said, you will need to consider how to approach your fermenting set up (do you go with a big vessel for the big batches, or do you split it into two smaller ones).

When I got back into brewing I swore off pails and carboys and went stainless conical, and considered getting a large enough conical to do 10 or 15 gal batches, but it was pointed out by the equipment pros that once you go to the bigger vessels (this includes kettles), there's no moving them once they are filled (at least not by yourself) so you either need a crew to help, or you will need to spring for pumps etc.

I would say ideally (and what I'm working towards as upgrades) would be a "10" gal batch kettle with 2 "5" gal batch conicals (have one, so I "need" a second conny) so you can do a big batch when you need to and split it into the two fermenters, and all the other time you can have two different brews alternating between the two fermentors in which you can do big beers that need more time to finish for yourself, while pumping thru session brews in the other fermenter for all your "home brew groupies"


best of both worlds.

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"Brewing is by default a very simple and inexpensive process- it is up to the brewer to make things as complicated and expensive as his wife will tolerate" - a very wise man (likely Confucius)

Sippin37

Recipes 

I saw some discussion on the earlier pages of this thread but it didn't seem to go into detail of where people were getting their voile bags from. I just got a 15 gal keggle and would like to move from extract to BIAB method. Is there someplace that creates these voile bags? I don't even want to attempt sewing one myself, that would turn out very poorly. Thanks for any help!

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"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?"
-- Stephen Wright

Hip Check Brewing Company

cowgo

Recipes 

Brew in a Bag - Brew In a Bag - Home

These are excellent bags. He makes them to perfectly fit keggles.

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Primary: EKG Ale
Secondary:What's a secondary??
Kegged/bottled: Cowbrau Heifer Weizen, Kolsch, House Ale
Commercial Brews in Fridge: Nothing! Finally got the pipeline filled.
Past HB Favorites: Dead Dog Barley Wine (She was a good dog)
Up Next: Faux Urquell Blond Ale and Irish Red

Secret Hidden Mancave Build (x2) Thread Cowbrau eBIAB Brewspace Build Thread

Antler

Recipes 

Ok, I'll get my equipment to do 10 gallon batches so I won't have to upgrade later! Now to find a sanke, rather than spend $500 on the 15g blichmann kettle, lol