BIAB with Blichmann

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MrSmug

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How many of you out there are using a Blichmann for your BIAB brewing? I'm guessing the thermometer needs to be removed? How are the results? How many pounds of grain do you think one could add into the the 10 gallon kettles? Please share you're equipment (false bottoms?, dip tubes?) and experiences.

Thanks
 
I've got a 15-Gal Blichmann and only do BIAB. The thermometer is in place and works great for mash temps, and if my wort reaches works for cooling temps. You just have to be careful when pulling the bag up to pull away from it. I usually have more issues with my chiller hitting it than problems with the bag.

I usually wrap a sleeping bag around it during the mash to help hold temps, and have only melted it twice on the burner frame :).

Largest batch I have done was 15-lbs for a 6 gallon batch, and still had plenty of room.
 
JeepDiver said:
I've got a 15-Gal Blichmann and only do BIAB. The thermometer is in place and works great for mash temps, and if my wort reaches works for cooling temps. You just have to be careful when pulling the bag up to pull away from it. I usually have more issues with my chiller hitting it than problems with the bag.

I usually wrap a sleeping bag around it during the mash to help hold temps, and have only melted it twice on the burner frame :).

Largest batch I have done was 15-lbs for a 6 gallon batch, and still had plenty of room.
Click to expand...

Jeep thanks for the input. I was actually deciding between the 10 or 15 gallon Blichmann. I am currently only doing extract but I want to start BIAB real soon. I was thinking 15 gallons would too excessive for 5 gallon batches but now I'm not too sure especially since I LOVE the bigger brews.. 8+ ABV%. How many gallons to you typically brew and would you recommend the 15 over 10?

Also would you mind sharing the bag you use?
 
I do my BIAB in a 10gal Blichmann. I don't do huge beers so it isn't a problem at all for me, but I can't say that it would be a problem for a larger beer either. Get the 15 if in doubt. In my eyes the 10 gallon was big enough.

The thermometer probe is OK in place so don't let that worry you unless you have a basket that will go that deep. I just use a paint bag clipped to the sides and it rides around the probe. You just have to be careful pulling the bag out. You also need to be aware of the temp variations that the bag/grain will cause, so stir thoroughly when reading the temp.
 
I do BIAB in my 15 gallon. I did a few batches with the temp probe in there, but I have since removed it and put in the plug. To be honest I was/am not happy with the performance of the Brewmometer. It is vaguely correct in the mash temperature range, but it seems like every batch it can vary between being dead on the money and up to 10 degrees off. At lower temps (e.g. protein rest) and at higher temps (e.g. mash out) it can be woefully inaccurate. As a consequence I am sticking with my thermapen from now on.

Since I am not using it as a thermometer, I decided there was no point keeping it on the pot and causing minor irritation when I am trying to stir stuff or remove the bag.
 
weirdboy said:
I do BIAB in my 15 gallon. I did a few batches with the temp probe in there, but I have since removed it and put in the plug. To be honest I was/am not happy with the performance of the Brewmometer. It is vaguely correct in the mash temperature range, but it seems like every batch it can vary between being dead on the money and up to 10 degrees off. At lower temps (e.g. protein rest) and at higher temps (e.g. mash out) it can be woefully inaccurate. As a consequence I am sticking with my thermapen from now on.

Since I am not using it as a thermometer, I decided there was no point keeping it on the pot and causing minor irritation when I am trying to stir stuff or remove the bag.
Click to expand...

Typically how many gallons do you brew and was their a reason for you choosing 15 over 10?
 
zacster said:
I do my BIAB in a 10gal Blichmann. I don't do huge beers so it isn't a problem at all for me, but I can't say that it would be a problem for a larger beer either. Get the 15 if in doubt. In my eyes the 10 gallon was big enough.

The thermometer probe is OK in place so don't let that worry you unless you have a basket that will go that deep. I just use a paint bag clipped to the sides and it rides around the probe. You just have to be careful pulling the bag out. You also need to be aware of the temp variations that the bag/grain will cause, so stir thoroughly when reading the temp.
Click to expand...

How many lb's of grain do you typically use with your 10 gallon Blichmann? How many lb's do you think you can use before you run into a problem?
 
MrSmug said:
Typically how many gallons do you brew and was their a reason for you choosing 15 over 10?
Click to expand...

I typically do 5-6 gallon batches. I chose the 15 gallon because I sometimes make very big beers, and I also have a cooler MLT that I use to do 10-11 gallon batches with the same pot. I made a 5.5 gallon batch of Belgian quad the other day (BIAB) that wouldn't have fit in a 10 gallon pot.


Regarding batch sizing, I made a calculator that you can play with here:

MLT/BIAB Sizing Calculators

There is also a calculator for sizing batches in a standard MLT setup as well on the same page.
 
MrSmug said:
Jeep thanks for the input. I was actually deciding between the 10 or 15 gallon Blichmann. I am currently only doing extract but I want to start BIAB real soon. I was thinking 15 gallons would too excessive for 5 gallon batches but now I'm not too sure especially since I LOVE the bigger brews.. 8+ ABV%. How many gallons to you typically brew and would you recommend the 15 over 10?

Also would you mind sharing the bag you use?
Click to expand...

My Wife made the bag from a voile curtain we got at Bed Beth and Beyond. She cut it so the kettle would fit in the bag (Suggestion from one of the aussie sites, and made a hem and pull rope at the top. I've done 10+ batches with it and no sign of wear and tear other than discolured. I usually rinse it out with hot water and soap, and ever 3-4 batches chuck it in the washing machine for some extra cleaning.

The only issue with the 15 gallon kettle is the thermomater is a little low once you get into the boil and chill for a smaller beer. But it works great for the Mash, and when I get it chilled I can use my other them to check it. I would go with the 15 over the 10 all day. The 10 will work, but the extra room is real nice to have on a bigger beer.

I have done one small (4%) 10 gallon batch, and usually end up doing 6 or so gallons, and have done several 8% beers at that size with plenty of room
 
So it sounds like 15 is a good size for 5/6 gallon batches. Anyone disagree?

Looks like ill need to change my original order :eek:
 
MrSmug said:
So it sounds like 15 is a good size for 5/6 gallon batches. Anyone disagree?

Looks like ill need to change my original order :eek:
Click to expand...

Hey Mr. Smug,

Definitely get the 15 gallon, you won't regret it. I kept my brewmometer in and the largest batch I've done is 36lbs. There was a small tear in the bottom of the bag and it may have come from the probe. I am much more careful with large batches now and use my paddle to keep it away from the probe while lifting. I also double up bags on large batches.

You will be able to mash large gravity beers in the 15 and if you ever decide to brew 10 gallons batches, you'll be all set.

You can see a walkthrough of using my 15 gallon blichmann in the link below:
 
tknice said:
Hey Mr. Smug,

Definitely get the 15 gallon, you won't regret it. I kept my brewmometer in and the largest batch I've done is 36lbs. There was a small tear in the bottom of the bag and it may have come from the probe. I am much more careful with large batches now and use my paddle to keep it away from the probe while lifting. I also double up bags on large batches.

You will be able to mash large gravity beers in the 15 and if you ever decide to brew 10 gallons batches, you'll be all set.

You can see a walkthrough of using my 15 gallon blichmann in the link below:
Click to expand...

36lbs is crazy! I love it :cross:

How many gallons do you typically brew? In your link are those 2 3-gallon fermenters or 2 5-gallon fermenters
 
I don't know why but I remember reading horrible reviews about using a 15 gallon Blichmann for 5 gallon batches. Possibly if only doing extract? Any ideas?
 
Well the location for the thermometer is in a pretty bad spot for doing 5 gallon batches. It is right around the 8 gallon mark in the pot, so for a 5 gallon batch it is generally too high.
 
I have been looking into getting the 15 gallon Blichmann and from what I have read their thermometer isn't all that great to being with. So I am planning on removing it and using a Thermo-pen. But everywhere I look I see there is a supply issue with the 15 and is backordered until mid April... GRRRRRRRRRRRR
 
The 15gal boilermaker has the thermometer at 6.5gal. Works out well for 5 gallon batches. Only issue is its above the wort during boil, which is not a big deal to me. My setup has 15gal Blichmanns and I do 5 and 10 gallon batches just fine.
 
Demon said:
The 15gal boilermaker has the thermometer at 6.5gal. Works out well for 5 gallon batches. Only issue is its above the wort during boil, which is not a big deal to me. My setup has 15gal Blichmanns and I do 5 and 10 gallon batches just fine.
Click to expand...

Same here with biab it's good for the mash but useless for the boil, but not sure why you need it for the boil. If your using it for a normal mashturn you would probably want to do a custom order and have them lower it, but for a full volume mash it is a non issue.

My thermometer is spot on compared against 3 other ones
 
JeepDiver said:
Same here with biab it's good for the mash but useless for the boil, but not sure why you need it for the boil. If your using it for a normal mashturn you would probably want to do a custom order and have them lower it, but for a full volume mash it is a non issue.

My thermometer is spot on compared against 3 other ones
Click to expand...

Well you don't need it for the boil per se, but if you are using an immersion chiller it's certainly nice to know the temperature of the wort as you cool it.


6.5 gallon mark? Yeah, that could be. All I know is it isn't in the wort at the end of the boil. For BIAB it is fine for checking mash temps, with the caveat that my experience hasn't been so good with the accuracy of the readings even after adjustment.
 
JeepDiver said:
Same here with biab it's good for the mash but useless for the boil, but not sure why you need it for the boil. If your using it for a normal mashturn you would probably want to do a custom order and have them lower it, but for a full volume mash it is a non issue.

My thermometer is spot on compared against 3 other ones
Click to expand...

So 15 gallon is good for a 5-gallon BIAB brew but not for a traditional HLT/MLT/BK one? I would like to think if I wanted to move to traditional AG I could still use it. Am I confused or is this correct?
 
MrSmug said:
36lbs is crazy! I love it :cross:

How many gallons do you typically brew? In your link are those 2 3-gallon fermenters or 2 5-gallon fermenters
Click to expand...

The last 10 batches or so have been 10 gallon and the fermenters I use are 6 gallon better bottles--so a little over 5 gallons in each one. I can't see why 15 would be bad for 5 gallon batches except for maybe the extra headspace you would have when doing smaller gravity beers which could affect holding temperature. If you wrap it up I doubt you will have problems and you can always fire the burner.

Also, you really have to have a lot of grain in there to come close to pushing on the probe. I almost did 40lbs this past weekend but my back was giving me trouble and I didn't want to hurt it more by carrying those carboys downstairs. That would have been a record!! As for lifting the bag, I usually put a ladder over the pot so I can lift with my shoulders from above. This makes 35 lbs manageable and my wife puts the drain tub in place (in my pics). There's practically no lifting at all--more like one quick motion.
 
MrSmug said:
So 15 gallon is good for a 5-gallon BIAB brew but not for a traditional HLT/MLT/BK one? I would like to think if I wanted to move to traditional AG I could still use it. Am I confused or is this correct?
Click to expand...

You can, lots of people have 3 x 15 gal blichmanns. I stick with this process for fast and minimal cleanup. Umm what else, oh.. Like others have said the thermometer is more useful for 10 gal mashes and boils than when doing 5. Mine tends to read a few degrees low and I love the thermapen so I mostly use that. I'd say I look at the brewmometer during chilling the most so the thermapen doesn't keep going into the wort--maybe once at the end. .
 
tknice said:
The last 10 batches or so have been 10 gallon and the fermenters I use are 6 gallon better bottles--so a little over 5 gallons in each one. I can't see why 15 would be bad for 5 gallon batches except for maybe the extra headspace you would have when doing smaller gravity beers which could affect holding temperature. If you wrap it up I doubt you will have problems and you can always fire the burner.

Also, you really have to have a lot of grain in there to come close to pushing on the probe. I almost did 40lbs this past weekend but my back was giving me trouble and I didn't want to hurt it more by carrying those carboys downstairs. That would have been a record!! As for lifting the bag, I usually put a ladder over the pot so I can lift with my shoulders from above. This makes 35 lbs manageable and my wife puts the drain tub in place (in my pics). There's practically no lifting at all--more like one quick motion.
Click to expand...

If you can get 35/40lbs of grain in the 15 gallon Blichmann there should be no problem getting ~25lbs of grain in the 10. Wouldn't this be enough for a big beer? I mean I don't believe I would ever go over 10/11ABV
 
+1

Almost started a thread like this two weeks ago. Very good information. I only do 5gal batches (low/average FG) and can only BIBA or extract due to space limitations. 10gal sounds perfect for my needs. Thanks all.

Oh, threading preference anyone? I was going to go with 1/2inch for the larger diameter = quicker unrestricted transfer... but what's the standard size here? I hate when parts are hard to fund and incompatible.
 
MrSmug said:
How many lb's of grain do you typically use with your 10 gallon Blichmann? How many lb's do you think you can use before you run into a problem?
Click to expand...

I did one that was 9.5 lbs and one that was 8.5 lbs. There was still a lot of space. Remember too that you are NOT boiling the grain, so if it goes within a half inch of the top you'll still be ok.

If you ask me, a 15 gallon pot to do 5 or 6 gallon batches is way overkill. And as everyone is pointing out, the 15 gallon Blichmann's thermometer is too high to be useful.

Now, I suppose that people are doing 10 gallon batches, but as a personal use home brewer I don't ever see the need for anything larger than 5 gallons, why would I want THAT much of the same beer when I can make a lot of different styles? I guess I'm not 21 anymore and having parties.
 
you can get an idea from using this calculator and the can I mash it section.

25 lbs at 1.25 qts puts you right at the 10 gal limit of your pot. If you are full volume biab, you can get away with less water.. like 1.1 or so and it will be fine. It's also nice to have about an inch of head space for stirring.

http://rackers.org/calcs.shtml/
 
zacster said:
Now, I suppose that people are doing 10 gallon batches, but as a personal use home brewer I don't ever see the need for anything larger than 5 gallons, why would I want THAT much of the same beer when I can make a lot of different styles? I guess I'm not 21 anymore and having parties.
Click to expand...
yeah, I know where you are coming from.. I use to think the same thing. It turns out that brewing twice as much beer on brewday leaves one 5 gallon batch sitting for a while to get some age on it. Now instead of that last few beers being the BEST, you get 5 gallons just like it. I normally brew three house beers in 10 gallon batches..an IPA, Pale Ale, and Amber. We have friends over for football or other parties and it lasts so much longer now.

The other cool thing is experimentation. You can dry hop one and not the other, or put adjunts in one--like a porter where you add vanilla and bourbon and stow it away for a while and drink the first 5 gallons now. It's pretty awesome actually.. and for roughly the same amount of work. :D
 
I've started doing 15gal batches recently, was the only way I could build up supply for the summer entertaining season without brewing every other weekend!

I'm using a 26 gal pot for biab and a 13.2gal pot for dunk sparge
 
tknice said:
you can get an idea from using this calculator and the can I mash it section.

25 lbs at 1.25 qts puts you right at the 10 gal limit of your pot. If you are full volume biab, you can get away with less water.. like 1.1 or so and it will be fine. It's also nice to have about an inch of head space for stirring.

http://rackers.org/calcs.shtml/
Click to expand...

Thanks. 25lbs seems more than sufficient for the 5 gallon batches I plan on doing.
 
zacster said:
I did one that was 9.5 lbs and one that was 8.5 lbs. There was still a lot of space. Remember too that you are NOT boiling the grain, so if it goes within a half inch of the top you'll still be ok.

If you ask me, a 15 gallon pot to do 5 or 6 gallon batches is way overkill. And as everyone is pointing out, the 15 gallon Blichmann's thermometer is too high to be useful.

Now, I suppose that people are doing 10 gallon batches, but as a personal use home brewer I don't ever see the need for anything larger than 5 gallons, why would I want THAT much of the same beer when I can make a lot of different styles? I guess I'm not 21 anymore and having parties.
Click to expand...

Zacster how big are those beers you are brewing? 9/10lbs doesn't seem like that much.
 
I have a 10gal Boilermaker. I have taken the thermometer out and use a turkey fryer basket that fits perfectly on top of the dip tube. Just like Sevens setup in the sticky post. I have a custom made voile bag. I just did a 5 gallon batch stout that took 14lbs of grain. That was max for this setup.
 
Here are some pics of the 36lb grain bill. Man I wish I had the drain tub to put on top for that one--would have been so much easier!

I think this also goes under 101 uses for a mash paddle, lol.

IMG_0852.JPG

IMG_0851.JPG
 
tochsner said:
I have a 10gal Boilermaker. I have taken the thermometer out and use a turkey fryer basket that fits perfectly on top of the dip tube. Just like Sevens setup in the sticky post. I have a custom made voile bag. I just did a 5 gallon batch stout that took 14lbs of grain. That was max for this setup.
Click to expand...

Damn.. I was hoping not to hear that. 14lbs doesn't seem to be that much. If you had a chance again would you get the 15lb Blichmann?
 

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