How big a pot for BIAB 5gal?

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zacster

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I'm looking to buy a brew kettle to do 5 gallon batches, and I stumbled upon this BIAB technique yesterday. I had thought about the technique on my own when I did a partial mash brew a few weeks ago, using my small pots and a fairly large amount of grain.

Anyway, what size should I buy if I want to use this method? Is 10gal big enough to do a 5gal batch comfortably? I'm looking for stove top use, and there is only so much space on top of a stove. I was originally going to buy an 8gal last year but never did, and the bug has hit me again. I somehow don't think 8gal is big enough with all the grain, although I guess I could always top off once the grain is out. I think a 15 gallon is too tall for my kitchen. My stove does have a high-output burner, but even in my smaller pots it takes some time.

So, 8, 10 or 15?
 
I would go with 10 minimum. For a 5 gallon biab no sparge you will have 7+ gals of water plus the grain. Then that will leave you about 6.5 to start the boil.
 
10 gal will suite you nicely. I use 40 qt aluminium pot for BIAB (5 gal batches) and I brewed almost everything including 22 lbs grainbill RIS and 20 lbs Maibock. Efficency suffers a little, just compensate with more grain and don't be affraid to deviate a little from normal BIAB path, like starting with less water, sparging with more.
 
I think I'll go with a 10 gal then. Now which one? Northern Brewer has the megapots, the Blichmann is high end, There are some high quality pots from Midwest Supply, Amazon has some. There are turkey fryers. I want a ball valve and thermometer. I'd also like a basket. There are many options, and many prices. I don't want to cheap out, but I don't want to spend a fortune either.

Maybe I'll start at my LHBS. If they have something within range I'd rather buy there.
 
I was using an 8g pot for biab for a while. It is ok for 16lbs or less. But it will get tight and messy above that. Now its just my boil kettle. I got such a good deal on it that it made sense to get the 8. I wish i had gone with a 10g pot though.
 
I have a Megapot, a Blichmann, a turkey fryer pot, and another generic pot. I don't like the aspect ratio of the Megapot and similar pots (e.g. Morebeer's pot) that are all probably from the same manufacturer in China. The larger diameter means you boil off faster and also lose more wort to trub, transfer losses, etc. So especially for BIAB this means you will need something like 1-1.5 gallons more liquid in there just to end up with 5 gallons into the fermenter on a typical batch. Also, at least for the 15 gallon Megapot, I feel like it's just a bit too bulky to easily manipulate when I'm trying to dump it out, clean it, etc. Whereas the narrower pots are no problem at all.
 
I'll have to look at them all again to see what shape would suit me.

And having looked at them all, I'm beginning to think the Blichmann isn't so expensive after all. Everything about it is done right, plus the calibrated sight gauge is not an easily added accessory. You get what you pay for. Probably the one drawback, and this is marginal, is that I would never use it for anything else as I wouldn't want to muck it up.

I have some Amazon gift cards, I wonder if they sell there.
 
My wife has agreed to buy me the Blichmann as an early b-day present. They also carry it at my LBHS for the same price as everyone else, except plus tax but less shipping. I'll defer on the add-on accessories such as the hop-blocker and false bottom for now. I've been brewing without straining for years now and don't see any ill effects, and the false bottom is unnecessary for BIAB.
 
Here's the one I use
42-qt-Polarware-Brew-Pot-th.jpg

It's a 10.5 gal(42qt) Polar ware Brew Pot, 239.99 from Austin Homebrew Supply. Here's a link
Austin Homebrew Supply

The height to width ratio is closer to a tall Blichmann rather than the wider Megapot, so you'll have less boil off. I do full volume mashes with around 8.5 gallons of water and 13 lbs of grains its filled to about an inch from the top. That's for a 6 gallon batch size of 1.053 gravity, and that's before trub loss.
 
I'm a noob, so I'm guessing that BIAB is brew in a bag. If I'm wrong, please forgive me. I've used this method a few times.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

I have a 5 gallon and a 4 gallon pot, both a little undersized for the technique. The most water I've been able to bring to a boil was three and a half gallons. My stove just can't do it with any more. Even then, it was a slow steady boil. Three gallons boils pretty good, so I think I've found my stove's limit. Anyway, I use brewcalculus.com to put my recipes together as a 5 gallon batch with a 3 gallon boil. Because of the small size of my boil, I tend to get darker than desired beer. It doesn't really bother me but if I were to enter a real contest, I might get docked points. I've always hit my target gravity according to the recipe and I've never been disappointed with a batch so far, knock on wood. I guess my point is that a large pot isn't a necessity, but you might be happier with it, as long as your stove is capable of bringing the larger volume of water to a boil.
 
With the Blichmann, consider getting a blocking plug and possibly temporarily removing the thermometer probe. The probe can snag your bag
 
johnboy1313 said:
I'm a noob, so I'm guessing that BIAB is brew in a bag. If I'm wrong, please forgive me. I've used this method a few times.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

I have a 5 gallon and a 4 gallon pot, both a little undersized for the technique. The most water I've been able to bring to a boil was three and a half gallons. My stove just can't do it with any more. Even then, it was a slow steady boil. Three gallons boils pretty good, so I think I've found my stove's limit. Anyway, I use brewcalculus.com to put my recipes together as a 5 gallon batch with a 3 gallon boil. Because of the small size of my boil, I tend to get darker than desired beer. It doesn't really bother me but if I were to enter a real contest, I might get docked points. I've always hit my target gravity according to the recipe and I've never been disappointed with a batch so far, knock on wood. I guess my point is that a large pot isn't a necessity, but you might be happier with it, as long as your stove is capable of bringing the larger volume of water to a boil.
Click to expand...

Use both pots simultaneously:mug:
 
stux said:
With the Blichmann, consider getting a blocking plug and possibly temporarily removing the thermometer probe. The probe can snag your bag
Click to expand...

that right there is a BIG thing to consider. Blichman makes nice boil pots but, for BIAB its really over kill. The temp probe gets in the way and can rupture the bag. Sight gauge is nice but even that isn't a must have item. Spend the money for a 10 - 15 gallon bayou classic pot or even better get an Aluminum pot from Sam's Club. The 40qt is 56 bucks http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=102996&variance=40+qt. (yes its perfectly safe to use aluminum in brewing)then use the rest of that money to buy a couple bags of grain and take SWMBO out for a nice dinner
 
Mysticmead said:
that right there is a BIG thing to consider. Blichman makes nice boil pots but, for BIAB its really over kill. The temp probe gets in the way and can rupture the bag. Sight gauge is nice but even that isn't a must have item. Spend the money for a 10 - 15 gallon bayou classic pot or even better get an Aluminum pot from Sam's Club. The 40qt is 56 bucks http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=102996&variance=40+qt. (yes its perfectly safe to use aluminum in brewing)then use the rest of that money to buy a couple bags of grain and take SWMBO out for a nice dinner
Click to expand...

When I first started looking into it, I was thinking that I'd go cheap. As I looked, it always came down to wanting something a step up from the cheapest ones, and then I wanted the thermometer and ball valve. Once you add those together it always came up to ~$200+. Given that, it wasn't that much more to go with the Blichmann, and that includes the sight glass. I'm going to look tomorrow at my LHBS. They have both Blichmann and some more basic pots.

I learned my lesson when I did a DIY immersion chiller. When all was said and done, it cost as much to make it myself as buying one would be, and mine still looks only half finished, using ring hose clamps instead of proper fittings. Sometimes it just isn't worth the bother.

As far as catching the bag on probe and fittings, I do plan to use a strainer to hold the bag in the pot. That should protect the bag.
 
zacster said:
When I first started looking into it, I was thinking that I'd go cheap. As I looked, it always came down to wanting something a step up from the cheapest ones, and then I wanted the thermometer and ball valve. Once you add those together it always came up to ~$200+. Given that, it wasn't that much more to go with the Blichmann, and that includes the sight glass. I'm going to look tomorrow at my LHBS. They have both Blichmann and some more basic pots.

I learned my lesson when I did a DIY immersion chiller. When all was said and done, it cost as much to make it myself as buying one would be, and mine still looks only half finished, using ring hose clamps instead of proper fittings. Sometimes it just isn't worth the bother.
Click to expand...

that's fine too.. go with what YOU want. but, I'd either skip the thermometer or buy a plug for the hole and add it later if you move away from BIAB. the probe will get in the way of stirring the mash and it will poke a hole in your bag. Of course... as with anything, the choice is completely yours.
 
Mysticmead said:
that's fine too.. go with what YOU want. but, I'd either skip the thermometer or buy a plug for the hole and add it later if you move away from BIAB. the probe will get in the way of stirring the mash and it will poke a hole in your bag. Of course... as with anything, the choice is completely yours.
Click to expand...

I was just looking at the pics in the first sticky, and I see he had removed the thermometer from his Blichmann to do this, even with the strainer. I guess I'll have to do this as well, although that was one of the features I wanted as I wanted to be able to watch the temps from outside the pot. I was going to have my wife make a blanket that fit over the pot with an opening for it.

If I ever graduate to doing the more traditional method I'll be all set.
 
zacster said:
I was just looking at the pics in the first sticky, and I see he had removed the thermometer from his Blichmann to do this, even with the strainer. I guess I'll have to do this as well, although that was one of the features I wanted as I wanted to be able to watch the temps from outside the pot. I was going to have my wife make a blanket that fit over the pot with an opening for it.

If I ever graduate to doing the more traditional method I'll be all set.
Click to expand...

pick up a digital thermometer with a remote probe..I leave mine in the mash the entire time. while it won't give you a reading of what the temp is on the lower part of the mash it does give it on the upper portion. MY experience has been that as long as the mash temp is in the range you want during the initial 15 minutes, then if it drops a bit for the duration you're good.. I use an old sleeping bag over mine and it holds within 3 degrees. My keggle will get a blanket made of 3 layers of reflectix water heater insulation.
 
That's exactly what I did. Removed and plugged the Brewmometer. Then drilled a hole in the lid for a digital temp probe. No longer in the way of my bag.

See post #20 here

FWIW I found my absolute max in a 10 gal Boilermaker is @ 17 pounds of grain and 8.5 gal of water.
 
Back from the dead!

I now use a 15gal Blichmann with a plug in the center hole. I use a thermapen to check mash temps. When my pump actually works, I use that to recirculate during the mash.
 

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