Corey61753
Member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2017
- Messages
- 14
- Reaction score
- 1
Moving to biab from partial extract. What is the best sized kettle to buy to do full boil 2.5 - 3 gal brews. Thanks in advance.
Kettle size
- Thread starter Corey61753
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
The rule of thumb is 20% headspace just for the boil. Use this calculator to determine what kettle size you need for BIAB. Take the grain bill from the largest grain bill that you would think you would brew. (Can I mash it?) https://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml
2.5 to 3 gallon batches would be suited to a 5-7 gallon ketttle, larger end of that spectrum if you are looking to do high gravity beers and not sparge.
5 gallon kettle at a minimum, and perhaps a sparge for big beers with the 5 gallon kettle.
5 gallon kettle at a minimum, and perhaps a sparge for big beers with the 5 gallon kettle.
I do 2 gal batches in HD's 2 gal paint buckets. Usually have 3 gal or less in the mashtun. I use a 5 gal boil pot. You be safer w/a 6.
brew703
Well-Known Member
I used to brew 3 gal batches. I bought a 10 gal kettle as I figured I would eventually increase to 5 gallons. A 10 gal kettle is over kill for 3 gallons but it works for full volume mashes.
I now brew 5 gallon batches and a 10 gal kettle is pushing it.
If you think you will brew 5 gallons go with a 10 gal kettle
I now brew 5 gallon batches and a 10 gal kettle is pushing it.
If you think you will brew 5 gallons go with a 10 gal kettle
Some of the reasons I’ve heard:
Low consumption
Smaller batches / more variety
Indoor winter stovetop brewing
Easier w less equipment investment
Recipe experiments
Less heavy lifting
Quicker than large batches
Or all SWMBO permits lol jk
Griffin495
Well-Known Member
To what Wilser said I'd add:
Indoor summer stovetop brewing when temperatures top 100+ for people living in Texas and other hot areas
The 5 gallon pot I got early on in my days doing extract and partial extract has worked for me doing 2.5 and some 3 gallon batches.
Indoor summer stovetop brewing when temperatures top 100+ for people living in Texas and other hot areas
The 5 gallon pot I got early on in my days doing extract and partial extract has worked for me doing 2.5 and some 3 gallon batches.
I hear you, I would much prefer to brew two batches indoors in AC than one larger batch outside in hell...
brew703
Well-Known Member
For me it was because wife hasn't yet ventured in the craft scene. She will sample some of my brews but she likes to brink beer with no taste (AKA Ultra). All my friends stick to BL or CL.
Since I now have a keezer, I brew 5 gal batches now. Only problem is it takes me a while to drink so my brewing has been cut in half.
Since I now have a keezer, I brew 5 gal batches now. Only problem is it takes me a while to drink so my brewing has been cut in half.
Somehow I have a hard time keeping two different brews on tap and I brew 10-15G batches..
Because I'm the main drinker and I like something different each day. Don't want to store 50 bottles of this and 50 of that and 50 of something else to get to my "different" stage. 2 gallons give me 3 six packs.
As noted above, 5 is min. 6 or 7 safer if you wanna do big beers or long boils. I just bought a 26qt concord kettle off ebay. Sturdy, has a basket, induction compatible, and taller than it is wide. Half batches are easy in this sucker.
nicksim86
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2013
- Messages
- 30
- Reaction score
- 4
Ideally a 6 or 7 gallon kettle but those don't seem to exist. I have a 5 gallon for indoor stovetop BIAB and an 8 gallon for outdoor with a propane burner. 1.050ish session beers are doable in the 5 gallon. For an IPA I used a pound of DME at knockout to boost the OG.
Cevan65
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2017
- Messages
- 106
- Reaction score
- 44
I do stovetop mash/boils so kegging to 2 1/2 gal kegs is perfect for me. I've got three different beers in my keezer as we speak. I'd get a little bored drinking 5 gallons of the same beer.
Mothman
Well-Known Member
Just to add another answer, I do 3.5 gal batches usually, biab full volume, stove top, with an 8 gallon pot.
It's more than enough room, so I could do a big beer or a slightly larger batch (but 3.5 gal is my happy place), and the kettle fits in my oven, something I take advantage of to help hold temperature for the mash.
It's more than enough room, so I could do a big beer or a slightly larger batch (but 3.5 gal is my happy place), and the kettle fits in my oven, something I take advantage of to help hold temperature for the mash.
Griffin495
Well-Known Member
I just did a 2.5G 1.059 OG with 5.35lbs of grain in a 5 gallon pot and it took it almost all the way to the top with a full water mash. Granted you could hold some of the water and do a sparge and I'd probably do that next time but it worked.
bucketheadmn
Active Member
I have been doing 2.5 gallon batches in a 5 gallon pot. I am going to try a 3 gallon batch with a 5lb grain bill - I would not do any larger though as all calculators that I have used said larger grain bills put be right up at 4.8ish gallons with grain in. Too close for me.
I brew 2.5 gallon BIAB batches with a 5 gallon pot. I typically run grain bills in the 4 - 7 lb neighborhood, mash somewhere between 1 - 2 qts/lb, and batch sparge with just my DHW @ 130F to get to my pre-boil volume, usually 3.5 gallons. Last I checked I was getting over 80% using the Brewer's Friend efficiency calculator. The 5 gallon pot is a perfect size for this, and still fits in my kitchen cabinet.
I'm planning on experimenting soon with more water in the mash because even @ 2 qts/lb I have a good amount of head space in the pot and end up loosing about 4 - 5 degrees F over an hour mash. Never has been an issue in the final product, but would be interesting to see first hand if less head space does result in less heat loss.
I'm planning on experimenting soon with more water in the mash because even @ 2 qts/lb I have a good amount of head space in the pot and end up loosing about 4 - 5 degrees F over an hour mash. Never has been an issue in the final product, but would be interesting to see first hand if less head space does result in less heat loss.
Unless you are certain that the falling temperature during the mash affected your beer negatively, I wouldn't worry much about it. If your grain is crushed well most of the conversion is done within 30 minutes.
Thanks, yeah, not too worried. More out of a heat transfer curiosity than anything else. My efficiencies, when I remember to pay attention to them, have always been fine.
Morrey
Well-Known Member
Buying a kettle (size) is like buying a truck with high horsepower: Its better to have it and not use it, than need it and not have it.
When I started brewing I was darn sure I'd only do small batches. I was wrong. Now I am doing 11G batches to fill two soda kegs per brew. I didn't have the wisdom nor vision when I first started to know where my journey would lead me, but we have to make decisions somewhere and go for it.
It is not out of the realm of reason that a 10G kettle is sort of a semi-universal size. It works for small batches and up to 5.5G batches work just fine in this size for BIAB. Just saying that even though you may not think so today, tomorrow may be a different need.
When I started brewing I was darn sure I'd only do small batches. I was wrong. Now I am doing 11G batches to fill two soda kegs per brew. I didn't have the wisdom nor vision when I first started to know where my journey would lead me, but we have to make decisions somewhere and go for it.
It is not out of the realm of reason that a 10G kettle is sort of a semi-universal size. It works for small batches and up to 5.5G batches work just fine in this size for BIAB. Just saying that even though you may not think so today, tomorrow may be a different need.
FuzzyIguana
Ohio Homebrewers
OP: go to this website. It is a great tool for both beginning and seasoned BIAB Brewers.
http://www.biabcalculator.com
http://www.biabcalculator.com
