10 gallon biab

[applescrap]

So I am "hop"ing to do 10 gallon biab batches in my 15 gallon vessel. I need to splash out on a 30 gallon kettle but haven't yet. So based on this calculation I think I can do it. 2 bags, each squeezed one at a time. I am pretty used to Boiling 5 gallon batches in a 15 gallon kettle. Dont want to have to nurse the kettle at hot break, but at least I am outside and electric has always proven decent control. Any thoughts on the plan, good or bad? Suggestions?

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[iijakii]

youll be fine. depending on grainbill i normally keep 1-2 gals from the mash or else it'ss too full to stir, or makes a mess when pulling the bag. it saying 14.41gal mash svolume makes me think you will run into the same situation.

 

[jackyl]

I have a 25 gallon kettle and can easily do 10 gallons, but 15 gallons (with about a 10 lb grain bill per 5 gallon batch) is just a bit too big for a full volume mash, so I agree with iijakii about holding some water out.

 

[stever1000]

youll be fine. depending on grainbill i normally keep 1-2 gals from the mash or else it'ss too full to stir, or makes a mess when pulling the bag. it saying 14.41gal mash svolume makes me think you will run into the same situation.

Do you pour the heldback volume through the bag at the end, or just top up the kettle after the bag is removed?

 

[applescrap]

I would dunk sparge, curious what iijakii does

 

[iijakii]

Do you pour the heldback volume through the bag at the end, or just top up the kettle after the bag is removed?

I pour it through the bag while it hangs over the kettle, but I don't think it works too well personally. I can see most of the water just running along the same outside paths. I don't dunk sparge because I am lazy, and also I don't want to get another large vessel just for that purpose. I get low 70s efficiency on my 10gal batches with that so I'm happy.

 

[m00ps]

If you can put some sort of grate on top of the kettle to rest the grain bag on, the "sparge" works much better. I had a buddy help rig up a pulley system so it just hangs out there and drips while the wort starts to heat to boil. The grate will also let you push or squeeze the bag to get more wort out from the rinsed grains. I have enough headspace for full volume batches, but still reserve 1/2gal or so to pour over my grains

If you try this method, I think you'd definitely need a pulley for a 10gal batch size though. Unless you always have a reliable brew buddy to help

 

[Sadu]

I brewed a 10 gallon 1.066 beer in my 14 gallon pot. It was tight for sure, just gotta tread carefully when you toss in that 60 minute addition.

 

[RM-MN]

If you can put some sort of grate on top of the kettle to rest the grain bag on, the "sparge" works much better. I had a buddy help rig up a pulley system so it just hangs out there and drips while the wort starts to heat to boil. The grate will also let you push or squeeze the bag to get more wort out from the rinsed grains. I have enough headspace for full volume batches, but still reserve 1/2gal or so to pour over my grains

If you try this method, I think you'd definitely need a pulley for a 10gal batch size though. Unless you always have a reliable brew buddy to help

Pushing or sqeezing the wort out of the bag works faster but doesn't get much more wort out than just letting the bag hang. If I were doing it with the grate (which will be better for sparging as you can distribute the sparge water better through the grains) I'd finish up by suspending the bag again when through sparging and just let it drip into the kettle while the wort comes to a boil.

 

[elbinwyp]

Pushing or sqeezing the wort out of the bag works faster but doesn't get much more wort out than just letting the bag hang. If I were doing it with the grate (which will be better for sparging as you can distribute the sparge water better through the grains) I'd finish up by suspending the bag again when through sparging and just let it drip into the kettle while the wort comes to a boil.

Really?! I am about 5 batches in, so I am still learning, but this surprises me. Have you done some tests on this?

 

[RM-MN]

Really?! I am about 5 batches in, so I am still learning, but this surprises me. Have you done some tests on this?

I haven't but it has been reported by a few members. Wilserbrewer is one that says it comes awfully close but takes about 20 minutes for the bag to drip out.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

My typical eBIAB batches use 23 pounds of grain and 13 gallons of water, in a single vessel system. After lifting the grains and pouring 170F sparge water to hit my preboil volume the rest of the calculations a easy.

 

[ArcLight]

I do 10 gallon BIAB batches.
I hold back several gallons of water and mash thicker (but still less thick than traditional mashes). I used to squeeze the bag but now I use a pulley, let it hang 5 minutes, squeeze the bag for a minute at various spots at the bottom, then lower it into a 2nd pot and add the additional water.
I stir it up, let it sit 5 minutes, then raise the bag, and add the runnings to the main pot which is heating up. I let the bag hang 10+ minutes this time.

 

[BongoYodeler]

I'll be moving from extract to BIAB for my next brew mostly due to what I have learned in this thread, and I'm so grateful to all those who have contributed. The one thing that amazes me is that within biab there are so many different methods to do this, most of which still yield very good beer.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Huh. I do 10 gallon biab in a 15 gallon pot all the time. Never needed to hold back any water. I drain the grains through a perforated bucked into a fermenter bucket, so if I ended up low on volume I would pour some water through the grain bag there. However, that has not yet been necessary. My brew day sheet does account for absorption and displacement, so I have a "kettle check" field that I use to verify my kettle won't overflow when I add the grains.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Huh. I do 10 gallon biab in a 15 gallon pot all the time. Never needed to hold back any water. I drain the grains through a perforated bucked into a fermenter bucket, so if I ended up low on volume I would pour some water through the grain bag there. However, that has not yet been necessary. My brew day sheet does account for absorption and displacement, so I have a "kettle check" field that I use to verify my kettle won't overflow when I add the grains.

I do the same, below readout is for a 24 pound grain bill and about a pound of hop additions...

ezBIAB Calculator © The Screwy Brewer 2015

Kettle Mash Wort Loss
Boil Evaporation = 1.875
Cold Break/Trub = 0.75
Hop Absorption = 0.43799999999999994
Grain Absorption = 3

Fermentor Wort Loss
Yeast/Trub/Break = 0.5

Kettle Mash Volume
Kettle Volume = 14
Mash Volume = 18.483
**Imbalance = -4.483
Mash Thickness = 2.013

Kettle Boil Volume
Preboil Volume = 13.125
Postboil Volume = 11.250

Miscellaneous
Brewing Water = 16.563
Fermentor Wort = 10.500
Packaged Beer = 10

**A negative value indicates the kettle is undersized.

 

[ed007]

I do 10 gallon BIAB in a 15 gallon pot. Full volume mash is not possible. I mash in a smaller volume and add extra water after the mash is complete. I don't do any sparging but simply pull the bag out with a hand winch, let it hang for a few minutes and give it a good squeeze. Consistent 80% efficiency based on the grain bill and measured original pre-boil gravity.

 

[stella_tigre]

If you can put some sort of grate on top of the kettle to rest the grain bag on, the "sparge" works much better. I had a buddy help rig up a pulley system so it just hangs out there and drips while the wort starts to heat to boil. The grate will also let you push or squeeze the bag to get more wort out from the rinsed grains. I have enough headspace for full volume batches, but still reserve 1/2gal or so to pour over my grains

If you try this method, I think you'd definitely need a pulley for a 10gal batch size though. Unless you always have a reliable brew buddy to help

I use my flat canning rack, similar to this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQSW08/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
It isn't great for canning but works wonderfully in my 10 gal brew pot. I can pour sparge water through but can also move it to dunk sparge in my big grannyware canning pot.

It might not be big enough for a grain bill for 10 gallon batches, though, we have only used it for 5 gals.

 

[applescrap]

Kind of funny, one brew and I have like 3 threads to update. So if the question is how many gallons of water will work with 20.5 pounds of grain in 15 gallon kettle full volume, the answer is 13. Now I could have been off on my water measurement a little, but I think this is fairly accurate. 20.5 pounds of grain and 13 gallons of water went to the very top edge of 15 gallon kettle. Stirring was a pita and that's not all I learned. Granted it's Friday night and I'm a little tired, but full volume in 15 gallon kettle was pleny challenging for my first run. Anybody who knows me, knows I'll Splash out the $90 for a 30 gallon Kettle if it remains this arduous. Mash went to top difficult to stir and also difficult to manage cheap under sized bags. A little grain floated over edge of bag before I realized I needed to hold full bag elevated w one hand and stirring with the other. Used collander to skim rogue grains. Normally plenty of space but not at full capacity w cheap bags. Gave er hell stirring and then clipped one bag per side with HD spring clips. Opened up later and gave it a good try again. More messy at end of mash. Pulled each bag one at a time and squeezed. Came to boil in 20 minutes. Had to watch would have boiled over. 60 % power kept solid boil. Water was close! 5 and 1/2 gallons in one and 5ish in the other. 3 hr 20 min. in dark start to completely finished.

Wth is up with white lab pouches. I like them, but first one when I cut on scissor line it squirted some out. Tried to cut higher on second but still lost a little. Good thing I sprayed them with starsan before opening but you never know, they were dirty little suckers. Also I am sure the remaining yeast are going to have to work harder. Any tips on cutting them appreciated.

 

[iijakii]

That's what you get for ignoring everyones advice about keeping a gallon or two in reserve so you can stir, lol.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

A little grain floated over edge of bag before I realized I needed to hold full bag elevated w one hand and stirring with the other.

Not sure why you're holding the bag to stir. I fitted my bag with a drawstring out of 1/2" webbing. The drawstring goes around the kettle beneath the rolled rim and gets binder clipped to the handle. The bag now lines the kettle and I ignore it when I stir the kettle.

According to my water calculator, a 10 gallon batch with 19 pounds of grain would bring my mash to just below kettle overflow of my 15 gallon kettle. I have never done a batch that big.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Reserve water as already mentioned, add to kettle to top out to rim, or conduct a pour over or batch sparge A proper bag and an inexpensive pulley and it would have been as easy as "shooting birds off the back fence"

 

[applescrap]

Not sure why you're holding the bag to stir. I fitted my bag with a drawstring out of 1/2" webbing. The drawstring goes around the kettle beneath the rolled rim and gets binder clipped to the handle. The bag now lines the kettle and I ignore it when I stir the kettle.

According to my water calculator, a 10 gallon batch with 19 pounds of grain would bring my mash to just below kettle overflow of my 15 gallon kettle. I have never done a batch that big.

Good question, I used 2 bags and neither fits around kettle. Not even half really. Its a 15g aluminum pot. I think its a little wider than normal brew pot. Even binder clipped on the edge the other edge would need held up to keep from floating. For 5 gallon batch this isnt a problem but working right at top of kettle was much tougher. 20.5 pounds of grain and 13 gallons of water went to the very top.

 

[applescrap]

That's what you get for ignoring everyones advice about keeping a gallon or two in reserve so you can stir, lol.

You are alive! How have you been? Lighten up a little. What I got was 10 gallons of beer brewed in 3 hours and 20 minutes at the cost of a little splashing around outside. I love Brewing outside. I think I would do it again. If I was going to reserve a little water I would do a dunk sparge but would also need another 5 gallon bucket. Really anything over 20 pounds of grain would need this. I see a 30 gallon pot in my future. Maybe even 40 and do 15 gallon batches and be done with it.

 

[applescrap]

Reserve water as already mentioned, add to kettle to top out to rim, or conduct a pour over or batch sparge A proper bag and an inexpensive pulley and the it would have been as easy as "shooting birds off the back fence"

I agree. Your tips are always solid. After the bag drains how much is left that could be squeezed out anyways? I do squeeze quite a bit out that being said.

 

[applescrap]

What the hell. One started fermenting after 24 hours and the other has yet to go. Every time I have used liquid yeast it started right away. That yeast was towards the end of its expiration date. I've never had a beer not start for before too long. It better start by today or I'm going to be pissed. Any thoughts? I know I pitched it at 70 degrees.

 

[BeerMe21]

I just did a 10gal biab in a keggle yesterday. I always use a little less water in the mash, then I will separate the grain into two fermentor buckets with grain bags while i start bringing the wort to a boil. Rinse them with enough 160* water to bring my boil volume to where it needs to be, after about 10min of soaking and stirring I pour the wort into the keggle. Later I add whatever else drained from the grains. My method is not exact, but it gives me pretty good results.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Maybe it's just a pet peeve of mine, using the same bucket for a mash and fermenter is not the best idea. A mash is not sanitary and it is best practice not to use a "cold side" vessel to handle "hot side" unsanitary grain and or mash.

Yes, I realize one would sanitize the bucket again prior to using as a fermenter, just feel it's worth mentioning.

Best to keep your fermenters as clean and sanitary as reasonably possible. Buckets are cheap, or use a retired fermenter.

Thanks

Ps besides my pet peeve, sounds like you have a solid simple process that works well for you. Nice work.