1st AG Brew...questions

[Will_the-new-brewer]

I am still fairly new to homebrewing (doing my 4th extract brew this weekend), but I think I want to give AG a try after that. In preparation for it, I think I have found my first problem--I only have a 5g kettle. I think I remember reading that I will need 6 to 6.5 gallons of wort to account for boil off (for 5g batch). Clearly, that is not going to fit in a 5g kettle.

I am sure this is the first of a few questions I will have...Will I have to go buy another kettle?

 

[doug293cz]

You could make smaller than 5 gallon batches. A 5 gal kettle should allow you to make 2 - 2.5 gal AG batches using the BIAB (brew in a bag) method. If you want to make 5 gal batches, yes you need a bigger pot. I do 5 gal BIAB in a 15 gal pot, and I have done a 10 gal batch in the same pot, but did need to sparge a little.

Brew on

 

[shoengine]

Not if you do 2.5 gal batches.

edit: ninja'd!

 

[kh54s10]

It really depends on your setup. My propane burner/pot combo boils off 2 gallons an hour which is somewhat on the high side. The burner sputters if I turn it too low. So I need 7.25 gallons pre-boil to end up with just over 5 gallons into the fermenter. I tried a 7.5 gallon pot once but you really have to work to keep it from boiling over. Many use an 8.5 gallon pot. I would recommend a 10 gallon pot. If you want to do big BIAB beers with a full boil you will need an even bigger pot.

 

[Home_alone1]

You could do 3 gallon batches

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

Thanks for the input...I think I will end up doing 2 2.5g batches. I was a little jumpy and bought all the ingredients before assessing my equipment. I will end up splitting the recipe in half--which will give me an extra opportunity to fine-tune my AG process.