20 Gallon Kettle - Too Large?

[HBKidJr]

Going to be doing my first BIAB this weekend. I've purchased a new kettle and a straining basket, got my bags, and I'm ready to go. I've been looking around though and I'm starting to question my choice in kettle size.

I wanted to go big so I could brew some high gravity beers occasionally, but now I'm starting to wonder if that was a mistake. I'll be brewing my "light beer" by request this weekend, and doing my calculations, I'm only going to have about 5-6 inches of water in the pot. Is this a bad thing? Should I have gone with a 15 gallon pot?

 

[CGish]

Is your system gas or electric?

As long as you are not working around a minimum depth to cover an electric heating element, you will be fine.

However, keeping your mash at the proper temperature will probably be a challenge ...

Good Luck,
Cody

 

[MaxStout]

You'll have more boiloff, due to the larger surface area of liquid. Make adjustments to allow for that.

Having 5 more gallons of headspace above the mash won't affect mash temps much if you keep the lid on and cover it well with an old blanket or sleeping bag. That airspace stays plenty hot. Most of the heat loss is via conduction through the metal sides. The conversion is mostly finished in the first 20 minutes or so anyway.

I have a Concord 20 gal BK and lose about 1F in the first 20 minutes without covering at all. If you're concerned, apply low heat from time to time and stir well.

 

[solbes]

Boiling and chilling would be my 2 concerns. I had a 7 gallon aluminum and went to a 15 gallon stainless (5 mm thick bottom). My propane hurricane burner now just barely heats my 7 gallons of wort to make 5.75 gallon batches. I have to leave the cover partially on during the boil. However I have now gone big and have the big boy BG-14 burner that I hope to try out on Sunday on a larger batch.

Chilling can also be a little different because some of your coils may now be above the wort. If you have a fat chiller instead of a taller skinny chiller, this will not be an issue.

 

[wilserbrewer]

When and if you do 10 gallon batches, your 20 gallon kettle will be the perfect size. If you will be doing 5 gallon batches, I think the 20 gal kettle will work, but be inconveniently large.

 

[HBKidJr]

Thanks for the replies guys. Went ahead and brewed Saturday with my big kettle. Worked out pretty flawlessly. Honestly, it even seemed easier than when I was doing extract kits and made me feel like I forgot something.

Used a BIAB calculator, estimated 1.75 gallons of evap instead of the 1.25 default in the calc and it came out pretty much exactly that. Ended up putting 6 even gallons into the fermenter from 8.5 starting amount.

Only had two hitches: I forgot to make a starter and we ended up drinking a bit more than I expected and forgot to take my OG.

Fermentation took off big time after about 12 hours and I had to put a blow off on it last night. Blaming that part on the increased volume though.

So this is all grain? Well. That was much easier than I thought. Wish I'd have done that when I started brewing.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I have a 20 and a 25 and the 20 works best for 5 - 12 gallon batches, and will work for 5's perfectly just remember the boil off rate is higher, my 25 is too big around and boils off too much

 

[wilserbrewer]

So this is all grain? Well. That was much easier than I thought. Wish I'd have done that when I started brewing.

After a couple batches, it will be even easier. Yes, it is much easier to brew AG, then it is reading about brewing all grain.

I wouldn't sweat the lack of OG, you'll get beer, just enjoy it. The lack of a starter seems somewhat insignificant if you had active fermentation that quickly, unless you pitched warm? Your pitch temp was?


Welcome aboard the easy train.
Cheers!