BIAB Partial or full

[NewWestBrewer]

Hi All,

I am just getting into BIAB and am wondering what people's viewpoints are on doing partial boils (DeathBrewer's thread) or full boils. I only have a 5 gal pot so I am limited in amount of grain but if a recipe can fit in the pot is it preferable to do full boil? I should mention that I do 3 gal batches.

Colin

 

[mb82]

I have a 6 gal pot and do full boils of 3.25 gal batches. When I have 90 minute boils I do need to keep and eye out for boilovers but it can be done. Personally I like the batch size as it keeps me brewing more often and with different kinds of beer.

 

[SteveLikesBeer]

I follow https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/simple-bib-small-batch-method-146872/ and it worked quite well for me so far.

 

[Dovage]

I'm with mb82, do 3 gallon batches with full boil, you can get better eff. and can do more batches. I had been trying to do 5 gal., with 2, 5 gal. pots, but it was a pain. Plus I had to keep buying bottles for all the beer. I am now shrinking down to 3 gal. batches, to try and really make great beer, not just beer, which is where I was.

 

[sumone]

Its ok to do partial boils. All of my attempts except for one 3 gallon have been partials and they have turned out great! I'm going to switch to 3 gallon batches since I'm pretty much the only one of my friends that likes drinking "good" beer.

 

[Jayslay]

I just got into the partial mashing from kits. I do 4-6 lbs mash and add extracts and sugars during/after boil in a BIAB system 5 gallon aluminum pressure cooker. Lids more or less useless except for hastening boil with supervision. My post boil is like 12-13 litres so 3 gallon.. I'm keeping an eye on these threads for knowledge 'sorption

 

[smyrnaquince]

I have a 6 gal pot and do full boils of 3.25 gal batches. When I have 90 minute boils I do need to keep and eye out for boilovers but it can be done. Personally I like the batch size as it keeps me brewing more often and with different kinds of beer.

Me, too! 6-gallon pot, but I do half batches (2.5 gallons of finished beer). Full-volume (i.e., "pure") BIAB, no extra sparges or dilutions. Keeps everything simple, the way BIAB was initially envisioned to be.

 

[NewWestBrewer]

Thanks for all the replies. I am thinking of doing the full BIAB for my next brew. Maybe 5-6lbs of grains and 16-17 qts of water and off she goes....Love this hobby.

 

[sikkingj]

If your setup allows it - enough stove real estate - I would suggest getting a bigger pot. Remember buy one that can span two burners or go with a narrow pot.

Www.foodwarehouse.com has some pretty reasonable aluminum pots., I think 28-32 quarts (7-8 gallons) would do you right.

 

[happypanties]

Just a thought, maybe you could leave a 1/2 - 1 gallon out of the mash for sparging. That way you have more room in the pot for all the grain, but end up doing a full boil after the sparge.