BIAB question

[NevermoreBrew]

Is a 5 gallon and an 8 gallon pot big enough to do a 5 gallon Batch BIAB? I already have the 5 and am looking to buy an 8, should i get a 10 instead of the 8? Any Thoughts?

 

[CidahMastah]

8 is big enough.

For the 5 gallon pot you could do a modified "full boil". i.e. mash you BIAB as prescribed, but I would lean toward 1.25 quarts/lb h20/grain ratio and work with smaller beers (lower abv) to avoid having your grain bill overflowing your pot. By modified boil I mean, keep some water on your stove boiling and keep topping off to 5 gallons periodically. I used to do that with extract to keep a near full boil.

You will likely need 7 gallons for your full boil for AG (60 min boil), but I would consider getting a15 gal (60qt) if I were you, if you ever plan to do a 10 gallon batch. Once you nail down some recipes you like, you may want to do a 10 gallon batch to get double the yield with the same time. 60 qt brew pot is ideal for a 10g boil IMHO.

I am BIABing it and love it. Gonna hit 2 more batches this weekend.

 

[NevermoreBrew]

Why wouldn't i boil in my 8 gallon pot? or am i missing your point.

 

[CidahMastah]

my bad - you have an 8 gallon pot? I thought you said you were thinking of buying

Perhaps I have been drinking tooo much!

I would get a 10 over an 8 for boil over protection if you want to stay smaller. I think 15 is ideal if you want to go to 10 gallon batches at some point.

 

[gunner65]

Second the 15g if you can afford.

 

[NevermoreBrew]

I have the 5 and want to buy another pot so i can have one for the mash and another to heat the sparge water so i dont know whether to buy an 8 or a 10. I just found a 10 for a good price so Im probably just going to get that so i have more room for the future/bigger beers.

 

[gunner65]

I have the 5 and want to buy another pot so i can have one for the mash and another to heat the sparge water so i dont know whether to buy an 8 or a 10. I just found a 10 for a good price so Im probably just going to get that so i have more room for the future/bigger beers.

I do not know what your budget is but this is my recommendation.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXD94A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Seven]

For 5-gallon BIAB batches I'd recommend a 10-gal kettle at a minimum.

I brew 5-gal BIAB batches and my strike volume is close to 8-gals. With the grain and 8-gals of water, a 10-gal kettle is near full capacity when brewing big beers (OG 1.08+).

 

[gunner65]

For 5-gallon BIAB batches I'd recommend a 10-gal kettle at a minimum.

I brew 5-gal BIAB batches and my strike volume is close to 8-gals. With the grain and 8-gals of water, a 10-gal kettle is near full capacity when brewing big beers (OG 1.08+).

I just did a 1.052 beer 11 lbs of grain started with 8.5g ended with barely 5g.

 

[Seven]

I just did a 1.052 beer 11 lbs of grain started with 8.5g ended with barely 5g.

That's interesting. I brewed a Hopslam clone the other day that had 20.5 pounds of grain and 8-gals of water and I ended up with 6.5 gals of wort in the kettle after removing and squeezing the grain bag a bit. I made a note to remind myself that this is the most I can do with this 10-gal kettle. I had only 1-inch of clearance from the top of the kettle when mashing. OG for this batch was 1.092.

I'm happy with my 10-gal kettle for 5-gal BIAB but I agree with those who recommend getting a 15-gal kettle if possible... the extra capacity wouldn't hurt and it will give you greater flexibility for the future.

 

[jbrookeiv]

Buy the 15 gallon, it's worth it. If you can't afford stainless, check out aluminum. That's what I have and it works fine. I bought mine at Home Depot, $40 on clearance. It's a Blinkmann 60 qt pot.

 

[CidahMastah]

From my own research and experience, get the 15gallon if you want to ever do a 10 gallon batch, or a big grain bill beer. I wasn't sur when I got mine if I was going to crazy, but I am sure now. A 10 gallon would have been a waste of time, a pot to be replaced in a year or less.

 

[jbrookeiv]

From my own research and experience, get the 15gallon if you want to ever do a 10 gallon batch, or a big grain bill beer. I wasn't sur when I got mine if I was going to crazy, but I am sure now. A 10 gallon would have been a waste of time, a pot to be replaced in a year or less.

My thoughts exactly. I viewed this pot as a lifetime brewing investment. Adding a ball valve and dip tube to it next week, can't wait.

 

[CidahMastah]

My thoughts exactly. I viewed this pot as a lifetime brewing investment. Adding a ball valve and dip tube to it next week, can't wait.

+1 - why screw around with a limp pot, then spend more down the road. Get the one you will grow into.

 

[NevermoreBrew]

Thanks for the input guys. Just bought a 15 gallon kettle. It ended up only being an extra $45 bucks so i think the investment is worth it.

 

[CidahMastah]

Awesome - and congrats! You won't regret it.

Funny right, the price difference between a 15 gallon and a 30 gallon even.

I am brewing up a BIAB batch of obsidian stout in my 15 galloner right now, in my 45mins of the boil.

 

[jaginger]

Late to the party here, but a 10-gallon is the perfect size if you know you will do 5g BIAB batches forevermore. I have an 8g and it is a bit too small. If you can get a 1.092 OG batch with a 10g you're going to be fine.

Now for flexibility the 15g does make sense as you can brew 10g down the road.

 

[kevreh]

That's interesting. I brewed a Hopslam clone the other day that had 20.5 pounds of grain and 8-gals of water and I ended up with 6.5 gals of wort in the kettle after removing and squeezing the grain bag a bit. I made a note to remind myself that this is the most I can do with this 10-gal kettle. I had only 1-inch of clearance from the top of the kettle when mashing. OG for this batch was 1.092.

I'm happy with my 10-gal kettle for 5-gal BIAB but I agree with those who recommend getting a 15-gal kettle if possible... the extra capacity wouldn't hurt and it will give you greater flexibility for the future.

I know this is an old thread, but either way, your post got me thinking Seven. So you were able to do that (20.5 lbs grain and 8 gals of water) in just a 10 gal kettle?

I have an 8 gal kettle, and am looking at a maiden batch with ~11 lbs of grain and 7 gals of water. Will that all fit?

 

[divrguy]

I know this is an old thread, but either way, your post got me thinking Seven. So you were able to do that (20.5 lbs grain and 8 gals of water) in just a 10 gal kettle?

I have an 8 gal kettle, and am looking at a maiden batch with ~11 lbs of grain and 7 gals of water. Will that all fit?

Again, this is an old thread. That number (20 lbs grain) is hard to imagine without topping off. I would think that merely pulling out the grain bag and squeezing the heck out of the bag would net you less than 6 gallons of wort so that number doesn't seem right. Grain absorption would be about .1 gallons per pound so that's 2 gallons to 20 lbs.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I know this is an old thread, but either way, your post got me thinking Seven. So you were able to do that (20.5 lbs grain and 8 gals of water) in just a 10 gal kettle?

I have an 8 gal kettle, and am looking at a maiden batch with ~11 lbs of grain and 7 gals of water. Will that all fit?

using rackers can i mash it

http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

11 lbs of grain w/ 7 gal (2.545 qt/lb) yields 7.88 gal...so I guess you're good to go:rockin:

edit...even though the calculator says it will fit by a hair...I would start w/ 6.5 gallons, and add the remaining water once the grain was doughed in...mixing grain above the kettle rim is a messy hell...haha.

 

[orangemen5]

I have a 15 gallon SS pot I've been doing 5 gal extract brews in. Love the 15 gal pot. I'm looking to brew in a bag with a 5 gal paint strainer bag. I'm wondering how much these bags can hold max. I like to do large OG beers and I know hold a large grain bag to drain is a problem also.

 

[divrguy]

I have a 15 gallon SS pot I've been doing 5 gal extract brews in. Love the 15 gal pot. I'm looking to brew in a bag with a 5 gal paint strainer bag. I'm wondering how much these bags can hold max. I like to do large OG beers and I know hold a large grain bag to drain is a problem also.

Above your post is a guy... Wilserbrewer. He makes the best BIAB bags out there. Custom designed for whatever pot you have. Great quality, Great guy and well worth the very inexpensive price. I wouldn't do a very high gravity beer 5 gallon batch in a paint strainer because it won't fit and if you packed one to the gills, you wouldn't have anything to hold on to so you can drain it. Send him a PM and he will hook you up.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Above your post is a guy... Wilserbrewer. He makes the best BIAB bags out there. Custom designed for whatever pot you have. Great quality, Great guy and well worth the very inexpensive price. I wouldn't do a very high gravity beer 5 gallon batch in a paint strainer because it won't fit and if you packed one to the gills, you wouldn't have anything to hold on to so you can drain it. Send him a PM and he will hook you up.

Thanks for the kind words divrguy...glad you are happy w/ your BIAB bag.
Mike

 

[daksin]

I BIAB And have a 7.5 gallon pot for my turkey fryer and a separate 8 gallon pot. I mash/boil in the 7.5 because it fits the burner and do a batch sparge in the 8 gallon to increase my efficiency. Works great!