BIAB with 30qt and 20qt

[markstache]

Hello,

I'd like to start all grain using my 30qt and 20qt pots. I was thinking I could mash in one pot and rinse/sparge in the other. I'd like to get some feedback for what size batches I could construct. Also, should I mash in the smaller or larger pot?

Thanks!

 

[C-Rider]

Hello,

I'd like to start all grain using my 30qt and 20qt pots. I was thinking I could mash in one pot and rinse/sparge in the other. I'd like to get some feedback for what size batches I could construct. Also, should I mash in the smaller or larger pot?

Thanks!

Iguess you could do 5 gallon in the 30 qt pot or 3 or smaller in the 5 gallon pot. No need to sparge when BIAB. Mash in which ever matches the size you are doing.

 

[SPR-GRN]

I do AG on the stove top with a 30 qt and 20qt pot.

For up to 14lbs of grain I'll mash entirely in the 30qt.
Dunk sparge in the 20qt to get to my desired boil volume.
Boil across both vessels if I do full volume boil, or boil in the 30qt if I'm doing partial boil - note my boil off rate is ridiculous because of the two vessels.

for high gravity stuff I'll split the mash across the two pots, it's a little more work, but again it's worth it for AG; typically I do not sparge when I split the mash, if I do, I'll do a "pour over sparge". Boil full volume (unless doing pour over sparge).

It's kinda a PITA on the stove top but I wanted AG batches without going outside so that's where I am until I build my 20gal E-HERMS kettles and mash tun to do 10 gallon batches in the basement.

hope that helps; happy brewing.

oh yeah - for AG I do 90min mash.

 

[markstache]

Thanks for the responses. While I could do it all in one pot, it seems like a very minimal complication to heat the 20qt on an additional burner on the stove. One good point is that I should nail down my boil off rate for the two vessels, so I can factor that it.

 

[markstache]

Using Brewtoad to design an American wheat, I actually mashed in the small (using 2.5 gal) and dunk sparged in the large (3.75 gal). I then combined the two and boiled. I'd say it worked well (pre-boil and original gravity were spot on). Hopefully the beer reflects this hope.

In the future I see options for tuning the mash density by adjusting the water used in the mash vs. sparge/boil. I can imagine that certain styles would benefit from more or less dense mash. Not a variable I intend to focus on now, of course.