Contemplating moving to all grain

[Prymal]

I have 5 extract batches under my belt over the last 3 months and I am ready to try my hand at all grain. I don't really want to buy any new equipment until I have a grasp of the technique, so I am thinking about doing a few Mini-BIAB brews before investing in a large brew pot, cooler mash tun, and propane burner. My current pot is 4 gallons so I am thinking about shooting for 3 gallons of wort to boil with an expected final volume of 2.5 gallons. My question is, is it really worth it to make such small batches? Does anyone have advise for going down the BIAB router rather then the typical mash sparge method?

 

[codyjp]

I'm in the exact same boat. I'm going to upgrade to a bigger kettle and go BIAB.

 

[Germelli1]

It is extremely worth it to make smaller batches...especially if you are experimenting with a new process!

All grain brewing takes time to build equipment, but I had a blast doing it. I bought a 7 gallon cooler on sale for $15 at CVS of all places, build a CVPC mainfold, gasket and valve as my MLT. My bottling bucket serves as my HLT. Propane burner and 7.5 gal pot from an unused turkey fryer kit on craigslist for $30.

Bottling bucket on tool bench, mash tun on a stool and burner on ground. "3 tier" all grain set up for under $75.

The 7 gal tun serves great for most beers, and if I want a bigger grain bill, I either drop the batch size to 4 gallons, split the mash with BIAB, or add extract to boil!

However I have since added a grain mill as a birthday gift!

 

[TopherM]

I do BIAB in a keggle, and I find that MOST full volume BIAB grain bills call for about 8-9 gallons of water for the mash. You could technically mash in 1/2 of that water and sparge with the other 1/2, but I don't think you are going to be able to do much more than about a 2 gallon batch in a 4 gallon pot. Remember that the grain is going to displace quite a bit of water, so you can't put 3 gallons of water AND 6-8 pounds of grain in a 4 gallon pot. More like 2 gallons of water, maybe even less. I honestly don't even think it is worth it. Save up for the bigger pot and do the simple BIAB method without having to modify it several different ways.

In my opinion, a 15 gallon pot is the perfect size for full volume 5 gallon BIAB batches. If you think you might want to do 10 gallon batches in the future, go ahead and get a 20 gallon pot.

 

[CidahMastah]

I personally think smaller than 5g batches, unless they are really unique strange untested recipes, are a waste of time. If you decide you want to make a eggplant and garlic stout - suggest you brew a small batch...

When you start looking into AG, I suggest you start asking yourself if you ever want to brew 10G batches. If yes, even if that might be in a year or two, get a 15gallon pot at a minimum, 15gal mashtun. I currently do 11G batches all the time, use a 15G BK and MT. I really wish I had a 20 or 25G BK. Otherwise, 15g works for even 40lbs grain bills in a 15G MT.

To start, get your bigger pot, then go BIAB for a few batches - you only have the cost of one bigger pot.

I think you will find AG to be much easier than your thought. Single infusing batch sparing is the way to go. Good luck.

 

[chask31]

If you are not positive you will stick with all grain then proceed as planned without getting any new equipment. Once you are sure you wanna continue then upgrade your brewery! All grain is great

 

[Prymal]

I have a 48 quart cooler that I am thinking about using as a quasi Mash tun/BIAB tool. I'll mash in the cooler with the grain in a bag then pour the wort into the kettle to start the boil. Has anyone used this method before?

 

[SailorTodd]

I have a 48 quart cooler that I am thinking about using as a quasi Mash tun/BIAB tool. I'll mash in the cooler with the grain in a bag then pour the wort into the kettle to start the boil. Has anyone used this method before?

I've heard once about that being done. Can't really say how well it worked or anything, but I imagine it can't be too different than doing BIAB in a kettle. Do you intend to sparge, or do a true aussie style BIAB with the full volume of water for mash?

It's not too much more work to convert the cooler to a true mash tun if you intend to batch sparge. I got a $12 bazooka screen from my LHBS, got some tubing, a stopper like you'd use for an airlock to run the hose through from the cooler, a ball valve and that was about it. I can take the bazooka screen out and use the cooler as a cooler when needed, it just looks a little goofy with the ball valve. Even better, if it really came to it, I could convert it back if I needed, having saved the original spigot from the cooler. To make the mash tun itself was about $30 for the bazooka screen and parts from home depot; my big expense came from getting the banjo burner and a bigger stock pot for full volume boils, along with immersion cooler to cool the mess down (altogether $150 on amazon for a 35qt SS pot on sale, the burner and immersion cooler). But maybe you have other reasons for going the bag route, so I won't preach more than that. I did my first AG batch this weekend and it was fun, worked really well, and after a couple more I'll have a rhythm down that'll make it a smooth, quicker process.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have a 48 quart cooler that I am thinking about using as a quasi Mash tun/BIAB tool. I'll mash in the cooler with the grain in a bag then pour the wort into the kettle to start the boil. Has anyone used this method before?

Sure you can do a BIAB mash in a cooler, but you are adding a step. Most people just wrap the kettle in blankets. Bigger batches have an advantage of maintaining heat.

 

[CidahMastah]

If you are going to do biab in a cooler, you might just as well spend 40-60 bucks and convert the cooler the a MT (IMO). You can always take the fittings out of the cooler later.

I have met a lot of brewers that are young and old, new and experienced. If you like brewing, and don;t see yourself stopping any time soon, the natural progression is to move to AG. Of the people I personally know who have made the switch, not one of them has gone backwards. Almost everyone had the "aha!" moment and realized if you get some brewing software, an AG mash is pretty darn straight forward.

Even if you go back to extract, a 15g pot will still be invaluable.

You will save money in the log term on your brewing. Right now my batches cost me (Grain and Hops) from .14 - .36 a pint for simple hefes to hoppy high abv IPAs.

 

[Prymal]

Thanks for the advice guys. I am trying to track down a user keg for under $50, if i can then I wont worry about the cooler. I want to be able to do full volume BIAB so my 4 gallon pot wont really cut it for mashing.

 

[CidahMastah]

Thanks for the advice guys. I am trying to track down a user keg for under $50, if i can then I wont worry about the cooler. I want to be able to do full volume BIAB so my 4 gallon pot wont really cut it for mashing.

Now you are on the right track. At a minimum, you need a big pot, and something to boil it on.