Going All-Grain

[eric19312]

Do any of you purchase these to filter out after boil? Have been reading a lot about them clogging. Ready to pull the trigger on a 16 gallon kettle, but want to make sure I have everything I need.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ISY2DC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I don't use that. I only use pellet hops in my kettle and they swim free. I am playing with Norcal's hop blocker to try to gather them back up post boil but really I've not had any issue just sending them into the fermenter along with the wort.

I am pretty careful with my measurements. I use a sight glass on both my boil kettle and HLT. Got the weldless one from Bobby M. If you know your gravity and volume going into the boil kettle it is easy to calculate the boil off needed to hit target gravity. Having the site glass give me accuracy to about 1/10 of a gallon in my 15 gallon kettle.

 

[bleme]

Do any of you purchase these to filter out after boil? Have been reading a lot about them clogging. Ready to pull the trigger on a 16 gallon kettle, but want to make sure I have everything I need.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ISY2DC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I usually send everything to the fermentor and let it sort it out unless I know I am going to want to harvest the yeast. Then I will put a paint strainer bag in my fermentor, pour in the wort and pull out the bag.

 

[JasenRendon]

Some issues you may run into doing a 5 gallon BIAB in a 20 gallon pot would be boil off and cooling the wort. You would have more liquid surface for evaporation to happen. Also, if using a wort chiller, it may not submerge all the way into the liquid in a 20 gallon pot. I use a 10 gallon pot for 5 gallon BIAB batches. This is the pot i purchased. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PZBEKE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20.
Yes, it is aluminum and inexpensive, but not cheaply made. I heat mash water on stove and boil on propane burner. You can always upgrade bigger down the road, but it sure might be hard to scale back when you are stuck with a 20 gallon pot, only making 5 gallon batches

I think I'll be purchasing the 15 gallon one. Any advice on using and care for it? I have read to boil water before using? Is this every time? Or just the first time?

 

[bleme]

I think I'll be purchasing the 15 gallon one. Any advice on using and care for it? I have read to boil water before using? Is this every time? Or just the first time?

Just the first time. If all you need is to create the oxide layer, you can just put a couple gallons in, put on the lid, and boil for 30 minutes or so. The steam oxidizes just fine.

If you are wanting to find your boil off rate, you want to start off with about 7 gallons and measure how much is left after 30 minutes, then double to figure for an hour.

 

[JasenRendon]

Just the first time. If all you need is to create the oxide layer, you can just put a couple gallons in, put on the lid, and boil for 30 minutes or so. The steam oxidizes just fine.



If you are wanting to find your boil off rate, you want to start off with about 7 gallons and measure how much is left after 30 minutes, then double to figure for an hour.

Thank you! Will be sure to do that.

 

[bbrodka]

Have you considered The Grainfather - Electric All Grain Brewing System (120V)?

or better yet,

A Grainfather With the New Connect Controller?

 

[k1ngl1ves]

looks perfect, ordering that soon! Also, good idea for measuring water. I'll probably end up doing that as well.

Before you get into buying more equipment, I'd recommend buying a cheap paint strainer bag (from Ace Hardware) and giving biab a go with the equipment you already have. See if that's what you want to do before buying a bigger vessel. I'm not a fan. It doesn't suit my "hobby needs". Lol!




I use a round 10g cooler for a tun, and I frequently make 10g batches. I ditched the false bottom and use a big bag in the cooler. Never happier, and it's somewhat similar to biab. Like a hybrid I guess. Plus, I can get more grain in there and mill finer... and hit a higher efficiency and abv. Just dump the bag when done, turn it inside out and spray it down with the hose or in a slop sink. Takes an extra 2 minutes, and way less time than removing a false bottom to clean.


Again, try some different methods with your equipment now before you sink more money into gear you later on may not want or need.

 

[JasenRendon]

Before you get into buying more equipment, I'd recommend buying a cheap paint strainer bag (from Ace Hardware) and giving biab a go with the equipment you already have. See if that's what you want to do before buying a bigger vessel. I'm not a fan. It doesn't suit my "hobby needs". Lol!









I use a round 10g cooler for a tun, and I frequently make 10g batches. I ditched the false bottom and use a big bag in the cooler. Never happier, and it's somewhat similar to biab. Like a hybrid I guess. Plus, I can get more grain in there and mill finer... and hit a higher efficiency and abv. Just dump the bag when done, turn it inside out and spray it down with the hose or in a slop sink. Takes an extra 2 minutes, and way less time than removing a false bottom to clean.





Again, try some different methods with your equipment now before you sink more money into gear you later on may not want or need.

I agree, but I think I might as well start with a bigger kettle. The one I currently have is just enough to do 2.5 gallon partial mashes. Would like to start doing full boils and seeing if I have any improvements.