Grain Brewing in 5 Gal Kettle for a 5 Gal Batch?

[TEWNCfarms]

So can I not just do a 3 gallon or 2.5 gallon brew with all grains and then just add cold water to top off to 5 gallons like I’m doing right now with my Extract kit?

 

[TEWNCfarms]

So I bought two Extract kits and then decided to buy an All Grain kit to see what I can do with it in my 5 gallon kettle. My first batch didn’t ever really have a hot break, I guess the stove top wasn’t powerful enough. It just eventually was boiling, I also stirred it regularly so maybe that helped.

So my question is how should I tackle the All Grain in 5 gallon kettle? I guess I still don’t understand how if I just put all the grains in the pot and boil and then Add the rest of the water won’t work?

Boil 3.5gl then add 1.5-2gl of cold water to the wort after boiling.

Why wouldn’t this work? This is my plan for doing the all grain. The only other option I have is the 7.5 gallon but even then that’s “not enough” as instructions state which say to use 10 gallon pot. If I’m to use 7.5 gl pot what should I do? And what’s the real point of “sparge” water, why can’t I just use cold water?

 

[TEWNCfarms]

Also I’m going to do BIAB so I don’t be have to have the filter in the bottom of the mash tun or kettle or whatever it is. I’m trying to Only use a 5 gallon SS or use that And my 7.5 gallon AL pot, I don’t have the money to buy even more equipment.

 

[RM-MN]

So if I use the Al pot with the stand alone burner I Need to do it outside right? And if so I don’t have a patio or anything I just have a sidewalk that extends out my back porch. Is there risk of me contaminating my batch by brewing outside and bringing inside? How exactly should I go about brewing outside, because I’m basically surrounded by dirt...

You need to do the stand alone burner outside to avoid the chance of death due to carbon monoxide poisoning. While the chance is small it is real and final. Brewing outside is great if the weather cooperates. There is much more bacteria in the air inside your house than outside. Sunlight kills a lot of bacteria.

So can I not just do a 3 gallon or 2.5 gallon brew with all grains and then just add cold water to top off to 5 gallons like I’m doing right now with my Extract kit?

You can make the concentrated wort and then top it off but the efficiency goes down with the larger grain bill per unit of water so you need more grain which then makes the efficiency go down so you need more grain....You do see where this is going, don't you. It can be done but it isn't easy.

So I bought two Extract kits and then decided to buy an All Grain kit to see what I can do with it in my 5 gallon kettle. My first batch didn’t ever really have a hot break, I guess the stove top wasn’t powerful enough. It just eventually was boiling, I also stirred it regularly so maybe that helped.

Your extract batch didn't have much foam/hot break because the foam and hot break mostly happened in the process of making the extract. It will be different with all grain.

 

[Soulshine2]

is this possible? Just bought the deluxe kit from more beer and it’s a 5 gallon kettle, will I be able to brew 5 gallon batches with Grain or am I limited to DME 5 gallon batches or small Grain batches like 3 gallon?

do yourself a favor and buy a 10 gallon kettle. You can use the 5 gallon for your strike and sparge water, boil in the 10.

 

[Soulshine2]

So I bought two Extract kits and then decided to buy an All Grain kit to see what I can do with it in my 5 gallon kettle. My first batch didn’t ever really have a hot break, I guess the stove top wasn’t powerful enough. It just eventually was boiling, I also stirred it regularly so maybe that helped.

So my question is how should I tackle the All Grain in 5 gallon kettle? I guess I still don’t understand how if I just put all the grains in the pot and boil and then Add the rest of the water won’t work?

Boil 3.5gl then add 1.5-2gl of cold water to the wort after boiling.

Why wouldn’t this work? This is my plan for doing the all grain. The only other option I have is the 7.5 gallon but even then that’s “not enough” as instructions state which say to use 10 gallon pot. If I’m to use 7.5 gl pot what should I do? And what’s the real point of “sparge” water, why can’t I just use cold water?

you can sparge with cold water.. It has been done and said to have slim to no effect on efficiency. I still prefer to use hot water to batch sparge . Old habits die hard.
The problem youre going to have is that the grains absorb a lot of water and take up space. For a 5 gallon pot ,adding the grains plus absorption and boiling head space, you'll be lucky to have 3 gallons of wort in the end. I started out with an 8 gallon pot to make 5 and 6 gallon batches. I made it work , but, had a few boil overs and just recently bought a 10 gallon kettle for my boil.

 

[TEWNCfarms]

You need to do the stand alone burner outside to avoid the chance of death due to carbon monoxide poisoning. While the chance is small it is real and final. Brewing outside is great if the weather cooperates. There is much more bacteria in the air inside your house than outside. Sunlight kills a lot of bacteria.



You can make the concentrated wort and then top it off but the efficiency goes down with the larger grain bill per unit of water so you need more grain which then makes the efficiency go down so you need more grain....You do see where this is going, don't you. It can be done but it isn't easy.



Your extract batch didn't have much foam/hot break because the foam and hot break mostly happened in the process of making the extract. It will be different with all grain.

Haha yeah I see where it’s going. I spent hours last night trying to understand all grain brewing and sparging haha thankfully it finally clicked... to a degree. And gotcha I was wondering why I didn’t have any foam.

 

[TEWNCfarms]

you can sparge with cold water.. It has been done and said to have slim to no effect on efficiency. I still prefer to use hot water to batch sparge . Old habits die hard.
The problem youre going to have is that the grains absorb a lot of water and take up space. For a 5 gallon pot ,adding the grains plus absorption and boiling head space, you'll be lucky to have 3 gallons of wort in the end. I started out with an 8 gallon pot to make 5 and 6 gallon batches. I made it work , but, had a few boil overs and just recently bought a 10 gallon kettle for my boil.

Yeah I finally understand Why it won’t work, I appreciate everyone’s help. I just can’t buy a bigger kettle, don’t have the money or area to do it. Maybe in a year I’ll upgrade to an electric mash/kettle to do full 5 gl batches in one, but for now I’ve got to make what I have work.

So that being said, I think I’m just going to split the 5 gallon recipe into 2, and put half in each kettle. Then just blend in fermenter after cooling. This way I can keep it all in my kitchen and on my stove, and can just cool it in my sink instead of wasting lots of water in chiller or ice in tub.

 

[Soulshine2]

Yeah I finally understand Why it won’t work, I appreciate everyone’s help. I just can’t buy a bigger kettle, don’t have the money or area to do it. Maybe in a year I’ll upgrade to an electric mash/kettle to do full 5 gl batches in one, but for now I’ve got to make what I have work.

So that being said, I think I’m just going to split the 5 gallon recipe into 2, and put half in each kettle. Then just blend in fermenter after cooling. This way I can keep it all in my kitchen and on my stove, and can just cool it in my sink instead of wasting lots of water in chiller or ice in tub.

just be careful handling a pot of boiling water to the sink. 3rd degrees burns arent part of the brewing process. if you can , invest in an inexpensive pond pump. the size that goes for one of those small plastic yard ponds. doesnt have to be big, just move water . Fit into a 5 gallon bucket and covered in ice water it'll work your chiller. just keep 2-3 bags (10 lb)of ice handy for brew day.

 

[TEWNCfarms]

just be careful handling a pot of boiling water to the sink. 3rd degrees burns arent part of the brewing process. if you can , invest in an inexpensive pond pump. the size that goes for one of those small plastic yard ponds. doesnt have to be big, just move water . Fit into a 5 gallon bucket and covered in ice water it'll work your chiller. just keep 2-3 bags (10 lb)of ice handy for brew day.

Haha yeah I definitely know that, I actually almost cut half of my thumb off a couple months ago, thank GOD it didn’t go through and I was able to piece it back together and didn’t need stitches! I cook for a living, and make 5.5-6 Gallons of soup a multiple times a week, and pour those boiling bastards into other containers. I still will Always be cautious, but thankfully carrying and dumping 2.5-3 gallons is not nearly as daunting as a the soups. And honestly I was very surprised how quickly I cooled the wort down to 130, it cooled down to like 110 before I could bat an eye, it probably only took me 10 minutes at most, granted I’m sure I’d need to cool it down more for AG BIAB, that was Extract.