Kettle Size for Full Volume BIAB?

[TylerPrime]

Hey All,

So my wife got me something called the "Gigawort" as a gift. It's basically an electric brewing kettle (sort of like the Robo Brew/Grain Father). The only difference is that it's geared toward extract.

Since I am going 100% over to BIAB all-grain, I'd like to know if the 4.4 gallon max capacity of the Gigawort will be enough for me to BIAB 2.5 gallon batches? Considering I've yet to brew a single all-grain batch, I have no idea what grain bill to use to determine total water volume (maybe something like 5.5 lbs of grain?)

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone could give me insight as to whether or not I could do a full volume BIAB in the Gigawort?

Thanks!

 

[Coookies58]

I have used the gigawort to make 2.5 gallon batches all grain. Depending on your grain bill, you may need to do a small “pour over” sparge. I didn’t, but mine wasn’t a large grain bill. Otherwise,it’s the same as the robobrew just smaller.

 

[z-bob]

I'll preface this with I think you can. But if you can't, you can certainly do almost full-volume mashes.

 

[TylerPrime]

I'll preface this with I think you can. But if you can't, you can certainly do almost full-volume mashes.

Can I even do partial mashes? My knowledge base on all-grain brewing is practically 0.

 

[Coookies58]

Partial mash is also good. Most of my batches have been partial mash. I’m moving more into all grain now. Still plan to use the Gigawort.

 

[RM-MN]

Whether you can do full volume 2 1/2 gallon batches depends on the grain bill for the batch which then depends on the brewhouse efficiency which then depends on the quality of the milling of the grain. Now with that said, how finely will the grain be milled? To get the best efficiency the grain needs to be near flour (works with BIAB, won't work with a conventional mash tun) so all the starch gelatinizes and the sugars that are there after conversion can be extracted from the grain particles. It is possible to get efficiencies in the 80% plus range.

 

[Leezer]

I make full volume biab 2.5G batches in a four gallon kettle, double crushed grains. I’m making a chocolate stout this morning which is approx a 5.5pound grain bill. Pale ale grain bills are a bit smaller. Stout grain bills can be tight, I scoop out a little water and put it in a little covered pot while stirring in the grains, then add the water back. Don’t need to do that with the lighter beers. It’s been working out well for me.

 

[TylerPrime]

I make full volume biab 2.5G batches in a four gallon kettle, double crushed grains. I’m making a chocolate stout this morning which is approx a 5.5pound grain bill. Pale ale grain bills are a bit smaller. Stout grain bills can be tight, I scoop out a little water and put it in a little covered pot while stirring in the grains, then add the water back. Don’t need to do that with the lighter beers. It’s been working out well for me.

So if I get a mill and crush my grains, in theory, would that decrease the grain bill requirement? (Assuming it increases my efficiency)

 

[balrog]

Slightly, yes, the bill would be less if efficiency goes up, but 70-80% won't change the bill terribly much. 5# for a 1052 beer at 70%, 4.4# if 80% eff, roughly.
5#, w regular absorb values and 1g/hr boil off, requires 3.86 gal mash water and total vol will be about 4.34g
4.4#, using same numbers, requires 3.81 gal, total vol 4.25g.
(I like to use Priceless brewing calc)

 

[wilserbrewer]

A 4.5 gallon brew pot can do big things with a few work arounds such as sparging and topping up both during and after the boil.

Batch or dunk sparging your grain bag in a bucket of ambient temp water is pretty easy and will greatly increase your pre boil amount of wort. Topping up the kettle as you boil off, say for the first 1/2 of the boil will also help.

I’d guess you could get as far as 5 gallons mid gravity batch w a few “tricks”