Minimum equipment for BiaB

[Beersnob16]

I am looking for a bare minimum equipment list for 5 gallon BiaB batches. I have been brewing extract kit and am looking to get into BaiB for more options on brewing different styles. I currently have a 5 gallon brew pot ( really only good for 4 gallons of water). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SteveLikesBeer]

Awesome!! Are you looking to get 5 gals of beer out of it per batch or ~5 gals before boil?

 

[Beersnob16]

I would like to get 5 gallons post boil.

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

you will need at least a 9 gallon pot as your grain bill, plus 7-7.5 gallons of water will be about an inch from the lip of your pot.

 

[dmashl]

I have done 5 gallon BIAB with a 5 gallon pot. I still do partial boil all grain in the same pot, just top off in the fermenter. For BIAB, you will need a paint strainer bag, a second pot of at least 2 gallons in size. mashing in a pot is tricky, you need a blanket of some sorts to keep the heat for the mash.
For the partial boil you will need to adjust your hop schedule to the boil volume(4 gallons). I use beersmith to help with my recipe formulations, settings set for my equipment I use.

 

[dmashl]

you could also look into partial mash brewing too. still have to use some extract, but more grain.

 

[cheesehed007]

Sorry to hijack, but I'm looking at moving to BIAB as well. Will a 10gal boil kettle be good for most 5gal batches? Thanks and cheers!

 

[Beersnob16]

Not a hijack at all, I was wondering the same thing but I'm not sure my stove will boil 6+ gallons of water, I know it will boil 4.5 no problem.

 

[cheesehed007]

I've got some Christmas bonus money to spend so I'm looking at getting a new kettle and a better burner. If I don't spend it soon I'll just piss it away on something silly, like bills or something.

 

[Beersnob16]

Brewing outside in the winter is kinda not an option for me, it like -18 right now.

 

[cheesehed007]

I do it in the garage. But with this weather I've had to put off brewing for the last couple of weeks. I'm sitting at +12 right now but it's headed south fast. Stay warm!

 

[nasty_rabbit]

I also BIAB in the garage in tropical Atlanta where it's a balmy 33f and an overnight low predicted for Sunday to hit 22f. But back on topic. I get by with a 10 gallon pot with a basket insert and bag that my wife sewed but the biggest grain bill that I have tried for a 5.5 gallon batch was about 15 pounds and it fits nicely. In the garage it's easier to lift the 15 lb. grain plus water absorption by using the basket and a well placed pulley. An old Coleman sleeping bag does wonders for insulation but any THICK blanket will do. The advantage to BIAB with respect to mash temps is that you can direct fire to heat the mash. Just remember to remove the combustibles from around the pot before lighting the flame.

 

[Riot]

You can do bigger batches if you don't do a full volume mash. Batch sparging in a bucket is easy, and let's you use almost twice as much grain.

 

[mtnagel]

Sorry to hijack, but I'm looking at moving to BIAB as well. Will a 10gal boil kettle be good for most 5gal batches? Thanks and cheers!

Yes it will. I've done up to a 17 lb grain bill in a 10 gal pot. It was up to the top, but it worked fine. You can also "sparge" if you can't quite fit it all and add more water after you pull the bag and before boiling.

 

[cheesehed007]

All great info fellow brewers. Thanks! Looks like I need to get me that 10gal pot. Cheers!

 

[erichsmith]

Helps me with my 45gal BIAB system I have. Worst thing I'll have is beer.