Thinking of trying BIAB, quick question

[cowboy3829]

Is it possible to do a 5 gallon BIAB batch with an 8 gallon brew kettle

 

[h22lude]

Yes. Some batches you may not be able to do full volume mash. You'd just need to hold some water back to do a sparge.

 

[cowboy3829]

I've only done extract so far. So to do the sparge, I would just pour the hot water over the bag of grains to get my wort to the correct level before the boil, am I correct?

 

[h22lude]

There are a few sparging methods. For BIAB, the easiest (IMO) is to calculate your strike water for the mash and the sparge water. While mashing, heat the sparge water in another pot to 170°. When the mash is done, put the grain bag in the sparge water and stir the grains. This will rinse the sugars off the grains. Take the bag out and squeeze the hell out of it to get as much wort as possible. Put all the wort into the boil kettle and start the boil.

You can pour the water over the bag while it is hanging over the boil kettle. I'm just not a huge fan of that method. I find dunking the bag to be easier.

You may find most of your batches won't need a sparge. It just depends on the total volume of water plus grains.

 

[MidAtlanticBrew]

I'm assuming your successful in boiling your extract brews in your 8 gallon pot. If your trying to yield 5 gallons after fermentation that seems tough to do in a 8 gallon pot since you might start the boil with 6.5 to 7 gallons. Anyway this product helps prevent boil overs ...... Fermcap-S

 

[kh54s10]

For a 5.25 gallon boil I need to have 7.3 gallons preboil. That is with my 10 gallon pots. It will vary a little based on pot geometry and more for how vigorous your boil is. So your 8 gallon pot is going to be pretty full. You will have to watch pretty carefully to avoid a boil over.

For collecting the right amount of wort, h22lude covered the sparge techniques.

More complicated would be doing a BIAB that could take some top up water.

 

[wilserbrewer]

8 gal pot is doable, may be a little tight. You may fall short by a couple few pints but that's what learning is about.

Fwiw, you can gently and slowly pour sparge water over and through the bag....even a cold water sparge is as effective.

Dunk sparging in another vessel may be a bit more efficient, but I find it more labor.

 

[bajaedition]

I use a 8 gallon kettle, you will be fine

High gravity beers can push it a bit but most beers it is a non issue

 

[RM-MN]

There are a few sparging methods. For BIAB, the easiest (IMO) is to calculate your strike water for the mash and the sparge water. While mashing, heat the sparge water in another pot to 170°. When the mash is done, put the grain bag in the sparge water and stir the grains. This will rinse the sugars off the grains. Take the bag out and squeeze the hell out of it to get as much wort as possible. Put all the wort into the boil kettle and start the boil.

You can pour the water over the bag while it is hanging over the boil kettle. I'm just not a huge fan of that method. I find dunking the bag to be easier.

You may find most of your batches won't need a sparge. It just depends on the total volume of water plus grains.

You don't even need to heat the water for sparge. Cool water will get you nearly the same extraction of sugars.

I make smaller batches in an even smaller pot and had to really watch for boil over so I quit adding the sparge water until after the boil started and the foam subsided. That took longer as the sparge water would stop the boil for a bit and I would get a little foam again when the boil restarted but it wouldn't boil over. Since then I have started using a whisk to break up the foam and I haven't had a boil over even when the wort is less than an inch from the rim.

 

[20grit]

You don't even need to heat the water for sparge. Cool water will get you nearly the same extraction of sugars.

I make smaller batches in an even smaller pot and had to really watch for boil over so I quit adding the sparge water until after the boil started and the foam subsided. That took longer as the sparge water would stop the boil for a bit and I would get a little foam again when the boil restarted but it wouldn't boil over. Since then I have started using a whisk to break up the foam and I haven't had a boil over even when the wort is less than an inch from the rim.

In an effort to shorten brew days, I'd always recommend heating it. The cooler water will extract just fine, but then you drop your temp when it goes into the rest of the wort. It's easier to just have both be warm and save oneself time. The sparge water can be heated while the mash is going. But if you add it cold to the boil, you're just extending brew day.

 

[RM-MN]

In an effort to shorten brew days, I'd always recommend heating it. The cooler water will extract just fine, but then you drop your temp when it goes into the rest of the wort. It's easier to just have both be warm and save oneself time. The sparge water can be heated while the mash is going. But if you add it cold to the boil, you're just extending brew day.

Good point but that presumes that one has a second heater. Some people brew outside on a single burner and would need to go inside to heat the water and then bring it out.

 

[h22lude]

In an effort to shorten brew days, I'd always recommend heating it. The cooler water will extract just fine, but then you drop your temp when it goes into the rest of the wort. It's easier to just have both be warm and save oneself time. The sparge water can be heated while the mash is going. But if you add it cold to the boil, you're just extending brew day.

That's a good point. If nothing else, preheating the sparge water will make the wort come to boil quicker.

I agree cold water will work, I'd just think hot water will work a little better. Maybe not be a big difference but it is something. Think about dissolving sugar. It is quicker the hotter the water. I know dissolving sugar is different than rinsing sugar from grain but I'd think the sugar would rinse off quicker with hotter water.

 

[cwwillmon]

SO if I have a smaller pot could I split the boil in half along with all the ingredients? Then add all to the fermentor??

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Yes, you can hold or keep adding your sparge water to the boil or top off the fermentor before taking your OG.

 

[PrairieDawg]

I do 5 gallon BIAB in an 8 gallon pot.
Usually 6.25 gallons of water to mash in. Can do a 12 lb grain bill no problem.
Pull the bag and let it drip. Do a quick dunk sparge and use that to to get my preboil volume back up to 6.5 gallons.
Watch closely till it gets up to boiling.

 

[RM-MN]

I do 5 gallon BIAB in an 8 gallon pot.
Usually 6.25 gallons of water to mash in. Can do a 12 lb grain bill no problem.
Pull the bag and let it drip. Do a quick dunk sparge and use that to to get my preboil volume back up to 6.5 gallons.
Watch closely till it gets up to boiling.

I've learned to let the initial wort come to a boil first, then add the sparge. It slows the total boil down but it lets the foam subside so I don't have to worry so much about boil-overs.