Want to start BIAB! Questions

[astacey1403]

Hello friends

I have been wanting to get into BIAB and away from extract. I have a 6 gallon kettle and just picked up a 3 gallon carboy. Do I need a larger kettle?
Can I do a 3 gallon batch with the kettle I have? For those of you that have moved from extract to BIAB is there a quality difference? what would be a good recipe to Start with? What is a typical grain to water ratio?

I am fairly new to brewing as I just got done priming my third batch of the year. any other advice on BIAB would be great.

Thanks for your time.

 

[slym2none]

When I was brewing, I made 2.5G batches in a 5-gallon kettle. I still needed to sparge every time (well, I had to add water, so why not rinse the grains, right?) so I would say go for a 10G pot. You can do it in a 6G, but only if you don't mind extra steps in your process.

 

[NeoBrew]

You should be able to get by with a pot double your batch size. I was doing 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon pot.

You can do any recipe with BIAB. Do one you are familiar with as an extract. That way you can compare. It might also simplify your day. Once you finish mashing and move on to the boil it is the same as a full boil extract process.

 

[dstockwell]

I use a 7.5G kettle to do 3.25G batches. Yesterday brew I used 9.4lbs of grain and had about and inch of room left (wilserbag). Don't think you can do a 3G batch in a 3G carboy, not much room for fermentation. On the other hand you could do 2.5G batches with the kettle and carboy you have and be safe, maybe even squeeze just a little more..

 

[Cyclman]

+1 on 2.5G batches in a 3G carboy, that's what I do for my experimental brews.

 

[CKelly]

I've done four 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon kettle now and haven't had any issues. And two of those four have been 7% ABV or higher. I've never even come close to any overflow in my kettle. Just be aware of a hot break and everything and you should be totally fine with a 6 gallon kettle