Help with BIAB equipment

Vent, Rant, Chat or just talk about whatever is on your mind! Keep it civil though!

Moderators: BlackDuck, Beer-lord, LouieMacGoo, philm00x, gwcr

Post Reply
Scoper50
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:18 pm

Help with BIAB equipment

Post by Scoper50 »

Hey guys, I'm looking to dive into all grain brewing pretty soon and I think I want to start with BIAB. But I'm confused about the equipment I need. Specifically the pot. What size pot do I need for 5 gallon batches? What about a 3 gallon batch? Also, I have an extra large burner on my gas range that I have been using for my extract batches. I can get 5 gallons of wort boiling on it with no problem. So do I need to get a propane burner or can I just use that?
User avatar
Inkleg
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 4582
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 5:44 pm
Location: Lilburn, GA

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by Inkleg »

Cool! I started BIAB and haven't left. Minimum 8 gallon kettle and 10 would be even better. Know that any size kettle you settle on will always be able to do smaller batches.

I went with a 15 gallon kettle for a few reasons. One was that with normal 6 gallon batches I did not have to watch the hot break like a man possessed. (I may or may not get distracted eas......) Another was the ability to make some really big beers. I'm talking the 10-12% range beers in one kettle. Plus I can do a 10-11 gallon 1.050 beer when I want too.

Which ever size you go with I recommend this BIAB bag. He makes them to order to the kettle measurements you send. I am still using the bag he made me in 2012.
Naked Cat Brewery On Tap
Yazoo Sue Smoked Porter
Octoberfest
Le Petite Saison
Czech Pale Lager
A Toast to Big Fuzzy Russian Imperial Stout at 10%
Belgian Blond
Flower Power IPA
4 Kilts Clueless Belgian Strong
One Wort Two Yeast with Wyeast 2206
One Wort Two Yeast with WLP940
Shipwreck Saison
User avatar
LouieMacGoo
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1846
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 12:09 pm
Location: S.E. Michigan
Contact:

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by LouieMacGoo »

BIAB is what I've settled on too. It's just the best fit for me. As far as what size pot you should get. I settled on a 10 gallon pot and it works for pretty much everything I brew. Anything smaller you will struggle getting your full volume for some of your higher gravity batches. Larger, such as the 15 gal Inkleg has is a good option but can get costly.
Worrying can spoil the taste of beer more then anything else! ~ Charles Papazian

Find out more about Yeast, Hops, Grains and Cleaning & Sanitizing
Whats Brewing

Fermenting:

#40 - Citra-Nilla Cream Ale IPA - Brewed:9/20/15

Conditioning:
#39 - Dead Fly IPA - Brewed: 8/29/15 Bottled: 9/27/15
#38 - Apricot Hefeweizen (Colab w/Adam at SOL)- Brewed: 8/8/15

Drinking
#36 - Summer Wheat: Oberon Clone - Brewed: 7/11/15
#37 - Hickory Bourbon Honey Porter - Brewed: 7/18/15
#33 - Younger No. 1 Scottish Strong Ale - Brewed: 3/29/15
#28 - Hard Mulled Cider, Brewed 10/11/14 Kegged
#29 - Strawberry Lime Cider, Brewed/10/19/14 Kegged

Gone
#34 - Second Runnings IPA - Brewed: 3/29/15
#32 - Harvest Nugget Smash v2 (TBD) Brewed 11/27/14
#35 - Columbus Pale Ale - Brewed: 5/02/15
User avatar
John Sand
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 4310
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:01 pm
Location: Long Island NY

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by John Sand »

I also still do BIAB. While I now have a large kettle, you can do 5 gallon batches in a 5 gallon kettle by topping off as you do with extract. When I first started BIAB, I mashed in the kettle with a paint strainer bag. A warm oven kept the mash temperature steady. After the mash, I pulled the grain bag and put it in another pot. A 12 or 16 quart pasta pot will do. I filled up the kettle with about three gallons of wort and brought it to a boil. After the hot break, which creates a lot of foam, I would add any remaining wort to the boil up to four gallons total. I would also add more hot water to the other pot to sparge the grains, rinsing out more sugars. As the kettle boiled down, I would add more wort from the sparge. After the boil, I topped the pot off with cool water, doing it again in the fermenter if necessary.
This may sound complex, but it is similar to the standard partial boil extract process.
If you do decide to buy a larger pot, eight gallons is just barely enough to do a full boil, ten gallons is better.
Making beer and stew for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Never mind, there it is.
User avatar
FedoraDave
FedoraDave
FedoraDave
Posts: 4208
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: North and west of the city
Contact:

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by FedoraDave »

As you can see, if you ask ten brewers a question, you'll get 15 different answers. And they're all good answers; you just have to determine what's right for you.

First, you needn't get a propane burner unless you want one. I do 5-gallon batches on my stovetop, and though it may take more time to reach boil, it'll work. I choose not to do outdoor brewing because of the conditions and layout of my property and house. So you need to assess such things first.

I use a 10g mash tun with no bag for 5g batches, and a 5g mash tun with brew bag for 2.5g batches (did you follow that?). You don't need a tun, but I find it easier, and since I have the smaller one, I figure why not use it. Brewer's Choice once again.

But I've done 2.5g BIAB batches in my pots, too. I still like to have a sparge step, so I found I could mash in the 3g pot while the sparge water heated up in the 5g pot. Then I'd boil in the 5g pot. Again, Brewer's Choice.

The suggestion to get pots larger than you need is a good one. Sometimes my 8g pot seems a little too snug for 5g batches, but it works.

Good luck going AG. Not to sound elitist or anything, but the control you can get with AG can really make a big difference in the final product.
Obey The Hat!

http://www.homebrew-with-the-hat.com

Some regard me as a Sensei of Brewing
Fedora Brauhaus
Up Next:
FedoraDave's American Ale
Fermenting/Conditioning
Natural 20 Pale Ale -- Bull Terrier Best Bitter -- King Duncan's Porter -- Schöenwald Schwarzbier -- Littlejohn's Ale
Drinking:
Crown Top Pale Ale
User avatar
Bluejaye
Fully Fermented
Fully Fermented
Posts: 395
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 2:43 pm
Location: S.E. MI

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by Bluejaye »

I use an 8 gallon pot (for 5 gallon batches), though I'd probably get a 10 if I did it again.

I just use my stove, although I couldn't tell you what the burner is rated as, it's quite old.
User avatar
mashani
mashani
mashani
Posts: 6743
Joined: Sat Aug 10, 2013 11:57 pm

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by mashani »

I'll just add that it also depends on if you want to do it the traditional Aussie way as BIAB was intended (full volume of water with no sparge), or if you are going to do it the 'Merican way and add a sparge step.

If you are sparging to achieve boil volume and doing a thick mash, you can get away with a smaller pot. Or if you are willing to top up with some extract to get to your gravity and effectively are doing a "partial mash BIAB" (which is what I've typically been doing in the past, similar to what John Sand mentioned).

But if you want to do it the traditional way, then you need a much bigger pot.

I just ordered myself a "Mash and Boil" (see the other thread) and I'm planning on using it to do 2.5 to 3 gallon full volume no sparge eBIAB with it (brew in a basket in this case).

It has 7.5 gallons of volume which is enough for that except for some kind of huge beer perhaps.

But you could not do anything much bigger then a 3 gallon batch that way (full volume of water up front, no sparge) with a 7.5 gallon pot unless it's low gravity, because all the grain and all the water (including what will boil off) has to fit in the pot.
bpgreen
Uber Brewer
Uber Brewer
Posts: 1965
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by bpgreen »

Here is the thread about the Mash and Boil mashani mentioned.
User avatar
berryman
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 3279
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:16 pm
Location: Western NY

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by berryman »

I have a 8 gal. megapot and was doing partial BIAB in it for 5 gal. but think is too small for a AG. I was doing it with a regular mash but in a bag and then a dip/teabag and squeeze in sparge water method. quite a few different ways you can do it.
Happy Hound Brewery

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
― Thomas A. Edison
Scoper50
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:18 pm

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by Scoper50 »

Thanks for all the replies guys! I think I'm going to get myself a 10 gallon pot!
User avatar
FedoraDave
FedoraDave
FedoraDave
Posts: 4208
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: North and west of the city
Contact:

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by FedoraDave »

Scoper50 wrote:Thanks for all the replies guys! I think I'm going to get myself a 10 gallon pot!
You won't regret it. If you're doing BIAB the Australian way, with no sparge, but a full-volume mash, you'll probably need all that room.

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, when I did 2.5g BIAB batches in my pots, I did the mash in my 3g pot, and the sparges in my 5g pot. Anyway, whatever works.
Obey The Hat!

http://www.homebrew-with-the-hat.com

Some regard me as a Sensei of Brewing
Fedora Brauhaus
Up Next:
FedoraDave's American Ale
Fermenting/Conditioning
Natural 20 Pale Ale -- Bull Terrier Best Bitter -- King Duncan's Porter -- Schöenwald Schwarzbier -- Littlejohn's Ale
Drinking:
Crown Top Pale Ale
bpgreen
Uber Brewer
Uber Brewer
Posts: 1965
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by bpgreen »

In my opinion, if you're close to puling the trigger, you should go with the Mash and Boil. It's on sale now and cheaper in the long run.

Mash and boil discussion
Banjo-guy
Braumeister
Braumeister
Posts: 811
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 8:30 am

Re: Help with BIAB equipment

Post by Banjo-guy »

bpgreen wrote:In my opinion, if you're close to puling the trigger, you should go with the Mash and Boil. It's on sale now and cheaper in the long run.

Mash and boil discussion
I agree with this.
I’m getting back into biab after brewing on a different system. I’m excited to be able to brew inside or outside (assuming you have an outside electrical outlet).
I think Mash and Boil will be less expensive in the long run.
You can also learn as we all figure this new device out together!
Post Reply