Going to try BIAB

I've been brewing since last August, and have about 18 batches partial mash done. All have turned out real good to this point. I was reading up on doing all grain on a stovetop, 5 gallon pot. BIAB is probably the only way to go, no place to use a burner. I was thinking 3 gallon recipes are my limit also, with the size of my pot(5 Gallon). This would be my 1st all-grain recipe, using beersmith 2.0.

6 lbs 2 Row
.75 lbs 60L
.25 lbs Munich 10L
.25 lbs of Victory
total 7.25 lb grain bill in 9.25 qts of water to mash in the bag (60 minutes) or should I go longer? my efficiencies would be in the 60-65 % range according to the program.

then .5 oz Target 60 minutes
.5 oz Cascade 15 min
.5 oz Cascade at flameout
using a pkg of US-05 yeast(should I use less than a pkg for a smaller batch?)

Or do as I do with my 5 gallon stock pot,& do partial boil,partial mash biab.
I do 5-6 pounds of grain in 2 gallons of local spring water @ 152-155F for the one hour mash. Sparge with 1.5 gallons of same water @ 165-168F. This gives me 3.5 gallons for the boil to do hop additions. Boil off is usually 1/2 gallon. I add 3lbs of plain DME at flame out. Depending on the amount of fermentables used,I get OG's from 1.043 to 1.060 so far,topping off to 5 gallons. This is like my 5th PB/PM biab so far. Works great for some good beers. Don't use a fine crush & it'll be clearer.

I'm in the same boat with my 5 gallon pot and looking at recipes that require 7, 8, even 9 pounds of grain. Is there a way to BIAB that with a partial boil partial mash or do you have to split the mash at that point if you don't get a bigger brew pot?

recipe calls for a 1.6 gallon sparge, forgot to mention that. I Figure, top off to a 4 gallon boil, want to come out to a 3.25 gallon in the fermenter. what I want to do is get away from using extracts completely. but I know I have to do smaller batches.
What i usually do is about 4 lbs grain in 2 gallons, 1/2 gallon sparge, 1 gallon top off(in the pot). add extract at the point of boil(gives me about a 4 gallon boil). add the hops to schedule. chill then top off in fermenter to 5.25 gallon. pitch yeast.

dmashl said:

recipe calls for a 1.6 gallon sparge, forgot to mention that. I Figure, top off to a 4 gallon boil, want to come out to a 3.25 gallon in the fermenter. what I want to do is get away from using extracts completely. but I know I have to do smaller batches.
What i usually do is about 4 lbs grain in 2 gallons, 1/2 gallon sparge, 1 gallon top off(in the pot). add extract at the point of boil(gives me about a 4 gallon boil). add the hops to schedule. chill then top off in fermenter to 5.25 gallon. pitch yeast.

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Instead of topping off the BK with water,just sparge with 1.5 gallons like I do. 1/2 gallon sparge won't get all the sugars,etc out imo. Better to have more wort than just adding water,I say.
I've done 6lbs of grains in 2G of local spring water in my 5G kettle so far. I think I can get away with maybe 7lbs tops & have room for the mash water & sparge. Or just replace some of the base malts with extract,which is basically what partial mash does. Here's a handy conversion chart another member posted once; http://www.jaysbrewing.com/2011/11/17/lazy-chart-for-converting-dme-lme-grain/