VirginiaHops1
Well-Known Member
I searched the site and found a bit of info on this but I'm still a little unsure. I'm starting to do small batches(2.5 gal) to test recipes and try to get my quality up before doing bigger batches again. I'm going to do some full boil extract, but because of the smaller batch I can also do grain now, and experiment with that. For you guys who do small batch BIAB in a 5 gallon kettle, how do you calculate water needed? I'd like to keep it simple, and just use one vessel so no sparging. I've looked at calculators, some tell me it won't fit in my kettle if I do full volume, some give varying numbers that will fit. I know people do it though, so I know I can make it work. I know volume depends on boil-off, grain amount, grain absorbtion, and probably a bunch of other things some of which I probably won't know until I do a batch or two.
Probably the calculator the seemed the most straight-forward is the one below.
https://pricelessbrewing.github.io/BiabCalc/#Advanced
It pretty much said I needed about 4 gallons of water for the recipe I was going to do(6.5 lbs of grain), and after adding grains I'd still be under 5 gallons but close, so it should fit in my kettle. Then pre-boil I'd be around 3.61 gallons, which would get me to around where I needed to be post boil. Sound about right for you guys doing small batch BIAB in one vessel? I was planning on just doing it this way and then adjusting in the future if my pre-boil/post-boil amounts are off.
Probably the calculator the seemed the most straight-forward is the one below.
https://pricelessbrewing.github.io/BiabCalc/#Advanced
It pretty much said I needed about 4 gallons of water for the recipe I was going to do(6.5 lbs of grain), and after adding grains I'd still be under 5 gallons but close, so it should fit in my kettle. Then pre-boil I'd be around 3.61 gallons, which would get me to around where I needed to be post boil. Sound about right for you guys doing small batch BIAB in one vessel? I was planning on just doing it this way and then adjusting in the future if my pre-boil/post-boil amounts are off.