Sometimes I get in the mood for a new brew toy. I got some bigger boil kettles, but is it generally thought to be acceptable to use a 10G kettle for a 5.5G BIAB? My typical 5.5G grain bills are 10-12# and I don't drink nor brew high gravity beers. My typical style is 1.045 - 1.052. Think the 10G kettle is ok for that with strike water 7G or 7.25G?
5.5G batch BIAB
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Here's a chart that shows what kind of kettle size vs. grain bill weight you need to do full volume mashing for a 5.5 gal batch. Min kettle size is assumed to be 1 gal more than the actual mash volume.
You can use larger pots, and I use my 15.5 gal for 5.5 gal BIAB batches exclusively. I don't think I'd want to use a 20 gal pot, however.
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You can use larger pots, and I use my 15.5 gal for 5.5 gal BIAB batches exclusively. I don't think I'd want to use a 20 gal pot, however.
Brew on
fuzzy2133
Well-Known Member
Depending on your system you are probably good. Can always use some malt extract to boost OG or dunk sparge in a separate container if you hit a volume limitation.
Last time I used my 10 gal pot: 12lbs of grain and mash volume was 9.5 gal for a 5.5gal batch (og 1.064). Lost 1.25 gal in boil and 1/2 gal to trub (used siphon to transfer to fermentor). Disclaimer: YMMV!
Last time I used my 10 gal pot: 12lbs of grain and mash volume was 9.5 gal for a 5.5gal batch (og 1.064). Lost 1.25 gal in boil and 1/2 gal to trub (used siphon to transfer to fermentor). Disclaimer: YMMV!
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Here's a chart that shows what kind of kettle size vs. grain bill weight you need to do full volume mashing for a 5.5 gal batch. Min kettle size is assumed to be 1 gal more than the actual mash volume.
View attachment 357076
You can use larger pots, and I use my 15.5 gal for 5.5 gal BIAB batches exclusively. I don't think I'd want to use a 20 gal pot, however.
Brew on
Thank you kindly. I have a couple of larger kettles as I mentioned and one is a 15G Blichmann. I started 5.5G batches simply so I can keg into soda kegs and find this to be my niche. When I do 7G of strike water in the 15G Blichmann, the strike water wont cover the temp probe. Then after mashing and boil off, the probe won't let me know my wort temp with the chiller and when I am done cooling. Basically I think I want a 10G kettle even tho I know I could punch another temp port into the 15G...just don't want to really do that.
Seems by the chart I can easily do a 5.5G brew with a 10lb grain bill in a 10G pot with no muss or fuss.
I'm not a fan of temp probes in the kettle. They can snag the bag, and like you said, aren't effective for smaller batches. I just use a digital stick thermometer to measure strike temp, temp after mash in, and end of mash temp. I use an infrared thermometer to check wort temp while cooling (non-contact, so no need to sanitize.)
Yes, a 10 gal pot is adequate for moderate gravity 5.5 gal batches.
Brew on
I do exactly that, 5.5-6 gallon brews with 10-12# grain, 7 gallons of strike water in my 10 gallon pot. No problems at all. Although I kind of wish I went with a 15 gallon for when I do some bigger brews.
rtracer
Well-Known Member
Weird, my 5.5 G batches I use 8.5 gallon water volume. This usually ends up just about right. If I used 7 gallons, I would def. come up short. I do keep a very aggressive boil though...
I was just discussing with a fellow brewer that I had an overage of wort when I used 7.5 G of water in my initial strike. I mashed 10# of light malts and after boil I had over 6G in my fermenter. I usually get to a strong rolling boil and reduce way back to the point the boil is gently rolling. I had over 1/2G of wort left over when I kegged. 7G seems to be about right for me.
That's why it takes a few brews to figure out your system and get it dialed in. Everyone is going to be at least slightly different. I also squeeze the bag pretty good till I can't get any more out of it. Figure out what works for you and roll with it. The end result will be beer!
grizzly2378
Well-Known Member
I do 5.5 gal BIAB batches in a 10 gallon kettle all the time. Depending on the grain bill, I usually have 8-9 gallons of water, plus the grain. Biggest grain bill I've brewed with was around 14 lbs. It fit, but there wasn't much room to spare by the time I finished mashing in. On the plus side, with the kettle that full, you tend to lose less heat to dead space during the mash rest.
Wow you are tight on space, but I think my 10G pot I ordered will work. I do 5.5G batches of beers mainly in the 1.050 SG range so my grain bill is close to 10#. I typically use 7G of strike water so all shou8ld be right in line for a good kettle size for me.
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