BIAB - 7.5 Gallon pot on stovetop

[BrewingChip]

Hey all,

I just received a 7.5 gallon pot as a gift and I was also given a 5 gallon all grain kit for an Amber Ale. I know that a larger pot size is strongly encouraged, but I want to find a way to make this 5 gallon batch work as BIAB with this 7.5 gallon pot.

1. Would I be able to mash full volume in this pot with the 10 pounds of grain?
2. I assume I would try to have a pre-boil volume of about 6.5 gallons so I would get down to about 5 gallons post boil (90 min boil). Do you think having a gallon of headspace would be enough?

Any tips on how to accomplish this BIAB would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Fast and dirty method.

Mash in with 5 gallons water using proper strike temp. At end of mash remove bag and measure runnings in kettle. Subtract this amount my from 6.5 to get sparge volume in another pot / kettle. Combine runnings to get 6.5 preboil volume. Boil down to 5.5 and perhaps top up fermenter if volume requires and gravity permits.

Alternate method in attempt of full volume would be to mash in with 5 gallons, and at the end of mash top up kettle to limit, say 7.25 gallons with boiling water, stir well and remove bag and proceed.

Easier to add water to maximize mash volume then to dough in at max capacity.

Better yet can you return the 7.5 gallon pot for a 10?

This would be best option...

 

[Jako]

Hey all,

I just received a 7.5 gallon pot as a gift and I was also given a 5 gallon all grain kit for an Amber Ale. I know that a larger pot size is strongly encouraged, but I want to find a way to make this 5 gallon batch work as BIAB with this 7.5 gallon pot.

1. Would I be able to mash full volume in this pot with the 10 pounds of grain?
2. I assume I would try to have a pre-boil volume of about 6.5 gallons so I would get down to about 5 gallons post boil (90 min boil). Do you think having a gallon of headspace would be enough?

Any tips on how to accomplish this BIAB would be greatly appreciated.

i brew 5g batches all the time with the same size pot. i max out at 14 pounds of grain at 6 gallons. then i heat up another gallon and a half an rinse grains to get my full volume.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Fermcap-S is your friend. It will let you get close to the top of the pot without boil-over - like within 3/4" or less of the rim (but start with a higher margin and then top up after you are comfortable with the boil vigor). I do 3.75g rolling boils in a 4g pot.

If your pot has a spigot, you can do BIAB and then run off the first runnings into a bucket, then sparge again (like @wilserbrewer indicated). You can top up the boil kettle with the second runnings over the course of the boil. This process will let you do an effectively larger boil volume and still finish with the appropriate end volume.

For example, using a 4g pot, a 5g bucket, and a 2g stock pot, I wind up boiling a total of 5.5g to end up with 3g and change to a 3.5g bucket fermentor, which let me do a RIS at 1.090.

Be aware that boiling in your kitchen will put a lot of mositure in the air, probably more than your vent fan can handle.

 

[Jako]

to avoid boil overs i work my way into a very slow boil. i never set the heat to max... i did that once and ended up with a huge mess!! im talking an hour with a razor blade to clean the stove top. you only need a light boil to get the job done. if you have the heat up super high you can scorch the wort at the bottom and end up with some yummy burnt chunks or a very dark wort.

 

[wilserbrewer]

All good advice above....best to get a little experience as you work your way up to truly maxing out your kettle...if your first couple batches come up short that’s ok...

A watched pot never boils, and a 7.5 gallon pot on high w/ 7 gallons always wants to boil over...be warned. When you get to 205-208 degrees cut the heat and rdwhahb and approach boil gently.

With experience you’ll know the signs, a foam of hot break will form on top of the kettle, deceitfully holding in heat preparing for a boilover of Vesuvius proportion.

Once you see a truly epic boil over you will never approach boil the same...so much foam you swear there will be nothing left in the kettle.

 

[RM-MN]

I keep a wire whisk in my hand as the wort approaches boiling and use it to knock down the foam before it can go over. If I don't want to do that I sometimes sparge and keep that liquid back until the wort in the pot boils a little and the foam subsides, then add the retained wort to it. That will stop the boil and when it restarts there will be some more foam but not as much.

 

[Jako]

All good advice above....best to get a little experience as you work your way up to truly maxing out your kettle...if your first couple batches come up short that’s ok...

A watched pot never boils, and a 7.5 gallon pot on high w/ 7 gallons always wants to boil over...be warned. When you get to 205-208 degrees cut the heat and rdwhahb and approach boil gently.

With experience you’ll know the signs, a foam of hot break will form on top of the kettle, deceitfully holding in heat preparing for a boilover of Vesuvius proportion.

Once you see a truly epic boil over you will never approach boil the same...so much foam you swear there will be nothing left in the kettle.

this made me laugh and gave me flash backs to my epic boil over. i spilled some wort on the stove while i pulled my bag out of the kettle. so i moved the pot to a smaller burner and set that baby to max while i was cleaning the bigger burner my kettle erupted..... like you said i thought i had nothing left in the kettle after that.

i should also add i skim the hot break off the top and toss it in the grass.... i don't know if this is bad practice but i just started doing it.

 

[z-bob]

You're biggest problem is going to be trying to boil that much on a kitchen stove. My [natural gas] stove has a high-output burner and it still can't quite do it. After I added an electric heat stick (1650W) it can easily boil 5 gallons. I haven't tried 6 or 6.5 gallons.

 

[Jako]

You're biggest problem is going to be trying to boil that much on a kitchen stove. My [natural gas] stove has a high-output burner and it still can't quite do it. After I added an electric heat stick (1650W) it can easily boil 5 gallons. I haven't tried 6 or 6.5 gallons.

not saying this is not true but i never had an issue i with boil on a glass top stove. for Christmas my wife bought me a gas burner and it has saved me about an hour to my brew day. last night was my first go with this so we will see how it goes next time around.

 

[wilserbrewer]

You're biggest problem is going to be trying to boil that much on a kitchen stove. My [natural gas] stove has a high-output burner and it still can't quite do it. After I added an electric heat stick (1650W) it can easily boil 5 gallons. I haven't tried 6 or 6.5 gallons.

This is very true, I will add that years ago I could squeak a boil with my kettle partially covered with the lid propped about 2/3 on the kettle and still manage a reasonable boil off. Back then this was considered tabu but now there is popular reasoning supporting more mild boils.

Where there a will there’s a way lol[emoji13]

 

[Lefou]

I mash and brew on the stovetop using a modified steel kettle. BTU output is great for step mashes but I tend to boil no more than 4 gallons because the stove has a hard time getting up to temperature with any more than 4 gallons.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

You're biggest problem is going to be trying to boil that much on a kitchen stove. My [natural gas] stove has a high-output burner and it still can't quite do it. After I added an electric heat stick (1650W) it can easily boil 5 gallons. I haven't tried 6 or 6.5 gallons.

huh. i'm glad I went for big stock pot then.
My 60qt straddles the front and back burner.
no issues boiling 6ish gallons.

had I gotten a smaller one i may of only been able to use one burner.