Max grain content for 5gal pot BIAB?

[rhys333]

I'm getting more into grain brewing, though for the time being I'd like to stay with the 5 gal stovetop method.

I'm wondering what the maximum grain content is for the BIAB method, while staying practical and efficient. I brew 6gal US batches (5 gal Imp, 23L), and plan to add small amounts DME to raise gravity. All advice appreciated!

 

[wilserbrewer]

From the Rackers calc "Can I Mash it?" here...
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

16 lbs of grain at .9 qt./lb results in a 4.9 gal. mash. This would be a very stiff mash and would require sparging.

"while staying practical and efficient"

I'd guess around 8-10 lbs would be pretty easy in a 5 gal. pot. A sparge, even a cold water sparge will help compensate for the small kettle efficiency wise.

 

[deadrat]

Hey, not sure if this is going to help, but I've got a two pot method that ditches the bag in favour of lautering. Biggest batch I've had from this is 38L (10 US Gallons) of 1.041 bitter.

Links below to thread with vids and the original AHB thread with pics.

HBT Link to You Tub

AHB 2 pot stovetop method link

I got jack of lifting the bag and squeezing and found the lautering process easier to manage, less messy and still not requiring a burner.

The idea of the method was to use as much as i had with no alteration to house items and minimal purchase of additional items.

The answer to your question though - about 4.5kg (10lb imperial) - but it did require some sparging to get efficiency up. There is a method called MAXI-BIAB, which does this sort of high grav stuff on biabbrewer.info

 

[ArcLight]

If you mash this thick I wonder if your efficiency will suffer?
Kai Troester (Kaiser is his user name here) has written about this.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Braukaiser.com

From the Rackers calc "Can I Mash it?" here...
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

16 lbs of grain at .9 qt./lb results in a 4.9 gal. mash. This would be a very stiff mash and would require sparging.

"while staying practical and efficient"

I'd guess around 8-10 lbs would be pretty easy in a 5 gal. pot. A sparge, even a cold water sparge will help compensate for the small kettle efficiency wise.

 

[aubiecat]

I only do 5 gallon batches and I don't like mashing anything over 14lbs. in my rig. (10 gal. Bayou Classic)

 

[wilserbrewer]

If you mash this thick I wonder if your efficiency will suffer?
Kai Troester (Kaiser is his user name here) has written about this.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Braukaiser.com

Ok, I checked out Kai's research here...
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.ph...ity_and_efficiency_in_single_infusion_mashing

Perhaps I'm confused, Kai's data is for "no sparge". Yes it seems efficiency suffers without a sparge at higher mash ratios, but how about with a sparge?

With equal total runnings, are you saying a thick mash and more sparge water will be less efficient than a thin mash with less sparge? Figure total grain and total water (mash and sparge) the same for the thin vs. thick mash?

I did throw out the disclaimer..."while staying practical and efficient"

 

[ArcLight]

>>With equal total runnings, are you saying a thick mash and more sparge water will be less efficient than a thin mash with less sparge? Figure total grain and total water (mash and sparge) the same for the thin vs. thick mash?

With BIAB I don't think you ever need to mash very thick (< 1.25), so as to have enough to sparge with. You can mash thinner than a typical mash tun user (1.25 Q/#)

Lets say you have 16 pounds of grain.
If you sparge with 2 gallons and mash with 6, you get 1.5 qt/lb which is thinner than the usual 1.25 which seems common.

(or add 1 or 2 quarts to the sparge and mash at 1.25)

IF you have 12 pounds of grain, sparge in 2, and mash in 5.5 gallons you have 22/12 = 1.85 qt/# which is even thinner.

I think mashing 16 # in 8 gallons with no sparge would give noticeably less efficiency.

What I like to do is decide how much sparge water I need and see how much mash water that leaves me. I've not mashed more than 16# for a 5 gallon batch, so have never had to worry about very thick mashes.

 

[rhys333]

Lots of great comments here. I'm relatively new to the process, and I'm a bit puzzled about one thing...

I'm been going so far on the understanding that 5 gal all-grain batches require large 10 gal pots, burners, tuns, and a fair amount of money to get set up. If its easy enough to mash 10 lbs grains in a 5 gal pot (say 4 gal boil volume), then sparge/boil the wort, chill and top to 5 gal in the fermenter, why is all the extra equipment necessary? By my calculations, 10 lbs 2-row would produce a 5% ABV beer (5 gal).

I realise the smaller pot would mean a higher gravity boil, potentially reducing hop utilization in the process. Is this the reason why a full volume boil is recommended rather than mashing 10 lbs grain BIAB stovetop style?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yes, you can make five gallons of beer in a 5 gallon pot...ok I said it

However when your wort boils over and you wreck SWMBO's new stove, I told you so. Small pot brewing is certainly possible, just not always desirable or as "enjoyable". Lots of guys "squeek' by and are happy either topping up or small batch brewing...go ahead and try it if you like. No right / wrong way really, just many different ways....cheers!

You don't NEED a large kettle for AG...just makes it easier perhaps.

Oh, also please realize that some people here build large fancy brew rigs because they like to build, NOT because they need them, or it makes the beer "better".

 

[aubiecat]

Sometimes you just have to step up and get that gear that you said you wouldn't/couldn't/shouldn't buy.

 

[ArcLight]

When I started out I did stove top 5 gallon batches using two 5 gallon pots. Plus a third pot to hold the runnings.

(Boy did it suck ...)

 

[deadrat]

what wilsebrewer said.

You can make good beer with minimal equipment. A string of awards testifies to $38 worth of pots on the stovetop, plus $16 worth of plastic buckets and $2 for a tap being capable of this.

Bling is good fun. Most people build it to either make the brew day easier or because they like building/looking at bling. It does make the day easier, but relative to the cost of the bling, not that much easier.

We all have our sweet spot. Find yours and improve from there.

 

[wilserbrewer]

You can make good beer with minimal equipment.
We all have our sweet spot. Find yours and improve from there.

Amen to this....well put! After many years of brewing, any change to my process needs to meet two requirements:

1. Will it make the process easier and less labor intensive.
2. Will it make the beer better.

Strictly following those two requirements, I still brew and serve by very simple means.