What size kettle?

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I’m thinking of going to BIAB on a permanent basis. I’ve tried it a couple of times, and like it for its simplicity while still making great beer. My question is, what size kettle do I need. I currently brew 5 gallon batches. I have a 10 gallon kettle, and when I did full volume BIAB, it was too small. I would like the ability to to do 10 gallon batches as well. I’m thinking for strictly 5 gallon batches, a 15 gallon pot would be about right. Also for 10 gallon batches, I think a 25 gallon pot is needed. Would a 20 gallon pot be a good compromise for primarily 5 gallon batches with occasional 10 gallon batches thrown in?

 

[Morrey]

I believe we have all thought about the perfect "one size fits all kettle", yet I have been unable to wrap my head around the ideal kettle. When I do 5.5G batches in my 10G kettle, my strike water is 8G leaving me a pretty tight headspace to get in more than perhaps 12-13 lbs of grain. The times I have done bigger beers, I cut my strike water short, then pour over sparge when I pull the grain bag. Not ideal.....but doable. If I had it to do again, I say a 15G kettle would be my choice for 5.5G batches. Then I'd say double that and have a 30G kettle for 11G batches.

Of course you are going to have some heavy bags to lift with that size batch, so beware of the weight you'll deal with.

I have a 10G kettle for 5.5 batches and a 20G kettle for 11G batches. As said above, when the grain bill gets bigger for a HG beer, I simply do a rinse sparge to get my volumes where I need them pre-boil.

And one advantage I have is I can use the 20G kettle for a High Gravity 5.5G beer, so this is a pretty good option I have built into my system.​

 

[PADave]

A 10 gallon kettle is perfect for 5-5.5 gallon full volume batches. General rule of thumb with BIAB is to go double your batch size.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

A 10 gallon kettle is perfect for 5-5.5 gallon full volume batches. General rule of thumb with BIAB is to go double your batch size.

I brew high gravity, big beers. They overflow my 10 gallon pot. I think 15 would be perfect, but a 10 gallon batch would overflow it.

 

[JDXX1971]

I have both 15 and 20 gallon kettles I use for BIAB. I don't want to have to store the 15 anymore so I just got done modifying my 20 for both 5 and 10 gallon batches. I have brewed a Couple 10 gallon batches in it and according to Beer Smith even my 14% RIS recipe will fit.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I have both 15 and 20 gallon kettles I use for BIAB. I don't want to have to store the 15 anymore so I just got done modifying my 20 for both 5 and 10 gallon batches. I have brewed a Couple 10 gallon batches in it and according to Beer Smith even my 14% RIS recipe will fit.

How did you modify the 20 gallon kettle?

 

[JDXX1971]

I recirculate and use a BIAB false bottom from Brew Hardware. Before the fb sat above the dip tube around the 3 gallon mark. I just purchased BH's new style BIAB false bottom which sits perfectly on the ledge of my Spike 20 gallon kettle with the available 1/2" legs supporting the middle. I did have to bend the fb to a slightly domed shaped to make it work. Now there is only just a bit more than 1 gallon below the false bottom making 5 gallon batches possible. I made a custom tc dip tube that passes through the fb to make it all work. Quite proud of it to tell the truth, now lets just hope it works as planned.

 

[JohnSand]

I use a "15 gallon" (16 at the rim) kettle for 10 gallon batches. I mash in a ten gallon cooler, start with all the water in the kettle heated to strike temp. Add the water to the cooler until mash temp is achieved. Near the end of the mash I start heating the remaining water again while draining the wort into another vessel, a bucket will do, or an older smaller kettle. When enough wort has been drained, add the sparge water to the mash cooler, put the wort in the kettle, heat to boil. Meanwhile I give the mash a stir, and start draining again. Add that into the kettle gradually.
Yes, it takes three vessels and some more steps than strict BIAB. But I don't need a twenty gallon kettle, the cooler with a bag was cheap, and I already have buckets and old kettles around.

 

[BrianK3721]

I'm going to get a 15 gallon kettle for biab, and I have been looking around a bit and have discovered aluminum is stupid cheaper. I use a 5 gallon aluminum kettle now for mini mashs and have no problem at all, but I brew inside in the kitchen on a gas stove and I will have to brew outside with the bigger kettle. I could easily set up something to block the wind but I'm not sure if it would still be harder to control the temp. Another thing is I have read about people burning the grains on the bottom of the kettle. I'm an obsessive stirrer but since the burner would be much hotter than a gas stove it might be easier for something like that to happen. Does anyone have experience in this area?

 

[RM-MN]

I'm going to get a 15 gallon kettle for biab, and I have been looking around a bit and have discovered aluminum is stupid cheaper. I use a 5 gallon aluminum kettle now for mini mashs and have no problem at all, but I brew inside in the kitchen on a gas stove and I will have to brew outside with the bigger kettle. I could easily set up something to block the wind but I'm not sure if it would still be harder to control the temp. Another thing is I have read about people burning the grains on the bottom of the kettle. I'm an obsessive stirrer but since the burner would be much hotter than a gas stove it might be easier for something like that to happen. Does anyone have experience in this area?

People who burn their grains are adding heat to the kettle during the mash period, thinking that they need to maintain the temperature for the full 60 to 90 minutes. Often with BIAB, the grains are milled fine enough that the conversion (the time when temperature is critical) is completed long before the temperature falls enough to need reheated. Get a bottle of iodine and test your grains during the mash. When the iodine no longer turns blue when added to the grain, conversion is complete. You may be surprised at the amount of time it takes. Do not stop the mash when the conversion is complete as it may take more time for flavors to be extracted but the temperature for that is not critical.

Aluminum kettles are fine but they do require a boil to form the oxidated layer that keeps the wort from extracting the metallic flavor and if you scrub the kettle it needs another boil before you make the next batch.

 

[JohnSand]

There are other solutions to heat loss also. You can wrap the kettle in blankets or sleeping bags or reflectix. Also, mash temp precision is not necessary to make good beer. I usually aim for the middle of the range, about 152. In winter, I start a little high to allow for loss.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I'm going to get a 15 gallon kettle for biab, and I have been looking around a bit and have discovered aluminum is stupid cheaper. I use a 5 gallon aluminum kettle now for mini mashs and have no problem at all, but I brew inside in the kitchen on a gas stove and I will have to brew outside with the bigger kettle. I could easily set up something to block the wind but I'm not sure if it would still be harder to control the temp. Another thing is I have read about people burning the grains on the bottom of the kettle. I'm an obsessive stirrer but since the burner would be much hotter than a gas stove it might be easier for something like that to happen. Does anyone have experience in this area?

Not sure how much a stupid cheap a 15 gallon aluminum kettle costs, but a concord 60 qt w lid is 85-90 shipped on eBay.

I like aluminum kettles, I bought a 15 gallon one for like $45 shipped w lid, but prefer stainless for a small price increase.

Scorching is not likely unless your careless, low heat and stirring should be fine, don’t bother trying a mash out imo.

Your ten gallon kettle is plenty large if you add a simple sparge, either a dunk sparge or pour over sparge.
I don’t see that much benefit to going w a 15 and brewing outside on a burner, jmo.

I found brewing outside on a burner a hassle, and moved to a very basic electric set up in the basement.

Lots of options, no matter what you choose it’s a learn as you go...

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

@wilserbrewer, I see you reccommending the concord kettles quite often. I have to admit, I haven’t looked at them all that closely. Could you compare them to the spike or ssbrewtech kettles for me? How do they compare quality wise, and what drives the huge price difference?

 

[wilserbrewer]

@wilserbrewer, I see you reccommending the concord kettles quite often. I have to admit, I haven’t looked at them all that closely. Could you compare them to the spike or ssbrewtech kettles for me? How do they compare quality wise, and what drives the huge price difference?

I often recommend people check out the Concord kettles when they are looking for an inexpensive kettle.
The concord kettles have been discussed to death on the forum, and of course opinions vary. Most users are very happy with them IMO and therer is very little negative feedback from actual users. Concord uses J4 or some type of proprietary stainless and not 304 SS, and how much that matters in a home brew environment is debatable.

I won't attempt to compare them to the more expensive kettles, that would be like comparing Hyundai / Nissan / Honda with the likes of BMW / Mercedes / Audi / Lexus Acura Infiniti.

Here is some reading for you
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1920&bih=974&ei=wurUWq_tLqOOggeZ5T0&q=homebrewtalk+concord++kettles+site:www.homebrewtalk.com&oq=homebrewtalk+concord++kettles+site:www.homebrewtalk.com&gs_l=psy-ab.12...0.0.0.303517.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1..64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.Hu0Htpxj3VI

The Inexpensive Concord kettle is a polished finish, the Brewtech I believe is a brushed finish.

Personal preference, but recall reading recently someone didn’t like the brushed. FWIW

 

[pshankstar]

Last year I purchased the 20 gallon SS Brewtech kettle, so I could do 10 gallon batches with ease (more like 12 gallons into the fermenters, 10 gallons to the kegs). I have not had any issues with doing full volume mashes. For example, I've done a mash with 26.24 pounds of grains with 15.69 gallons of water, and the OG was 1.064. I did another beer with a OG of 1.076, roughly 27.45 pounds of grain and 14.74 gallons of water. Yeah the kettle may be overkill for a 5 gallon (finished) batch, but it gets the job done for the 10 gallon batches I use. Just my two cents and I hope it helps.

I also use a Wilser bag and it's awesome! If you don't have a bag yet, I highly recommend a Wilser bag. Cheers!