BIAB kettle size

[Nberry]

I currently have a 8 gallon kettle and I need to know if this is large enough to do a BIAB 5 gallon batch?

 

[Minbari]

I use

I currently have a 8 gallon kettle and I need to know if this is large enough to do a BIAB 5 gallon batch?

I use a 7 gallon for 5 gallon batches and have never had an issue. (7+ years)

 

[Dirty Dingo Brewing CO.]

I currently have a 8 gallon kettle and I need to know if this is large enough to do a BIAB 5 gallon batch?

Our rule of thumb when selling BIAB kits at the shop is double the volume of the batch size you want. That being said, without going into IPA's, Imperial Stouts, etc, you should be fine at 8 gal

 

[Zambi]

Should be big enough
You can always consider a sparge, or a higher pre-boil start and add water during the boil, or when cooling.
Or make a 4 gallon batch

 

[Ward Chillington]

You can but you'll be needing to watch for boil overs...also account for the starting volume of wort after you pull the bag out. I don't do BIAB but we all have boil off to deal with....I'm usually starting right around 7 gallons for a 5 gallon batch for a one hour boil. There's always the back fill method with water to get you to your desired 5 gallons, just remember that you are boiling the sweet wort for a reason so clean up that backfill water and don't just add tap water to top things off.

Welcome to the forum...good post...what are you planning to brew?

 

[Sunfire96]

I brew 4 gallon batches in a 4.5 gallon kettle using BIAB. I usually mash with 2-2.2 qts/lb of strike water, and then batch sparge in a 3 gallon kettle to get to a preboil of 3.75 gallons. I typically do a 30 minute boil and lose 1-1.5 quarts. Siphon to the fermenter and typically leave 0.5 qts of trub behind. Then top off to 4 gallons in the fermenter with chilled tap water (or distilled from the store if I have any, but haven't had any issues using straight tap water).

If it's a bigger beer (higher abv) or a beer with lots of kettle hops then I usually do a 3 or 3.5 batch instead.

If I want a 5 gallon batch, then extract with steeping grains or a mini mash works great.

 

[Donoroto]

I currently have a 8 gallon kettle and I need to know if this is large enough to do a BIAB 5 gallon batch?

My kettle is 8 gallons and I brew 5 gallon batches. Sometimes it gets a little 'close' though.

 

[Craigerrr]

I did 5 with 8 when I first started, just add some sparge water

 

[Nberry]

You can but you'll be needing to watch for boil overs...also account for the starting volume of wort after you pull the bag out. I don't do BIAB but we all have boil off to deal with....I'm usually starting right around 7 gallons for a 5 gallon batch for a one hour boil. There's always the back fill method with water to get you to your desired 5 gallons, just remember that you are boiling the sweet wort for a reason so clean up that backfill water and don't just add tap water to top things off.

Welcome to the forum...good post...what are you planning to brew?

Thank you for the response. I have a IPA that I would like to do and I have a Oktoberfest that I will do in July. I haven't had any issues when doing the extract, but i have noticed lately that my beers are cloudy to one degree or another. The taste is good but there is the cloudy issue that I need to figure out. I also have lots of questions on issues of yeast nutrients and the proper procedure for using a yeast starter. I have watched several videos on them but I don't think I understand the how's and when of their uses.

 

[Donoroto]

Aye, clear beer is the rub.

Do you use any fining materials, like whirlfloc?

Yeast starters are not anything as near as difficult as they look. The short version is you are brewing a very small batch of beer in a hurry without worrying about what it tastes like, just how much yeast can reproduce.

 

[Ward Chillington]

Lol...a little cloudy is the hall mark of home brew! Tell your friends it's "non filtered" or brew dark stuff and no one can tell! No seriously...clear can be hard. I have been brewing for 3 years now and just got my first clear and bright batch last month but it took a lot to do it as "natural" as I could within my skills and experience.
I did a vigorous boil, fined with Irish Moss and took extra precautions at Vorlauf and a clean wort into the fermenter when I usually will just dump it all or not worry about any hop sludge getting into my car boys. I still got a chill haze.. but then I tried tossing a case into the fridge just for snix and 2 weeks later...I could read the newspaper through it! Check the photo

So I say...keep trying but don't let it make ya nuts...RDWHAHB !

Starters? Don's right....so keep at it and keep asking questions...you have a great resource at your fingertips!

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

In addition to the things Ward mentioned I also cold crash the fermenter for a day or two prior to bottling. It helps to drop yeast and other solids out of solution and compact on the bottom of the fermenter.

 

[Ward Chillington]

Right point Barbi and a worthwhile method when you control back suck, having the place to do that cold crash. I considered cold crashing that batch but fermentation got ahead of me and I had no means to control back suck so I cold crashed in the bottle.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Right point Barbi and a worthwhile method when you control back suck, having the place to do that cold crash. I considered cold crashing that batch but fermentation got ahead of me and I had no means to control back suck so I cold crashed in the bottle.

That works too and is easier. @Nberry, if you this be sure to leave the last 1/2 inch of beer (along with the yeast & trub) in the bottle. The beer in the glass will be much clearer.

 

[Herm brews]

On the aspect of cloudy beer, I always end up with chill haze. I can put a bottle of clear beer in the fridge, then pour it 12 hours later with chill haze. Usually the beer is clearing by the bottom of the glass.
One of these days, I will test my patience by putting a bottle or two away in the fridge for an extended period to test the effect on clarity. I have my last bottle of Belgian pale ale that has been in the fridge since Friday night. Let’s see if I can keep it there for another week or more.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Geletin works wonders on chill haze I've found

 

[Ward Chillington]

. I have my last bottle of Belgian pale ale that has been in the fridge since Friday night. Let’s see if I can keep it there

With you brewing as often as you are buddy.....give it a whirl.....YAMMV but 2 weeks did it for mine.