OK, I’m still pretty new to this, but I’ve made a few brews that my friends and family have liked very much. Any suggestions any of you may have are more than welcome!
I’ve done all my brews as 5 gal. (in the fermenter) BIAB. I don’t have space for all the equipment for more traditional methods, and even though I have a garage where I could use a propane burner, upstate NY winters are still too cold to work outside. So, I brew on the same stove I cook dinner.
I have a 5 gallon kettle (lobster pot) that I use. I usually start with 3 gal of water (about 1.25qt of water for each pound of grain), and another 2qt for sparge. I put a wire mesh strainer in the pot during the mash to keep the bag and grains off the bottom. I keep the flame on low and stir every 10 minutes or so. I’ve experimented with wrapping the pot with towels and other insulation and found I can keep the temp better with the flame.
At the end of the mash, I pull the grain bag out and put another strainer that fits across the top of the pot and let the grains drain. I sparge by slowly pouring the (heated) sparge water over the bag of grains. When the grains are done draining I pull the wire strainer out and crank the heat to start the boil.
When the boil is done and the wort cooled, I take a gravity reading and use an app on my phone to determine how much more water I need to hit my OG. I’ve always been within a quart or so of 5 gallons.
