# Minimum Pot Size For Extract/biab Brewing?



## Matt Browne (21/6/12)

Hi guys,

Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question however .....
Can you please tell me what is the minimum recommended pot size for extract/Biab brewing?
I've got a 10.5 litre but think I'll need bigger?

Cheers Matt


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## keifer33 (21/6/12)

Extract you could easily use the 10.5L but having extra room doesnt hurt and a 19L Pot from BigW is less than $20 so a very minor cost. This will allow you to do Mini-BIAB (9L Batches) all the way upto to Maxi-BIAB (20 odd L) and pretty much everything in between. Getting bigger leaves room to grow and try new things but not a necessity.


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## Bribie G (21/6/12)

If you are using extract there's no need to boil the full amount as it has already had the crapper boiled out of it at the factory, plus a second boil under vacuum to concentrate it (or spray dried if it's LDME).
You really just need enough space to boil a portion of the extract with some hops to give good hop utilisation and 10L is fine. 

For BIAB, in my partial days 10 litres could easily handle 1.5 kg mash, struggles with 2 kg and would probably require a side sparge. 

For full size BIAB you'd need to go 19L (couple of excellent threads on mini-maxi BIAB) or go the whole hog to 40L urn or similar (or bigger) pot if you are building your own kit.

Edit: as Kief says


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## Diggles (21/6/12)

Matt Browne said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question however .....
> Can you please tell me what is the minimum recommended pot size for extract/Biab brewing?
> ...




I was in this dilemma the other week, bought a 10G pot, and found even that was a bit on the small side, especially doing all grain when you take into account the losses for grub, boil off and room required for grain and free board for boil over. I've now converted a 50L keg so I don't have to worry about it. It makes things complicated, especially when learning and trying to worry about other things. If you ever upgrade to a 3V, you've got one of the vessels!

All depends on the volume you'd like to do, I wanted to be able to do full 23L batches.

Diggles


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## Nick JD (21/6/12)

I heard the Big W 19L pots are $12 atm.


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## seemax (21/6/12)

If your stove pot can handle it ... grab 2 x BigW 19L pots special ($12 i hear)... i reckon you could get 5kg split between at a pinch... which means all grain beers to maybe 5% ABV.

Or do extract / some grain in a single plot. 10L might be struggle though.


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## Brewer_010 (21/6/12)

I used to do partials / extracts in a 15L pot, using about 1.5kg grain and a couple of kgs of extract. Worked fine, especially for darker beers.


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## Matt Browne (21/6/12)

Thanks guys for the advice!!
Next ? Is Where can you buy bulk malt extract from?
Buying in 1kg bags adds up the $$$ pretty quickly!


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (22/6/12)

seemax said:


> If your stove pot can handle it ... grab 2 x BigW 19L pots special ($12 i hear)... i reckon you could get 5kg split between at a pinch... which means all grain beers to maybe 5% ABV.



It can be done easily - linky.

I've got a number of beers over 1.060 and 7% using this method, and up to 6.5kg of grain, with the pasta pot sparge.

My sig has my current ghetto method - existing esky with 2 x food grade 20L buckets from bunnings.

Hope this helps you out.

Goomba


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## piraterum (22/6/12)

Nick JD said:


> I heard the Big W 19L pots are $12 atm.




+1 for Big W 19L pot

I do 2kg grain mini mashes with 1.5kg - 2kg extract in a 9L boil in one of these 19L pots and it works well.

You could get away with a smaller pot but having a bigger pot definately helps prevents boil overs. Also a larger pot allows you to boil a greater volume which helps with getting greater efficiency out of your hop additions.


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## hellbent (28/6/12)

I got hold of a Big W $19 boiler and fitted it out with a weld-less tap set-up. I have been limiting my BIAB AG's to 15ltrs and using brewmate (a great freeware brew calculator ) to calculate my recipes.
I tried a 19 ltr BIAB and found it was just to much to handle and it got a bit messy and considerable care needed to be taken. I cook my brews on the wok cooking ring on our nat gas stove and have had no probs as far as the heating goes etc.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (28/6/12)

2 pots I'm telling you - on the stove - woot!


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## Bribie G (28/6/12)

Matt Browne said:


> Thanks guys for the advice!!
> Next ? Is Where can you buy bulk malt extract from?
> Buying in 1kg bags adds up the $$$ pretty quickly!



One reason that so many have gone AG. For example you can run up a basic APA or an Aussie lager for around $15 if you buy your grain and hops in bulk and recycle your yeasts. In my partials days some of my brews were easily pushing the $40 mark and with a slab of Oettinger for $25 in those days I sometimes wondered if it was worth the effort.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (28/6/12)

Bribie G said:


> One reason that so many have gone AG. For example you can run up a basic APA or an Aussie lager for around $15 if you buy your grain and hops in bulk and recycle your yeasts. In my partials days some of my brews were easily pushing the $40 mark and with a slab of Oettinger for $25 in those days I sometimes wondered if it was worth the effort.



+1.

Since craftbrewer offer a $1/kg discount on 5kg or more, I'm brewing 25L (my very comfortable limit), 30L (about the limit before it gets messy) or 35L (high grav brewing) with 5kg of base malt and then specs. The malt comes to around $20, the hops are bulk bought as a rule, and the yeast is reasonable.

If I was better with brewing consistently, then I'd probably dump beer on an existing yeast cake, but I have SWMBO & a house full of girls - so it's more a case of brewing when I can.


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## jakethesnake559 (29/6/12)

Matt Browne said:


> Thanks guys for the advice!!
> Next ? Is Where can you buy bulk malt extract from?
> Buying in 1kg bags adds up the $$ pretty quickly!



Hi Matt...when you start asking those questions, it's time to pick yourself up a BIAB bag!!
It's the most cost effective way to make awesome beer.
As BribieG mentioned, buying grain is a lot cheaper than extract.
Get on board :beerbang: !!

If you still want to pick up bulk extract, make sure it's dry extract...lasts longer and you use less.


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## markymoo (15/9/12)

anyone with a BIG W 20L pot able to give me a diameter dimension of it? Am thinking malt pipe  :blink:


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## Nick JD (15/9/12)

markymoo said:


> anyone with a BIG W 20L pot able to give me a diameter dimension of it? Am thinking malt pipe  :blink:



320D x 260H.


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## Arghonaut (15/9/12)

Matt Browne said:


> Thanks guys for the advice!!
> Next ? Is Where can you buy bulk malt extract from?
> Buying in 1kg bags adds up the $$$ pretty quickly!



You can get 20ishkg sacks of the Bintani malt extract for around $110 - $120. Craftbrewer and Marks Home Brew both stock them, not sure on any in Sydney. Its ok, and as good as the coopers or stuff most LHBS's pack themselves, def need to add some dex in though as it tends to finish a little high. 

The briess stuff is excellent, but costs more like 160 - 180 for a 22kg sack, their pilsen light is my favourite extract.

Muntons is also meant to be good, i think its about 150 - 160 for a 25kg sack. I think ESB stock these.

Its a little bit more then AG, but i can knock out two different beers in well under half the time it takes me to knock out a single AG batch. Until i can afford a nice sized pot and a big burner, so i can knock out double AG batches, extract beer is better then no beer


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## markymoo (15/9/12)

Thanks NickJD


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## Nick JD (15/9/12)

markymoo said:


> Thanks NickJD



Might start using a 15L pot in my 19L (with a BM screen in the holed bottom) for my step mashes.


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## madawoods (16/9/12)

I just got a 19L Big W pot to do allgrain and I've been able to get over 80% efficiency using BIAB. I usually do a step mash of 30 minutes at 40c (and sometimes another 30 @ 50c) , then 40 mins @62, 20m @ 68 and 10 mins @78 to mash out. I use my old pot 17L (your 10.5 would do) to rinse the grain ( basically pull out the bag, let it drain, then transfer it to the other pot waiting at 78c, stir the grain and pull the bag out, and transfer the sparge back to the 19L. I've used 4.7L of grain, each time. If you want to split some grain let me know I'm also on the northern beaches. I gave up on extracts as it is too expensive, not as much fun or variety. The all grain on the other hand is way more messy, but worth it. 

So to answer to your question, 19L has been enough for me.


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