# BIAB first timer



## Jazz2908 (13/10/18)

Hey guys, I’m about 5 brews in (kit and kilo) and I’m keen as to get into BIAB. My head is spinning with all the info I’ve read and YouTube vids I’ve watched. I got excited last week and bought a 35 litre kettle with basket from BCF for a hundred bucks.I love American Ales and would appreciate detailed instructions and recipe on how to achieve 20+ litres of liquid gold.


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## Adamdrinksbeer (14/10/18)

I'll be interested to see how you go. I'm at the same stage as you. Overwhelmed with info, some people say definitely never do something and others say always do it. 

Is the kettle you bought the aluminium Wanderer one? I read only use stainless steel somewhere? I wonder if it's just another myth?


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## altone (14/10/18)

Stainless is easier to clean than aluminium but either will do the job.
There used to be loads of stories of aluminium being linked to alzheimer's but they've basically been debunked now.

As for a recipe, keep the first one simple.

https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/recipedb-simple-apa-biab.66498/


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## Jazz2908 (14/10/18)

Adamdrinksbeer said:


> I'll be interested to see how you go. I'm at the same stage as you. Overwhelmed with info, some people say definitely never do something and others say always do it.
> 
> Is the kettle you bought the aluminium Wanderer one? I read only use stainless steel somewhere? I wonder if it's just another myth?


Yep, kettle is the Wanderer one.


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## mongey (15/10/18)

go for it man. I am planning my 5th BIAB for this weekend .after 4 years kits and stuff my first 4 BIAB efforts have been smooth and painless .and have turned out to be tasty beer. I got a 50 l pot so I can do full volume mash's . I also bought a high pressure gas burner . did my first batch on the stove top and it really wasn't up to it

I have read allot,and f asked allot of questions in my couple months doing AG . its all a bit of science wrapped up in a bunch of opinions. end of the day if you do the basics well you'll get good beer

first batch I did I just followed this step by step guide .and I ended up with 22l of tasty beer

https://www.grainandgrape.com.au/brew-bag-biab


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## laxation (15/10/18)

Adamdrinksbeer said:


> I'll be interested to see how you go. I'm at the same stage as you. Overwhelmed with info, some people say definitely never do something and others say always do it.
> 
> Is the kettle you bought the aluminium Wanderer one? I read only use stainless steel somewhere? I wonder if it's just another myth?


you can't clean with sod perc in aluminimum because it oxidises. It's worth getting stainless


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## Adamdrinksbeer (15/10/18)

Thanks for clearing that up. Stainless it is. Now to find an affordable big pot!


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## mongey (15/10/18)

Adamdrinksbeer said:


> Thanks for clearing that up. Stainless it is. Now to find an affordable big pot!


def go as big as you can. I got a 50l , and its working great but I wish I got a 70 l for just a little more head room


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## Adamdrinksbeer (15/10/18)

Where did you find that? Expensive?


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## mongey (15/10/18)

Adamdrinksbeer said:


> Where did you find that? Expensive?




I bought a pre made ready to go pot. I didn't want to mess around fitting a pot out . its a good quality item. with 4 or 5 towels chucked on top holds mash temp for an hour really well. 1 degree loss at most 

I bought the triple base model . Mine also came with a dial thermometer installed . which actually works really well . you just need to be care full removing the bag that it doesn't get caught up .Think I payed $220 for mine with the thermometer 

https://cheekypeakbrewery.com.au/50ltr-nano-brewery-304ss-brew-kettle-sandwich-triple-base-pot


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## enikoy (15/10/18)

For a basic straight 50l stainless steel pot, this is probably the best for money I have seen.
https://www.ebay.com.au/p/50lt-Stoc...t-40cm-18-10/831196314?_trksid=p2047675.l2644

Though I'm happily using a 40l aluminium stockpot and using the basket to contain my grain bag. Makes handling, mash out and sparging much easier.
https://www.ebay.com.au/p/OZtrail-4...Deep-Basket/1936740641?_trksid=p2047675.l2644


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## Adamdrinksbeer (15/10/18)

What's the maximum batch size you could make in a 40L? Sorry for the noob questions.


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## Coalminer (15/10/18)

That 50L Nano pot is a ripper. Heavy duty and comes with an outlet and a 3 piece as ball valve
I am using one now as a kettle


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## Adamdrinksbeer (15/10/18)

For such a big pot do you need a huge burner too? If I use this burner will it be adequate?

https://www.bunnings.com.au/gasmate-2-ring-cast-iron-outdoor-stove-burner_p3170720


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## enikoy (15/10/18)

Adamdrinksbeer said:


> What's the maximum batch size you could make in a 40L? Sorry for the noob questions.



I've limited my boils to 27l due to only having 23l real capacity in my fermenter (4l boil off over 60mins). That gives me plenty of spare headspace for in case of potential boil over.

As for the burner, I'm using one of these>
https://www.snowys.com.au/mega-jet-outdoor-power-cooker


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## altone (15/10/18)

Those Soga pots are actually not bad and certainly good vfm.
Thicker than some of the other cheapies.

I'd say both those burners are ok - the Bunnings one is about 17.5k btu so not 
as powerful as the Companion one.

It'll take longer but will still get there.


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## mongey (15/10/18)

Adamdrinksbeer said:


> For such a big pot do you need a huge burner too? If I use this burner will it be adequate?
> 
> https://www.bunnings.com.au/gasmate-2-ring-cast-iron-outdoor-stove-burner_p3170720


I was gonna get one of those but ended up getting this

https://www.keg-king.com.au/catalog...-burner-with-stand-and-regulator/category/14/


the fact it has a stand is great for me as I can move my brewing around the/ laundry / backyard/ deck dependent on whats going onfamily wise and weather . its also a beast . will heat 35l of water to strike temp in about 20 mins when only on half . will go from mash to rolling boil in about 15 min on half as well . turning it over half actually scares me


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## altone (15/10/18)

mongey said:


> I was gonna get one of those but ended up getting this
> 
> https://www.keg-king.com.au/catalog...-burner-with-stand-and-regulator/category/14/
> 
> ...




That's a helluva burner @mongey That thing could heat a way bigger pot with ease.


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## mongey (16/10/18)

altone said:


> That's a helluva burner @mongey That thing could heat a way bigger pot with ease.



yeah.I think it does up to 170l or something.so it eats my 50l for breakfast


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## Rocker1986 (16/10/18)

Adamdrinksbeer said:


> What's the maximum batch size you could make in a 40L? Sorry for the noob questions.


I have a 40L Crown Urn, and brew either 21 or 25 litre batches. I have done a couple of 26L batches unintentionally and if was using a chiller instead of cubing my wort I could probably stretch it out to 28 litres or so if I wanted to. You have to boil a small enough volume to prevent boil overs as well as take into account the wort lost to kettle trub as well as obviously how much is boiled off during the boil. 

My urn generally boils off at about 3L an hour and I do 75 minute boils so if I take the intended batch size of 25L, plus 2L for cube expansion, plus 3.75L boil off, plus about 4L for trub loss, then I'm starting with around 35L pre-boil volume and finishing with around 31L, which gets me around 26-27L into the cube with the rest containing the kettle trub chucked out. The post boil volume in the kettle is not the batch size.


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