Pot size for BIAB

[Patrick]

Hi everyone, I have been lurking for a while on this site so I though I'd better create an account and get posting!

I returned fairly recently from 4 years living in the UK, doing a lot of travelling around the UK and Europe and drinking lots of different beers and I am now trying to get set up for home brewing. Money is tight so I am gradually getting the equipment together for BIAB. I have a 41L aluminuim pot and I am wondering if I will be able to do 23L batches without over-filling the pot. How do I work out how much water to use at the start, and is there a formula for how much water the grain displaces?

Also, I am looking for copper pipe on Trademe and I have seen some 15m rolls of 12.7mmOD pipe, is this a good size for an immersion chiller?

For the thermometer, should I go for a digital one or just one of those long metal ones that are used in the food industry?

Finally, what is the cheapest way to get a fermenter? Can I just get a 30L food-safe bucket with a lid and add my own airlock etc? Or will it not work out much cheaper than buying one that already has all the accesories?

I already have 3 dozen swappa crate bottles so I will be looking for a capper soon as well.

Sorry for all the questions - hopefully I will eventually learn enough to srart helping other learners like me!

Cheers
Patrick

[RopenutS]

So you run liberty now?. Are you goin to be doin that from Wellington? That pot looks sweet as. I'll take one haha

[Reviled]

Can we advertise here for you? ;o)

[Mike Neilson]

Yipee Ki Yea Liver!!! Cirrhoses here I come!!!!!!

[James P]

as excessive drinking leads to stomach cancer and cirrhoses of the liver.
Surely that is only if you drink shit beer.....

[Patrick]

Cool, just bought 15m of that copper from the guy in Palmy for $69 delivered. Gonna hit payless plastics and spotlight this weekend for a jerry can and some swiss voille. Then I just need a hydrometer and a thermometer and a burner and I am all set :)

[Nick T]

Way to go Patrick! To add to your list, (as a recent beginner myself), I can't recommend enough getting a copy of Palmers 'How to Brew' - its available at fishpond.co.nz for about $45. There is also a free version online, but nothing beats a hardcopy IMO! Mine is already dog-eared from use..... Also Starsan for sanitation, its so easy.....

[James P]

With the exchange rate as it is at the moment I would look at betterworldbooks.com if you have a credit card.

$20 USD inc shipping ($26 NZD approx)

[Nick T]

Thats cheap! I wonder if that is where fishpond get theirs from?... I just checked Amazon and they have it on special too, but not quite as cheap as that.

[James P]

I'm sure there is a discount coupon ptk0809 that will work for 10% off the book cost also! :)

[denimglen]

Check the price at brewingnetwork.com, I dunno if it's cheaper but those guys deserve your money ;-), and you can get it signed for extra balla status haha.

[Patrick]

So today I went to Payless Plastic for a jerry can, the biggest they had was 20L, does anyone know where I can get a 30L one? Also, i got 2 metres of white swiss voile from Spotlight. What designs are you guys using? Do you cut a circle slightly bigger than the base of the pot, then sew a cylinder of fabric to it? Or do you just fold the fabric over and sew seams along the bottom and up the side? There seems to be a few schools of thouht on this. I bought some nylon thread and some cord for a drawstring also. Cheers!

[JackoNZ]

I went with the circle and cylinder approach, the wort drains well in the centre and not out the sides. Makes it easy for when I transfer to my bucket to sparge. I also double stitched all the seams, 6 brews in and she's holding strong.