caldridge32
Member
Before I start let me give you a little background.
Ive only been home brewing for close to 5 months now. However I took to home brewing like a fish to water. I'm a AG brewer and I have done just over 1 batch of brew a week since I started brewing. Ive brewed many different styles in many different ways. So now to the point of this post.
I'm currently in the process of beefing up my equipment from a 5 gallon setup to a 15-20 gallon setup. I have come to realize that this larger setup is going to present some different challenges for me then the 5 gallon. Almost anyone can move a 20-30 QT pot from the stove to lets say a tub or to the kitchen sink but moving a 25 gallon pot full of boiling liquid is almost impossible. This presented me with the excuse to be able to start drawing up a beer sculpture or something stationary to use on brew day that could handle a hefty work load. Ive run into a few problems or questions you might say with the bigger setup that I would like some help answering.
1) I currently use a 20ft immersion chiller to cool my wort. My question here is what is going to be the best way to go about changing the way i chill now. There is no way the current chiller I'm using will chill 15-20 gallons in a timely manner. So.. Do I add another 20ft or so to my current chiller or do I convert it to a counter flow chiller and hope I can just use a march pump to regulate the flow of wort enough to make it work properly.
2)Fermentation.... Is there any harm in splitting up a batch into multiple vessels? Any if so what are they?
3)Last thing is simple. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on using this big of a setup. All of my LHBS do not really have any good feedback as usual and no one else i know personally does anything bigger then 5 gallons. It would be nice for some feedback or things to watch out for from someone who has a setup bigger then 10-15 gallons.
Ive only been home brewing for close to 5 months now. However I took to home brewing like a fish to water. I'm a AG brewer and I have done just over 1 batch of brew a week since I started brewing. Ive brewed many different styles in many different ways. So now to the point of this post.
I'm currently in the process of beefing up my equipment from a 5 gallon setup to a 15-20 gallon setup. I have come to realize that this larger setup is going to present some different challenges for me then the 5 gallon. Almost anyone can move a 20-30 QT pot from the stove to lets say a tub or to the kitchen sink but moving a 25 gallon pot full of boiling liquid is almost impossible. This presented me with the excuse to be able to start drawing up a beer sculpture or something stationary to use on brew day that could handle a hefty work load. Ive run into a few problems or questions you might say with the bigger setup that I would like some help answering.
1) I currently use a 20ft immersion chiller to cool my wort. My question here is what is going to be the best way to go about changing the way i chill now. There is no way the current chiller I'm using will chill 15-20 gallons in a timely manner. So.. Do I add another 20ft or so to my current chiller or do I convert it to a counter flow chiller and hope I can just use a march pump to regulate the flow of wort enough to make it work properly.
2)Fermentation.... Is there any harm in splitting up a batch into multiple vessels? Any if so what are they?
3)Last thing is simple. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on using this big of a setup. All of my LHBS do not really have any good feedback as usual and no one else i know personally does anything bigger then 5 gallons. It would be nice for some feedback or things to watch out for from someone who has a setup bigger then 10-15 gallons.