10 gal batches

I have a 60 quart cooler for my MLT, an 8 gal kettle and I think I'm going to score a 15 gal conical fermenter from my folks restaurant. I think I can manage to make 10 gal batches on my equipment but I'll need to do 2 boils as I am limited by the 1) size of my kettle and 2) my ability to lift 10 gals of wort and get it into the fermenter.

Any procedural recommendations for how I can make a 10 gallon batch a success on my equipment? Thanks

I would try and get a bigger pot. See if you can score a 1/2 barrel keg off craigslist and cut the top out. I occasionally see the for $25.00.

Get a pump...

Or drain the mash (before you sparge) into the boil kettle, then use another pot/kettle to catch the sparge runnings with another pot/kettle/etc and pour that into the boil kettle... If you really want to do 10 gallon batches, by yourself, you'll need to tweak either the process, or your hardware, to do it.

Of course, you CAN ferment ~5 gallon batches in a 14 gallon conical fermenter. If you're concerned, just hit it with a bit of CO2 after you pitch the yeast in. Once it goes active, and starts producing it's own CO2, you won't need to worry.

jiggs_casey said:

I would try and get a bigger pot. See if you can score a 1/2 barrel keg off craigslist and cut the top out. I occasionally see the for $25.00.

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+1. Keggles are great and pretty darn cheap. I even got one for free at a local liquor store. I just asked the manager if he had any kegs that were no longer going to be filled. 10 minutes later, free keg.

Dgonza9 said:

+1. Keggles are great and pretty darn cheap. I even got one for free at a local liquor store. I just asked the manager if he had any kegs that were no longer going to be filled. 10 minutes later, free keg.

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I don't understand but congrats on your score. I don't think it is a common way of getting a keg though.

u gotta get some 15.5 gallon kegs (this is a normal 1/2 barrel keg) it makes it soooooo easy to do 10 gallon batches. its all i do. if ur concerned about transferring the hot liquior or the sweet liquior, u either need a pump or a brew stand (so gravity will do the work for you) here is a pic of the one i use

iaefebs said:

I don't understand but congrats on your score. I don't think it is a common way of getting a keg though.

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Give it a shot. I'm one for one when I've asked.

Pump is also a great idea.

Is a pump the only way to get 10 gallons into a conical fermenter? If so how do you use one and keep it sanitary?

Run StarSan through the pump just before you use it for the wort... I plan on getting a pump before my next batch. I suspect it's like going from BIAB to a proper mash tun... Or from a pot to a kettle... Or from bottling the entire batch to kegging most of it... Things you do to make brewing easier, but maintain your quality standards. :rockin:

1Mainebrew said:

Is a pump the only way to get 10 gallons into a conical fermenter?

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No. You can also drain it into a sanitized bucket via gravity and then pour it into the fermenter. I know you said you aren't able to lift 10 gal of wort above a conical, but I'll bet you can lift 2.5 gal 4 times, or 2 gal 5 times, or........

Golddiggie said:

Run StarSan through the pump

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I have heard that this is a no no, that it will ruin the pump for some reason. It smokes or something from all the bubbles.

Bear in mind that kegs are wicked hard to come by in Maine for whatever reason.. I'm always on CL or Uncle Henry's, and there is very little brew stuff listed... especially this far North.

No kidding... I feel your pain.