Do I need a bigger brewpot to go AG?

I want to go AG and am in the process of building a rubbermaid 10gal round MLT. My current brewpot can only hold around 4.5 gallons of wort, will this work or do I need to upgrade to a larger brewpot?

If you only have the 1 pot, then you can do smaller batches than 5 gallons.

Unless you're hoping to do batch sizes of ~2.5 gallons final volume, you will need a bigger pot.

To be honest, I recommend nothing smaller than a 10 gallon pot for 5.5 gallon batches, which is what you need if you plan on getting 5 gallons of usable beer.

Depending on boiloff rates you may be starting with over 8 gallons of wort to boil down. These pots are reasonable, but unfortunately, need to be paired with a burner.

Where in Tennessee do you live?

would this work its 7.5 gallons? its not stainless though but heavy gauge

aluminum?http://www.academy.com/index.php?pa...ng/turkey&start=8&selectedSKU=0265-02367-2500

You don't absolutely have to. You can still top up with water to your 5g mark in the Fermenter, but that is not the Ideal way to get the best results. I would suggest getting a minimum 10g pot. That way you can do a full,hard boil and get the most of your hops. And, chances of a boil over are less, but I have a 12.5g Aluminum pot and have still managed to have a boil over a couple times.

try www.instawares.com for a good pot, IIRC I got mine for about $60 shipped

I think 7.5 gallons is bare minimum, for 5 gallon batches with a 60 minute boil. If you want to do a 90 minute boil, then you need an 8. My pot is 10.5 gallons, and I have come close to a boil over once or twice, but it is rare. This is the pot I have, I really like it. http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-4042-42-Quart-All-Purpose/dp/B0000BXHL3/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1289413144&sr=8-1

Yankeehillbrewer said:

You don't absolutely have to. You can still top up with water to your 5g mark in the Fermenter, but that is not the Ideal way to get the best results.

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+1 to that. To add to that, you'd also have to up your hop bill to account for loss of hop utilization in such a small and concentrated gravity batch.

You're also going to want to get a propane burner if you get a 7.5+ gallon pot. To start off one of the Bass Pro Shops specials to get a decent set up (pot and burner) for around $40.

I started doing AG with a 7.5 Gallon turkey fryer and it was very usable for my needs. Really, the only problem I've had to deal with is the very small headspace and the very quick boilover time. Just keep an eye on it, or use baby gas drops to keep the boilovers under control.

But a 10 Gallon would be MUCH better, and would allow you some flexibility in recipes.

can i just use my current pot and settle for less efficiency out of the MLT due to the fact that I am not able to sparge as thoroughly as the most water I can run through the system is about 4-4.5 gallons between mashing and sparging?

tnbrewer371 said:

can i just use my current pot and settle for less efficiency out of the MLT due to the fact that I am not able to sparge as thoroughly as the most water I can run through the system is about 4-4.5 gallons between mashing and sparging?

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Yeah, I suppose you could use a few extra pounds of grain and collect only the first runnings, then boil that smaller amount and top off with water to get the full volume in the fermenter. Try it a time or two, it'll work for now but you'll eventually want to get a larger pot. BTW I have an 8 gallon kettle and really wish it was 10. I boil some of the wort in my old 5 gallon kettle on the stove to prevent boil overs, works well but a 10 gallon kettle would be perfect.

Think of it this way- for a mash you want a 1 qt/lb ratio minimum, say a loss of .2 qt/lb on a 12 lb mash, you're looking at ~10 qts first runnings, meaning you can't do a sparge of more than 2 gallons. Your efficiency is going to suffer because you're not rinsing enough.

If you plan for a large efficiency loss and do an 18 lb batch, you'll be getting around 15 quarts first runnings which is damn close to the rim of your pot anyway.

If you want to remotely enjoy all-grain brewing and not be stressing about boil overs or how you can improve your efficiency, cough up for a decent sized pot.... Just my $0.02, but it will pay for itself in the stress you'll save yourself. (I'm doing a batch with 16 lbs of grain right now and my pre-boil volume is about 8 gallons- I have a 15 gallon pot and can squeak out an occasional 10 gallon batch w/ a thick mash if I need to. Sometimes bigger is better)

Your mashing and sparging volume isn't the constraint on your system, its your small brew kettle. Sam's Club has a 10 gallon aluminum stockpot for about $40.

tnbrewer371 said:

can i just use my current pot and settle for less efficiency out of the MLT due to the fact that I am not able to sparge as thoroughly as the most water I can run through the system is about 4-4.5 gallons between mashing and sparging?

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Where are you? I may be able to help a brotha out.



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Walmart has an 8 Gallon kettle for $25... Not free, but you could do plenty with it.

Then again, if you are boiling on the stovetop, you may want to split the boil up between 2 pots, just to keep the top from bending. Most inexpensive stoves are not designed to hold the weight of 7-8 gallons of wort on one burner.

tnbrewer371 said:

can i just use my current pot and settle for less efficiency out of the MLT due to the fact that I am not able to sparge as thoroughly as the most water I can run through the system is about 4-4.5 gallons between mashing and sparging?

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you can always catch the running in a bucket and add them to replace the boil off during the boil.

BUT....

I think you should have at least a 7.5 gallon pot for 5-6 gallon batches. Actually 7.5 is a real squeeze. An 8 gallon pot is better. A 10 gallon pot would give you some nice breathing room.

Fermcap can help reduce boil overs.

I use an 8 gallon pot. I had 6.41 gallons of wort this past weekend, and it was a tight fit.....had to keep a very close eye on the pot for most of the boil. I am on the look out for a 10 gallon pot.

wildwest450, im in hendersonville just north of nashville, nice avatar!

tnbrewer371 said:

wildwest450, im in hendersonville just north of nashville, nice avatar!

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You may want to check this thread out, you can't start off any cheaper than this.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/large-30-quart-7-5-gal-propane-turkey-fryer-39-94-a-204147/

I pm'ed you about another option


.

Sam's Club occasionally has 30 quart pots that you could use.

Personally I love using a converted keg. It is plenty big enough for a 5 gallon batch with no fear of boil over. It also fits perfectly on the propane burner.

The downside is it has a lot of surface area so I boil off a lot - I typically need to start with 7.5 gallons to end up with 5.5 gallons in the carboy.

Or...just start with doing 3 gallon batches to get your technique down and you can always upgrade.

Good luck! Moving to all-grain was one of the best choices I made - I only wish I did it sooner.

I have switchd to exclusivley all grain.

I have 3 5 gallon pots and do 12 gallon boils. I pour the pots back and forth into my fermenters to homogonize the specific gravity and hops. I use HDPE buckets for fermenting.

It's easier to pick up a 4-1/2 gallon loaded SS pot at 180 degrees F than a 7-1/2 gallon pot at the same temperature.

You can use the smaller pots for other stuff like boiling potaoes or corn on the cob.

If I had more money, space and time I'de haveone of those brew sculptures of my own microbrewery.... This is pretty managable.

http://img835.imageshack.us/i/halloween2010004.jpg/

My $.02.

I use a cheap 20 qt (5 gal) stainless pot and I can boil 4.5 to 4.75 gal batches, just have to watch VERY carefully until hot break falls and @ hop additions. I have another 3 gal stainless pot I picked up at a community thrift store that I use for heating sparge water and collecting runnings from cooler.

Coppper is crazy expensive and I'd rather buy more ingredients than an immersion chiller right now. Soooo, I boil water, let it cool aqnd precipitate out all the minerals from our hard ass Texas water, and rack into sanitized rubber seal tupperware containers and stick em in the freezer--sterile ice blocks that crash cool a batch and get me up to 5-5.5 gal batch size. I still use an ice bath in a big utility bucket to speed things along, but my sterile ice blocks work great and I have NEVER had a problem with infections, just be crazy anal about sanitation.

I usually nail my target gravities and my efficiency runs around 70-75%...not the greatest, but I make great beer! I would love to get a bigger kettle, just can't afford it. Until then, I make do with what I have. You can use beersmith to calculate increased grain bill for lower boil volume that you will top up. You can also make smaller batches, just not necessary.

So would a 30qt pot be sufficient? i do brew a few high gravity IIPA's?

tnbrewer371 said:

So would a 30qt pot be sufficient? i do brew a few high gravity IIPA's?

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gravity has nothing to do with it. 30 qt will work but it's very tight. You will want some fermcap s to avoid boil overs.

You can always do two boils. Separate the wort into 2 batches and set one aside. Boil the first part with 1/2 of the hops and transfer to your fermenter. Boil the second part with the rest of the hops and add to the fermenter. You might have to add some make up water to account for the additional boil off. Takes twice as long for the boil though.

TANSTAAFB said:

Coppper is crazy expensive and I'd rather buy more ingredients than an immersion chiller right now. Soooo, I boil water, let it cool aqnd precipitate out all the minerals from our hard ass Texas water, and rack into sanitized rubber seal tupperware containers and stick em in the freezer--sterile ice blocks that crash cool a batch and get me up to 5-5.5 gal batch size. I still use an ice bath in a big utility bucket to speed things along, but my sterile ice blocks work great and I have NEVER had a problem with infections, just be crazy anal about sanitation..

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You do realize this is costing you way more in electricity/gas than just buying a chiller would cost, right?

Eventually, yes. If you can convince my LHBS to accept miniscule incremental payments for a chiller, I'm game

Until then, I just can't bring myself to shell out $70-$100 bucks when that will buy me enough grain and hops to brew 4-5 batches of beer. Broke college student...more beer, less toys :rockin:

TANSTAAFB said:

Eventually, yes. If you can convince my LHBS to accept miniscule incremental payments for a chiller, I'm game

Until then, I just can't bring myself to shell out $70-$100 bucks when that will buy me enough grain and hops to brew 4-5 batches of beer. Broke college student...more beer, less toys :rockin:

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Here's a suggestion: Build an IC for less than $50. Buy the right copper from home improvement store and add a couple of cheap connectors for the water.

There are instructions on here somewhere...

Thank you for the suggestions, but I ran a plumbing co. for years...I know how to make an IC. The point is copper is expensive and though I REALLY want an IC, I REALLY want more beer more

TANSTAAFB said:

Thank you for the suggestions, but I ran a plumbing co. for years...I know how to make an IC. The point is copper is expensive and though I REALLY want an IC, I REALLY want more beer more

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No, Copper isn't expensive.


Its less than $30 at home depot for 50ft of 1/4" copper.