10 Gallon Batches

My most recent 5 gallon batch of brew lasted us all of one week and we were gone 3 days of that week! (It was AHS 20th Anniversary Pilsner by the way which was awesome!). I think it is time to upgrade to 10 gallon batches.

Summary of my brew config as background for my question: I currently brew using partial mash techniques in a 22-quart brew pot. My typical boil is no more than 3 gallons and I add water at the end of the boil to help cool it down and adjust the the volume/gravity to where it should be. To finish up the cooling I also have a Duda Diesel wort chiller (great product BTW). Been brewing this way for about 5 years now and it works out great. I also have a kegging system with 5 gallon corn'y kegs. I am currently transitioning to using the kegs as both primary and secondary fermenters (and lagering). So far that's working out well too.

I don't really want to change my brewing configuration -- I just want more beer! It seems to me it should be pretty straight forward to just increase the gravity of the wort without dramatically increasing the volume. For example, doing a full 5 gallon boil (which should just fit in my brew pot) and then adding water to adjust volume and gravity. The typical batches I brew don't have more than 3 lbs of specialty grains and I think doubling that to 6 lbs will still work in my brew pot (although it will be a bit cozy). Then simply split the wort to two kegs and top up.

Does anyone have experience with this approach and/or suggestions?


Thanks,

Curtis

ive actually have had experience with this, Beer Smith is also a great tool for figuring out boil off Gravity total vs total boil volume i have had many great beers with a diluted boil, just make sure your hop rate and your total gravity will coincide, so this way your brew doesnt come in short and taste like a watered down macro brew.

Thanks much for the reply. Looks good on paper, but good to get confirmation from someone who has actually done it. I have also recently upgraded to BeerSmith (great tool) and this will certainly help.

Id be hesitant about a full boil in a 22qt pot. Just me.

NCGrayson said:

Id be hesitant about a full boil in a 22qt pot. Just me.

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I plan to be quite careful with. I think that I will steep the specialty grains in two stages of 3 lbs each...this way I can keep the volume down a bit.