Looking for BALLPARK time estimates, what do you think?

I have been doing a 5 gallon full boil extract brew. I have a turkey fryer burner (unknown BTUs), and a 32 quart aluminum cookpot. I have done 2 of extract kits. Seems like they take about an hour (total) to steep the grains, an hour to heat full 6 gallons to a boil, then a 60 minute boil. The first two are approximations.

I want to move into doing 10 gallon boils. The first attempt will be from 2 5 gallon extract kits cooked in a keggle.

I know steeping the grains should be the same amount of time, and the 60 minute boil will still be a 60 minute boil. How much longer should I expect for my same turkey fryer burner to heat twice the amount of wort to a boil in a SS keggle?

Guesses are fine, I'm just looking for the amount of time I need to budget.

You really don't need to steep the grains for 60 minutes. Are you including the time to heat up the water in that?

The time to heat up should be about twice as long as for 5 gallons. If you throw a cover/lid on the keggle when you are heating up, you can improve the time somewhat. If you use an insulated keggle that also helps.

A full hour to heat 6 gal to boil? Get a better burner or your brew day will be never ending... Unless you are brewing in arctic temps. Takes me about 20-30 mins to get to a boil for 6+ gallons. I use the Bayou Classic KAB4 High Pressure Banjo Cooker (210,000 BTUs).

weirdboy said:

You really don't need to steep the grains for 60 minutes. Are you including the time to heat up the water in that?

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Yeah, I just steep them for 30 minutes per the instructions. I was just saying there is a short period (probably closer to 20 minutes) for it to get to 150 - 160.

weirdboy said:

The time to heat up should be about twice as long as for 5 gallons. If you throw a cover/lid on the keggle when you are heating up, you can improve the time somewhat. If you use an insulated keggle that also helps.

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Ok, so about double the time. That helps.

It takes me the exact same amount of time to do a 10 gallon batch as a 5 gallon batch. I'm cleaning, sanitizing and doing other preperations and cleanup during the initial heat ramp up and between the mash (steeping) and boil, so that time doesn't change my total brewday time even if it takes a little longer to get to my temps, I take that extra ramp up time to get other things accomplished. Multitasking saves a bunch of time on brewday. The only downtime I take on brewday is to do 16 oz curls.

If you sat around waiting for water to heat and nothing else, the larger batch time would add about 20 minutes to your initial temp ramp up to steeping/mash temps, and about 10 extra minutes to go from steeping/mash temps to boiling (at least here in FL...dunno about if you live in the tundra of WI or somewhere like that).

Learn to multitask, though. I can do a 10 gallon BIAB batch in about an hour less than my two brew buddies can do a 5 gallon traditional AG batch if you include cleanup.

ciphin78 said:

A full hour to heat 6 gal to boil? Get a better burner or your brew day will be never ending... Unless you are brewing in arctic temps. Takes me about 20-30 mins to get to a boil for 6+ gallons. I use the Bayou Classic KAB4 High Pressure Banjo Cooker (210,000 BTUs).

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It was below freezing when I cooked two days ago. Times are approximate. I would say 60 minutes is slightly high. Probably closer to 45 - 50 minutes. Again, I'm just looking for estimates of time so I can "budget" time with my wife. We have 2 young kiddos, so I have to cash in a significant stack of my weekly "chips" to be able to participate in this great hobby.

TopherM said:

Multitasking saves a bunch of time on brewday.

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This is true. I did do a MUCH better job of multi-tasking on my second batch. I look forward to the 3rd. I felt much more comfortable on batch 2 and definitely cut some time off the total "brewday."

I use this burner to do 6 gallon all grain BIAB batches and from start to finish it takes me 3.5-4 hours from the time I start until I am finished. I consider start time to be when I start getting equipment out and set up and finish time when everything is put away and clean. Multi tasking is big. I work from home and sometimes brew while I am "working" which slows down the process a little since I am working instead of cleaning and getting ready for the next step.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000ASCU9/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It was below freezing when I cooked two days ago. Times are approximate. I would say 60 minutes is slightly high. Probably closer to 45 - 50 minutes. Again, I'm just looking for estimates of time so I can "budget" time with my wife. We have 2 young kiddos, so I have to cash in a significant stack of my weekly "chips" to be able to participate in this great hobby.

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I hear you, I too have two small children and efficiency is key. Could be a good reason to let the wife support an upgrade to the burner. However, I've found that If I get my water going first then organize and sanitize while the water is getting up to temp I really save a lot of time. I used to get everything set up first then "start", switching to heating water first saves me about an hour on the back end. That and clean and put away as you go, don't wait till the end.

i recently used a turkey fryer.... was doing a batch at a buddies house and his stove coulnt boil the water. he happened to have a fryer and it kicked ass... took the time off the second batch by like 45 min. i would suggest getting a bigger fryer. they arent too expensive

Captainfester said:

i recently used a turkey fryer.... was doing a batch at a buddies house and his stove coulnt boil the water. he happened to have a fryer and it kicked ass... took the time off the second batch by like 45 min. i would suggest getting a bigger fryer. they arent too expensive

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I should probably just time it. It's really not that bad, I was just estimating the ramp up. I think it's fine. I'll try to determine the BTUs.