25g Boil Kettle, too big?

[TechyDork]

My brew buddy and I have been using an 8g boil kettle to do our 5g AG batches. This has worked ok, but takes a lot of attention to get a proper boil going without a boil over. We are thinking of moving to a bigger kettle in the 20-25g range. The plan is to move to 10g or maybe even 15g batches and to also slowly build a three vessel HERMS or RIMS system. So if needed this kettle could become a HLT or MLT in the future.

My question is would a 25g kettle be way to big for our 5-10g batches? The price difference between the 20g and 25g is only $20 so i am thinking bigger is better.

thanks in advance for your input.

 

[SavoryChef]

I use 25 gallon kettles without any problems. 1.9 gallon per hour boil off, which would be about 21 gallon pre boil for a 90 minute boil in a 16.50 gallon batch. So a 20 gallon pot would be too small for 15 gallons

 

[DurtyChemist]

IT might not be too big for a 5 gallon batch but it will probably boil REALLY easy just because of the surface area. You might have more boil off for smaller batches for the same reason but once you have something setup that big you might just make 10 gallons your standard batch.

 

[KIAKillerXJ]

I found my 25 to be a bit to large for 5 gal. No problem 10+ however

 

[m1k3]

I have a 25 gallon (100 quart) kettle. I usually do 15 gallon batches but this Saturday I knocked out 18 gallons.

Mine is 1.3 gallons per inch deep. At the end of your boil it would be less that 4 inches deep (for a 5 gallon batch).

The will give a higher boil off rate. Also, you loss will be increased because of the width of the kettle. I use a dip tube to pick up lower than the ball valve... with out the dip tube I'd lose another gallon which is a lot if you are only brewing 5 gallons.

If you and your buddy want to split 10 or 15 gallons then I think you should go for it. Maybe do 5 gallon batches in your old kettle.

 

[hotspurdotus]

I'd buy the 25. It's too big for 5 gallon, but you won't be doing those anymore (trust me on this one). It should be ok for 10 gallons, though cooling might take longer since your chiller is likely to stick half out of the wort.

 

[Hammy71]

My kettle is around 22 gallons. I've done 5 gallon with no problems and 10+ gallon batches are a snap. Boil overs are something I rarely see anymore. Go for it, you won't regret it.

 

[TechyDork]

I kinda of figured bigger is better would be the consencious. I also agree that we will not be doing 5g batches much longer. I have grains for 4 more 5g batches and then i think we will move up to 10g and even 15g batches.

How big of a MLT do most of you use for 10-15g batches?

I currently have a 48qt cooler that i have been using and was planning to keep using that until we start to build the HERMS or RIMS set up.

 

[TechyDork]

Also, for a kettle with a ball valve.

Would i be ok with a side pickup dip tube with a bazooka screen on it?

Or is a dip tube and false bottom the best way to do? Not sure if i want to put out the money for an FB just yet.

We have moved to using leaf hops loose in the boil kettle and rarely use pellet hops.

For now i will be using a gravity system. With plans to add a pump in the near future.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

I do the occasional 2.5 gallon batch with my 25g kettle! So my vote is no, 25g is not too big!

 

[BrewingWestMI]

I'd do it! A brew kettle being too big is like a car being too fast or a girl being too pretty. :cross:

You can always make smaller batches in a brew kettle, not the same for brewing a larger batch in a small kettle. Take the leap, you may just find yourself doing 20 gallon batches in no time. I prefer doing 20 gallon batches on lighter gravity beers. 15 for the sankey keg, 5 for bottles.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I'd do it! A brew kettle being too big is like a car being too fast or a girl being too pretty. :cross:

You can always make smaller batches in a brew kettle, not the same for brewing a larger batch in a small kettle. Take the leap, you may just find yourself doing 20 gallon batches in no time. I prefer doing 20 gallon batches on lighter gravity beers. 15 for the sankey keg, 5 for bottles.

There are limits. In my 25g brew kettle, the smallest batch of beer I can create is 7 gallons, due to the heating element needing to be submerged.

 

[BrewingWestMI]

There are limits. In my 25g brew kettle, the smallest batch of beer I can create is 7 gallons, due to the heating element needing to be submerged.

Ah, good point. I still fire with gas.

 

[TechyDork]

Ah, good point. I still fire with gas.

I still use gas as well. So for now a heating element is not a concern, but a good thing to think about if we decide to move to electric when building the rest of the system.