Motivation for +10 gallon brewers

[matt415]

I have been wondering what everyone's reason is for brewing 10 gallon batches and above. I have the equipment for 10 gallon batches but cant find a reason to make the jump. I like 5 gal batches because i can brew more often and i get more variety that way. I understand it may be more economical but what are some of your other reasons. Maybe you guys just drink more than me or have thirstier friends:cross:

 

[arturo7]

brew buddies

 

[XXguy]

Try brewing 10 gallons of the same wort, then splitting the batch & pitching 2 different types of yeasts, or pitch the same yeast, ferment at different temps.... or follow a different dry-hop schedule, or combinations of those things.

"The same beer" doesn't mean you're not experimenting.

 

[JohnTheBrewist]

There are certain beers that I just like to keep in my kegorator and in my pipeline. So for those, I'll brew a 10 gallon batch just for my own (and family)use. But I also brew with brew buddies and we'll share a 10G batch. For most of my experimentation, I just brew 1.25 gallon batches.

 

[benbradford]

I brew fun big beers often, but do like to keep the regulars going on tap...Between me and swmbo, we can go through 5 gallons in 1o days easy (only 2-3 beers each a day), and the second keg ready to be tapped is nice.

 

[Zamial]

I brew 3, 6 & 13 gallon batches of beer. I ferment in 3 gallon carboys/montana jars, 1/4 bbls or 1/2 bbls depending on size.

I make the big batches when it will be a batch of something I really want a lot of. I brew 6 gallon batches to keep the pipeline from drying up or if I just do not want that much of that beer. I brew 3 gallon experimental batches or specialty beer.

Some examples: My wife loves wheat beer but is not nearly as heavy a drinker as I am. She has about a case of beer left and very soon I will make her a lighter lemon wheat beer for the summer time, that will be a 6 gallon batch. I will also be making up a 13 gallon batch of golden ale that will be my summer time beer. I will also be making up a 6 gallon super citrus IPA as well for myself but this will be pretty much all I have for quite some time other than my small 3 gallon batches.

I also used to make many smaller 3&6 gallon batches when I had more time. It takes damn near the same amount of time to make 3 gallons as it does to make 13...If I could brew every 3 days I would but unfortunately life and the wife wont have it and that is a good thing.

Whenever I go anywhere all my friends/family want to try my beer(s) this also comes into play. If I was only brewing for myself I think 3&6 gallon batches would be fine...

 

[KevyWevy]

I brew with a friend. We've split all of the costs of equipment and do so for ingredients as well. We each get 5 gallons and keg. Works great.

 

[markg388]

i like doing my lagers 10 gallons at a time in particular because they take a lot longer to properly ferment and condition, then they disappear about 10 times faster than the ales do when friends come over. I like doing the 10 gallons of wort, 2 different yeasts or 2 different dry hopping schedules type of plan as well... makes trial-and-error learning happen twice as fast .

that being said, I still brew 5-gallon batches more often than 10-gallon anyway.

 

[bbrim]

Yesterday I brewed 10G of blonde ale (my friends love the stuff). 5G got US-05 and will be consumed quickly. The other 5G got WLP400 Trappist Ale, I'll add 1.5lbs sugar after fermentation peaks, then I will dry-hop in secondary. One brewday and two radically different beers.

 

[drkaeppel]

A 10 gallon setup would be great. My 5 gallon batches disappear so quickly I can barely brew enough to keep up since I only get time to brew about once or twice a month.

 

[chromados]

When I do 11 gallon batches it is so that I can have 5 gallons to go into a corney keg and the other 5 gallons is transferred into my pin cask and served as "real ale".

Chromados

 

[seabass07]

If you are going to make a beer that will age for 6 month to over a year, it's nice to have a ****load of it since so much time was invested in it. Not to mention that you will test it regularly to see when it is good. It would suck if you only have a couple of gallons left when that beer gets really good.

 

[Phunhog]

I brew 10 gallons at a time and that is not nearly enough. I am actually going to start doing double batches. I give away a lot of beer for friends' partys. It seems like every month someone is hitting me up for a keg or two for their party. I was just telling my wife that I either need to brew more or give away less because I need something to drink!!

 

[DrHops]

I usually brew a 10 gallon batch of a light citra ale at the beginning of the summer to take to the pool. I fill 2 each 3 gallon cornies and put the rest into a 5 gallon keg. The 3 gallon kegs go into the portable kegerator to take to the pool every weekend and the 5 gallon keg goes into the kegerator in the house.

 

[redman67]

I just went from 10 to 15 gallon batches and
The way I look at is, if your doing the work and spending the time why not end up with
MORE BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!