PM to AG

[En Fuego]

Hi All - this is my first post here and I have no desire to ask anyone to re-create the wheel, so could someone kindly point me to any thread or reference material about how to make the jump from semi-accomplished PM brewing to full scale AG brewing?
I know I will need more equipment and from the looks of some of the posts, a LOT more practical knowledge.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bradsul]

If you're doing PM's now, you already have most of the knowledge, it's more about scale when you move up to AG. (Re-)reading www.howtobrew.com is a great way to fill in the blanks. The main equipment you'll need is probably a propane burner (turkey fryer kit) if your stove won't do a full boil and possibly a larger mash tun and kettle.

Check out the wiki (link is in the top menu) for tons of great information.

Oh and welcome to HBT!

 

[En Fuego]

Thanks Brad -
I have the Turkey fryer (actually 2) and a 7 gallon stainless brew pot.
I just bought two 5 gallon water igloos to use for holding my mash temp for the grains during PM - I am guessing they would be too small to try to convert into a Lauter tun.

 

[bradsul]

7 gallons is JUST big enough for a kettle, if you have the budget you might want to upsize to 9 or 10 to be safe. You'll have to be very vigilant for boil overs with 7 gallons.

I think 5 gallon coolers might be a bit too small but I've only used 48QT rectangular so I'm not sure how small you can go. Hopefully someone with actual experience will chime in.

 

[WBC]

Thanks Brad -
I have the Turkey fryer (actually 2) and a 7 gallon stainless brew pot.
I just bought two 5 gallon water igloos to use for holding my mash temp for the grains during PM - I am guessing they would be too small to try to convert into a Lauter tun.

Get a 10 gallon cooler that has been converted into a mash tun/lauter tun as you will need the room for bigger beers (stronger). You will also need a 14 or 15 gallon boil kettle so your boil will not boil over as easily. I make up to 12 gallons in my 14 gallon (Morebeer.com) kettle. You will also need a big mash stiring spoon or paddle. Read all you can about mashing temperatures and you will be good to go. Ask questions on this forum if you get stumped as everyone here has a lot of know how.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

I have a 32qt cooler that is more than enough room. Even for my big beers.

 

[bradsul]

Get a 10 gallon cooler that has been converted into a mash tun/lauter tun as you will need the room for bigger beers (stronger). You will also need a 14 or 15 gallon boil kettle so your boil will not boil over as easily. I make up to 12 gallons in my 14 gallon (Morebeer.com) kettle. You will also need a big mash stiring spoon or paddle. Read all you can about mashing temperatures and you will be good to go. Ask questions on this forum if you get stumped as everyone here has a lot of know how.

He won't need a kettle that large unless he wants to do 10G batches. I use a 40QT kettle for 25L (about 6.6 gallon) batches and I don't have to worry much about boil-over.

 

[WBC]

He won't need a kettle that large unless he wants to do 10G batches. I use a 40QT kettle for 25L (about 6.6 gallon) batches and I don't have to worry much about boil-over.

I know he will not need 10 gallon boiler but I know once he finds out how good the beer is he will wish he had one. I figure that if you are going to brew 5 to 6 gallons then with a bit more room you can brew 10 to 12 gallons with not much more effort. I have trouble keeping up with batches now because others have found how good my beer is.

 

[bradsul]

...I have trouble keeping up with batches now because others have found how good my beer is.

I hear that. I'm brewing 2 batches this weekend and none of it is for me. I'd go right to a keggle if I weren't an apartment dweller.

Not that I'm complaining mind you. If I only brewed what I could drink I wouldn't get to brew very much. Certainly less than I want to anyway!

 

[En Fuego]

My beer all goes straight to the keg - I have a 3 tap set up in my garage fridge, about to expand to 5. I just bought the unit to control the temp in my garage bench freezer to use it as a fermenting/lagering apparatus.

I have space and a big budget, but I don't like to waste either one if I don't have to.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[bradsul]

Keggle boil kettle, keggle MLT, keggle HLT and a brew sculpture then.

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

I have a 10 gallon Rubbermaid and don't feel restricted. I've made beers up to 1.090 with room to spare. If I had to guess, I would say you could make a beer with an SG of around 1.060, maybe 1.065 with a 5 gallon cooler.