15 gallon brewing

[boochy]

Hey Guys,

I am going to be brewing in a 15.5 gallon keggle and wondering what is the best way to start it. A couple options I am thinking is:
1. Staring at full 15 gallons and using 12xs 6inch scobys, a gallon of starter and brewing for 60+ days and then go continuous.
2. Starting at the 5 gallon mark using 4xs 6inch scobys, 5-6 cups of starter and then add 5 gallon increments at say day 30 and day 40. (Continuous brew but without taking any out until I get to 15 gallons).

Has anyone on here done either of these methods before?

Also, do you think a Fermwrap would keep the keggle around 75-80 degrees?

 

[kingofpoland]

If I am reading this correctly, you want to ferment your kombucha in a 15 gallon keggle? I don't see how this would be possible being that the metal from the keg will kill the scoby. Am I missing something here?

 

[boochy]

If I am reading this correctly, you want to ferment your kombucha in a 15 gallon keggle? I don't see how this would be possible being that the metal from the keg will kill the scoby. Am I missing something here?

My keggles are stainless steel which is 100% safe (all commercial kombucha brewers brew in large stainless steel vessels). Now if the kegs were aluminum then yes that would definitely kill the scoby!

 

[snarf]

@kingofpoland: It's perfectly fine to ferment in (good quality) stainless steel.

@boochy: I've done a couple of 15 gallon batches (but not in a keggle). Just add a good amount of starter (I would go for something like 2 gallons) and let the brew do its thing. Big batches take a bit longer than smaller ones, but 2-3 weeks should (probably) be enough...

 

[kingofpoland]

Good to know. I've been brewing 5 gallon batches of kombucha for the past 6 months or so. I was curious how to brew in commercial size batches.
Stainless=good
aluminum=bad

Good luck on the bigger batch!

 

[boochy]

@kingofpoland: It's perfectly fine to ferment in (good quality) stainless steel.

@boochy: I've done a couple of 15 gallon batches (but not in a keggle). Just add a good amount of starter (I would go for something like 2 gallons) and let the brew do its thing. Big batches take a bit longer than smaller ones, but 2-3 weeks should (probably) be enough...

Ok awesome, when you did a 15 gallon batch did you already have a giant scoby or did you use multiple smaller ones? I'm wondering if I go the route of smaller ones (like 9-12) I will run into complications.

 

[snarf]

In my 15 gallon batches I either used 1 small scoby or none at all. IMHO the starter is much more important than the scoby...

 

[Drstrings1]

I've never brewed kombucha before but I want to give it a try. I'm also doing a big batch. My question is when doing a 15 gallon batch, do you have to worry about putting some sort of oxygen into the liquid, like with a bubbler or something?

 

[snarf]

No, a bubbler is not required.

 

[thebuchaman]

Personally, I'd just do 3 5gallon batches and be consistent in what I'm doing across all three.