15g or 20g Spike Kettle?

[GuitarZan]

Hey,

I started off thinking I was going to get a 10g Spike kettle for my EBIAB build to make 5g batches of beer. Then I settled on a 15 gallon kettle after talking to a few people. Now I am debating between a 15g and a 20g lol.

I plan on predominantly doing 5g batches of beer with a Spike Flex + Fermenter, and then when I move into my new house later next year I plan on getting a Spike CF10. At that point I can start fermenting 10 gallons at a time.

Even when I move into my new house I am not sure how often I will be brewing 10g batches. I have a lot of free time right now so brewing 5g batches is no problem, but if my time is more limited in the future I may do 10g batches as it takes pretty much the same amount of time.

I guess I am just torn right now. I know the 15g kettle for 5g batches will be easier to handle. I looked up the specs and the 20g is about 2 inches more in diameter and 2 inches more in height which doesn't seem like that much.

With the 15g I could do bigger gravity 10 gallon beers and sparge if I had to. I am really just looking for peoples experience or opinions on doing 5g batches in a 20g Spike kettle. I plan on having the elements as low as spike will put in TC ports so hoping that if I do a low gravity beer that the waterline is still over the elements to avoid dry firing.

I would hate to get the 15g and then want the 20g in the future. It's not about getting more stainless for the money, but about what makes sense efficiency wise, ease of use, etc.

Thanks for all the help!

Cody

 

[k-os]

I originally bought a 20 gallon kettle from Spike for an eBIAB setup and the heating element comes up to around the 4 gallon mark, making it too close for comfort for me for 5 gallon batches. I believe the lowest they'll put a TC port is 2" from the bottom to the center of the point so they don't cut into the seam of between the side and the bottom of the kettle. I ended up getting a 10 gallon kettle from their bargain cave that was setup how I needed it. If I were to do it again I would just get the 15 gallon.

 

[GuitarZan]

Fair enough. I just talked with a guy that has a 20 gallon Spike and he said his elements were around the 3.5 gallon mark and he has no problems with any 5g batches. I am thinking at this point it will work fine its about an ease of use thing vs future proofing myself. Decisions, decisions.