2.5 gallon batches - minimum pot size

[Naked_Eskimo]

I've seen many threads relating to pot-size for 5 gallon batches, but nothing really informative relating to 2.5 gallon batches.

I plan on doing 2.5 gallon batches, and according to my calculations my pre-boil volume will be ~3.2 gallons which should boil down to 2.5 gallons in an hour boil.

Now I know I need to provide enough head-space to to prevent boil-over. But I also know (from reading through some threads) that too much head-space is also a bad thing for trying to keep heat.

My question is how much head-space would I need to do a full-boil on a 3.2 gallon wort? Would a 4 gallon pot be big enough? Or would a 5 gallon pot be necessary? ...or bigger?

In one of the threads, someone mentioned that 2-gallons of hot-break could be expected...thus suggestion 6 gal pot would be needed -- although that sounds excessive to me.

Anyone brewing 2.5 gallon batches have any insight/experience into this?

Ps...please dont suggest getting the biggest pot I can afford in case I want to move up to 5 gallon boils. I have no interest, nor the space or equipment.

 

[JBmadtown]

I did a 2.5 gal belgian tripel that still almost boiled over in a 5 gal pot. I think if you go with a 5 gal pot things will work out well.

 

[marubozo]

Get a big pot now so you'll be ready to move to 5 gallon batches. j/k

A 4 gallon pot would probably be fine, but if I were using something that small I'd invest a few dollars in some Fermcap to help prevent boilovers so you don't have to watch the thing like a hawk. Otherwise a standard 20 qt or 5 gallon pot is probably your best bet. It isn't like it's too big for boiling 2.5-3.5 gallons and going to cause problems or anything.

 

[bierhaus15]

A 5 gallon pot is about the minimum you'd want for brewing 2.5 gallon batches. I used to brew small (2.5/3.0) AG batches almost exclusively (brew more often, drink less, saves space...) and used a 5gal pot for years without problems. Though, depending on how much you are actually boiling off per hour and if you use fermcaps/fan to prevent boilovers, you can sometimes get away with a smaller pot. Good luck!

 

[pjcampbell]

Can anyone recommend a 5 gallon pot that isn't too flimsy?

 

[unionrdr]

Midwest has a polarware one that looks good. I use a 5 gallon stock pot I got as a 4 pot nested set at Giant eagle for about $25 on sale. They come in handy too. I took the 5G as my BK,& use the 2 gallon to heat sparge water. For biab,I put a round cake cooling rack in the bottom of the 5G kettle to keep the bag from burning on the bottom of the pot. All nicely polished SS too. I do partial boils of 2.5-3 gallons in it,& you'll def need the head space for those foamy hot breaks.

 

[Gixxer]

I do 2.25gl batches and with my boil off rate my pre boil vols are around 3.5 to 4 gal for a 60 min boil. I have one of the graniteware 20L canning pots and use that as my boil pot. However, if for whatever reason my recipe calls for more than a 60 min boil that puts me over 4 gal and a 5 gal pot don't work. With 4 gal the wort splashes out some during the beginning of the boil. I would seriously look for a stainless pot over 5 gallons. Don't have to be 10 gallons, just more than 5. My solution is a keg in the garage that I need to get off my lazy butt and cut up.

 

[zzARzz]

I do 3 gallon batches all the time in the 40 qt version of this pot and have never had a problem: http://www.amazon.com/Winware-Professional-Aluminum-20-Quart-Stockpot/dp/B001CHJHOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350132326&sr=8-1&keywords=20+qt+pot
It's aluminum, but heavy duty and holds heat well. I'm not too sure how well it would do on an electric stove if that's what you're using. Know, however, that the lid is sold separately.

 

[unionrdr]

A 10 gallon kettle is a bit much for only a 3 gallon boil.

 

[davekippen]

I do 2.5 ~ 3 gallon batches and I use a 5 gallon pot. I would not want to go any smaller. I think I got mine (stainless steel) at walmart for around $45?

 

[zzARzz]

A 10 gallon kettle is a bit much for only a 3 gallon boil.

I do 5.5 gallon batches as well with boil volumes of 7-8 gallons. Otherwise I would go the same route as the OP with a 4-5 gallon pot.

 

[unionrdr]

Ah,I see. I was wondering since the previous post.

 

[zeg]

I wouldn't bother with anything smaller than 5 gallons. It's just about right for a 3.5 gallon (starting) boil. I wouldn't want to be any more full than that.

Mine is a pretty nice stainless stock pot with encapsulated aluminum in the base to improve heat distribution. It's way too nice a pot for a brew kettle, but it was a gift so I'm not complaining! It is nice and heavy, and does well on my electric stove.

 

[nicklepickles]

Ive been doing 2.5 to 3 gallon AG batches in a 16qt aluminum pot. It works fairly well, a small boil-over here and there but nothing big, but the big issue is mashing space, i can only do about 6.5 lbs grain in 3.5 or so gallons of water. Otherwise, when i was doing extract with grains, it was great.

 

[unionrdr]

Mine works great now that I got these elec burners off amazon that are cheaper than the GE replacements. They heat up faster & more evenly. I can finally boil 3G without a lid. Needless to say,my hop utilization went up. My PM cascade pale ale tastes & smells great already.
Anyway,After mash & sparge,I wound up with close to my usual 3G of wort at the start of the 1 hour boil. Turned it up to "9" & it boiled in 15-18 minutes,rather than the usual couple hours with the lid cracked. Nice,even boil on "8".
Also,The sudden,thick & fast rising hot break came up within an inch or two of the rim of the kettle. Stirring furiously,it went down 1/4",then POOF,gone in about 15 seconds. Freaky. So that head space will be needed,& quite suddenly,right before it boils.

 

[C-Rider]

If you are careful and stand by your pot w/a plastic spray bottle w/water in it you can easly do a 60 min boil of 3.5 gallons in a 4 gallon pot. As you hit the boiling point, turn down the heat and begin spraying water on the boil. It should NOT boil over, but you gotta watch it when it hits the 212* mark.

Bought the 4 gallon stainless pot at Target a year ago.

 

[zeg]

If you are careful and stand by your pot w/a plastic spray bottle w/water in it you can easly do a 60 min boil of 3.5 gallons in a 4 gallon pot. As you hit the boiling point, turn down the heat and begin spraying water on the boil. It should NOT boil over, but you gotta watch it when it hits the 212* mark.

From my experience, the key is to spray the foam BEFORE it starts swelling. Once it starts to swell, it can be too late. With that little clearance, you have to be vigilant. (I'd go for the 5 gallon pot just to have a little more margin for error, but if you already have a 4 gallon, find a good deal on one, or just don't have space for the extra bulk, that's different.)

 

[Nagorg]

+1 on a 5 gallon pot. Not sure what you think is too flimsy. The one I have is behind the link below. It is thin I guess but it works great. I havent had any issues with it. (no dents, etc) I wanted something cheap but functional. I know you can sure spend some cash on kettles in a hurry.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018EAMKA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I bought a bigger kettle now for doing 5 gallon batches. But I still use this 5 gallon pot for sparge water. Still works great!

 

[pjcampbell]

Anyone use this thing. It sounds pretty heavy duty. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HMH60K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[unionrdr]

Sounds good with the 3 ply base. Those heat quite evenly. Suposedly hold more heat as well,so less energy cost.

 

[Nagorg]

For what it's worth, neither of my kettles have a 3-ply base and I have had not a single problem. No scorching, etc..

I'm sure its nice to have the 3-ply from a quality perspective but my experiences tell me it's not worth paying extra for from a functionality perspective.

 

[unionrdr]

Mine don't either. I happen to find the 4 nested SS stock pots polished with lids & steamer trays at Giant Eagle on sale for some $25. Too good to pass up as a brew noob last year in jan. I took the 5G one as a BK & now use the 2G to heat sparge water in. Works for me.

 

[C-Rider]

I got my 5 gallon pot for Xmas from SWMBO.. Doubt if she paid more than $60 at Target. Nice sturdy stainless pot.

 

[nmfree]

(brew more often, drink less, saves space...)

I think I found a flaw in your logic.

 

[bobbrews]

I would suggest an 8-15 gallon kettle for convenience, peace of mind, and future investment, HOWEVER...

Early on, I successfully brewed many 3.4 gallon batches of partial mash IPAs in a 4.4 gallon capacity kettle if filled to the brim.

My boil start was always 4.2 gallons and I never had a boilover. I did FULL VOLUME boils with no top off water by the way. When I brew indoors now, I use two of these kettles via a twin-mirrored boil.

 

[J187]

A lot of you read on here about the 5 gallon pot for 5 gallon batches is because most extract brewers are doing partial boils and topping off... so a 2.5 gallon batch full boil is the same exact thing as a 2.5 gallon partial boil, 5 gallon batch. The 5 gallon pot is ideal for both. Usually for an extract partial boil, I'll go with 3 gallon boil in a 5 gallon kettle and top off.

 

[unionrdr]

Except in a partial boil,more malts are used to account for the top off water to get the right OG.

 

[Revvy]

My stovetop pot was a 10 dollar SS 5 gallon pot from Dollar General. I still use it for indoor brewing. But it's not REALLY 5 gallons....putting 5 gallons in the pot will take the liquid right to the brim. Realistically, leave "headroom" in the kettle puts it at 4.25-4.5 MAX, and that's using fermcap s to stop boil overs.

You really only need it to hold enough to comfprtably boil DOWN to your final volume. You calculate that based on boiloff of your stove or heat source, how much you boil off in an hour to an hour and a half. Typically it's about a gallon to a gallon and a half an hour. For a 2.5 gallon post boil volume, I use 3.5 gallons of water. My stove, and my pot can comfortably handle that.

 

[juskojj]

old thread but..... i saw on here you can do a 4 gallon pot for 2.5-3 gallon batches if your careful to prevent boil over but could you use a 4 gallon or even a 5 gallon pot for a 1 gallon batch? anything to worry about? (maybe higher evaporation rate?)