5 or 10 gallon mash tun

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skagit991

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I am working on putting together the equipment to switch from extract to all grain brewing. I have 15.5 Keggle and I am now working on a Mash Tun. I purchased a 5 gallon round Igloo and I am getting ready to order a false bottom. I am now wondering if I am better to get a 10 gallon Igloo. Is this recommended? I plan to mostly brew 5 gallon batches.

Thanks!
 
10 gallon, for the times you want to do a high grav beer or a 10 gallon batch. If you have a keggle, you could be running 10 gallon batches all day long. Buy yourself another carboy also. Read the last line of my signature
 
I will second the motion for the 10 gal. Even with a moderate grain bill you will run into capacity issues when batch sparging in the 5 gal
 
I have a 40 something qt tun that I've been happy with. I've mashed as little as 8 lbs and as much as 15 with no problems. I would get something larger if I were you.
 
Go for the 10 gal.....I began with a 5 gal...used it once and went with a 50 qt Coleman. I make mostly 6 gal big beers... but even with the latest Wit @ 1.048...the 5 gal would have been cutting it close. With the 10 you always have the option of making smaller beers....with the 5...you don't have the option of making bigger beers...
 
I've got a 48qt and love the thing. Just big enough to do 10 gallon batches @ 1.070
 
I went from a 5 gallon round to a 40 qt. rectangular igloo. I already had it
so no extra cost other than extending my braid. Wow, it's way better.
I mashed 19 lbs of grain today for a 10 gallon batch. Drains so much quicker
as the grains don't compact like they did with the 5 gallon. Easier to stir
also. I will probably upgrade this to a 48 qt one day.
 
I made a 5 gallon tun and I am quite happy with it. But.. were I to do it over.. I would probably go with the 10. You have room to do temperature rests and such.. something I just can't do with my 5. There isn't room to add more water to change the temperature if you miss your target. I also find myself making 6 gallons now to get 5 at the end.. so that wants more room too.

Most of the time the 5 is fine, but there are times I wish I had gotten the 10. At the time the money wasn't there so I have no regrets. If you do decide to get the 5 you will do fine.

I have made two big beers with it. One I just added some DME to make up the difference, the other I made a 4 gallon batch instead of 5.

Chris
 
10 gallon. I was in the same spot as you and went all grain, then ten gallon batches and the 10 gal igloo is great. Brew on! My kits get here on Monday!
 
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