Appropriate Set Up?

[merlin306]

So, I have obtained some equipment. I'm hoping to be able to use the equipment to brew 10 gallon all grain. I'm not sure about what volumes I'll need to successfully achieve this....

First - brew pot - standard 1/2 barrel - no problem.

Second - I can use one of two coolers for my mash/lauter tun- either a 62 or an 82 quart rectangle cooler. I plan on doing some big beers. Do I need to use the 82, or is 62 sufficient?

Third - I have a tall 1/4 barrel that I was hoping to use as my hot liquor tank. Is 7.75 gallons appropriate, or should I plan on using one of my 2 coolers? The only downside I can think of with the coolers is I can't put a burner under it. Obviously, I'd like to find a second 1/2 barrel, but I already own a 1/4.

I like batch sparging, if that makes a difference in this converstation.

Thanks in advance.

 

[badbrew]

well considering you will probably use 6 to 10 gallons hot water at one time per 10 gallon batch I'd say the 1/4 barrel hlt is out of the question for a 10 gallon batch.

You can always heat the water in the keggle and use buckets or that cooler to hold the runnings. I use a 8 gal aluminum hlt for 6 gal batches and it works great for batch sparging.

 

[wickman6]

five pounds of grain takes up 4qts. so with water added, a 20lb grain bill would take up 16 qts, and add in strike water at 1.5 qts/lb gives you a total of 30qts water plus your 16 for the grain and you have 46 qts.

I can make 10 gal batch of pale ale in my cooler, at 1.056 og and mine is much smaller than 62qts. not sure exactly how big mine is, but its enough for what I need.

your 1/4 bbl should be big enough too. I use a 20qt stock pot for my hlt. Occasionally I need more water, so I use 2 pots in those cases.

 

[outrunu]

Im using a 56qt right now, and my ten gallon batches (23 ish pounds of grain) are pushing it. I'm doing a lot of 1.6 to 1.7 beers. If I had access to an 82 quart km knowing what I know, I'd use it. Things are tight for me. I don't think I could do ten gallons of a 1.8 beer right now.

Also, if you want to use that 1/4 barrel, your going to grabbed that burner working. Ill go through rang near 15 gallons of water in a mash/sparge.