Don_Coyote
Well-Known Member
I've been using a cobbled together BrewinaBag system for close to a decade now. I like the minimalist equipment approach, but the amorphous bag shape inevitably results in a mess. I came across the big baskets online and figured it was a worthy upgrade for hot side equipment. Ordered it and then realized the extra height would prohibit mashing in my old 7.5 gal kettle, and fell down a rabbit link looking for a new kettle.
Main thing I'm confused by here is the recommendations to go 10 or 15 gallons on the kettle to make 5 gallon batches. I have been maxed out on high gravity batches with the 7.5 and have occasional boil overs when starting if not careful, but the kettle is wider than it is tall. I can't imagine an 8.5 with 1.2 h/w ratio would not eliminate this worry? Would a triclad bottom make the boil more or less predictable?
I gather the other consideration is usage as a mash tun. I'm looking at all the formulas for water usage and the reliable sources seem deal with regular sparging. My interpreted numbers have a 15 lb recipe using just under 8.5 gallons of water, so I can see a 10 gal kettle being needed for full volume mash, but not seeing any utility for 15 gallons. Personally I'm dealing with a lot of bicarbonate in my water so would favor a thicker mash and prefer the added efficiency of dunk sparging, so seems like even the 10 gallons would again be unneeded.
In fact more than unneeded, with my current setup I've found that I don't need to worry about maintaining mash temp if there is no head space in the kettle. Seems like 10 and especially 15 gallon kettles would mean a lot more futzing with the mash to keep a steady temp. Would the thicker walls of a 10 gal Spike kettle ease this concern? Even if my mash volume for a normal recipe would be around 5 or 6 gallons?
My other concern is the mash/hop bucket. The one I got has 300 micron mesh. I've heard this can cause convection flow problems with boiling water wanting to go up and around the bucket. I plan to stick to whole hops so thinking 600 micron would work fine as a filter and produce better fluid exchange. Should I rethink that assumption?
Main thing I'm confused by here is the recommendations to go 10 or 15 gallons on the kettle to make 5 gallon batches. I have been maxed out on high gravity batches with the 7.5 and have occasional boil overs when starting if not careful, but the kettle is wider than it is tall. I can't imagine an 8.5 with 1.2 h/w ratio would not eliminate this worry? Would a triclad bottom make the boil more or less predictable?
I gather the other consideration is usage as a mash tun. I'm looking at all the formulas for water usage and the reliable sources seem deal with regular sparging. My interpreted numbers have a 15 lb recipe using just under 8.5 gallons of water, so I can see a 10 gal kettle being needed for full volume mash, but not seeing any utility for 15 gallons. Personally I'm dealing with a lot of bicarbonate in my water so would favor a thicker mash and prefer the added efficiency of dunk sparging, so seems like even the 10 gallons would again be unneeded.
In fact more than unneeded, with my current setup I've found that I don't need to worry about maintaining mash temp if there is no head space in the kettle. Seems like 10 and especially 15 gallon kettles would mean a lot more futzing with the mash to keep a steady temp. Would the thicker walls of a 10 gal Spike kettle ease this concern? Even if my mash volume for a normal recipe would be around 5 or 6 gallons?
My other concern is the mash/hop bucket. The one I got has 300 micron mesh. I've heard this can cause convection flow problems with boiling water wanting to go up and around the bucket. I plan to stick to whole hops so thinking 600 micron would work fine as a filter and produce better fluid exchange. Should I rethink that assumption?
If something is going to make it come out with two heads or three arms it would be good to have warning, but I'd prefer to taste it and see how it goes from there. If you are in South Central Wisconsin in a couple months, you'd be more than welcome to share and opinion...
