Brew Kettle Advice Please :)

[brew_ny]

Good Day I am wanting to increase my brew size, at this time I brew 11.5 gallon batches

I do 13 - 13.5 gallon boils in a 16 gallon kettle which works well

I want to start doing 25 - 25.5 boils is a 30 gallon pot too for small boiling that much wort?

do you get that much more hot break with the increase in volume of wort ?

I was thinking of going with a 35 gallon pot but that is an odd ball size and would buy a 40 gallon pot

but do I really need one that big? I know I have heard a million times go with the biggest you can afford

I am looking to brew some bigger batches of some my recipes but not all

also I am thinking of going with a Blichmann Boil Coil

anyone using the boil coils and do you like them? water tank elements are cheap

I brew electric now

all the best and thanks

S_M

 

[dfess1]

how long did it take you to go from 11.5 gal to wanting to do 25 gal batches? 25 is kind of an oddball size (to me anyway). It's a half barrel + two sixtels. Why not just go a full 30 and get two half barrels out of it? At that point, I'd be looking at the 40 gal pot. But that's just my line of thinking. You've got the room if you need it. Either way, it'll take a while to get it up to temp (from a gas perspective, i have no idea about electric, so I can't compare that too well). I'd probably look at a FB for it too, to make it double as a MLT for really high gravity beers and collect back into my current BK. That is something else to think about too. What are you going to have to do for a new MLT, or are you going multiple MLT, in order to collect enough to fill that bad boy up.

 

[brew_ny]

how long did it take you to go from 11.5 gal to wanting to do 25 gal batches? 25 is kind of an oddball size (to me anyway). It's a half barrel + two sixtels. Why not just go a full 30 and get two half barrels out of it? At that point, I'd be looking at the 40 gal pot. But that's just my line of thinking. You've got the room if you need it. Either way, it'll take a while to get it up to temp (from a gas perspective, i have no idea about electric, so I can't compare that too well). I'd probably look at a FB for it too, to make it double as a MLT for really high gravity beers and collect back into my current BK. That is something else to think about too. What are you going to have to do for a new MLT, or are you going multiple MLT, in order to collect enough to fill that bad boy up.

I am going for 23 gallons which will fill both of my fermenters 11.5 gallon each

so I will be able to fill 4 cornys, I will mash in a 140 qt cooler lined with a bag

I am leaning toward the 40 gallon at least for strike water etc.

I have been brewing since july 2013 and have done 60 brews

thanks for the reply

S_M

 

[tagz]

What on earth do you do with all that beer?

 

[brew_ny]

What on earth do you do with all that beer?

I share with friend I brew lower gravity beers that you can have more of

I do a mild that is 3.5 % and tastes outstanding, I have house beers that I would like to brew in bigger batches

I have stuff that I would keep brewing on the setup I have now and I have the equipment to do 5 gallon batches

I have 20 pinlocks that I would like to fill, and be able to cold condition/age some bigger beer

but in the end I enjoy it !

to answer your question

S_M

 

[tagz]

More power to you! Just out of curiosity, what does your mild recipe look like?

 

[brew_ny]

More power to you! Just out of curiosity, what does your mild recipe look like?

All Grain


OG 1.038 FG 1.010 ABV 3.58% IBU19.02 SRM 19.82

11.5 gallon batch 13 gallon boil per boil 1.033

BU/GU 51


9 lb American - Pale 2-Row
1 lb American - Chocolate
1 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 40L
0.25 lb American - Roasted Barley
1 lb Flaked Barley
4 lb American - Vienna

16.25 lb Total

mash at 1.33qt/lb 156F for 60 min I double batch sparge

2.2 oz Willamette @ 60 mins. 60 minute boil

USD 05 or 04 04 gives you a english taste 05 very clean ale like

64 -65 f for 5-7 days then cold crash 2 days and keg

all the best

S_M