Considering downgrading kettle size

[GoodmanBrewing]

So I have been thinking and lately I have been wanting to get a new kettle. I started AG brewing about 1.5 years ago and I'm still using the same equipment with very little upgrades. I have a cooler mash tun, and a 15 gallon tall boy kettle. I have a smaller kettle that I use to heat water for batch sparge. I've recently gotten a freezer with temp control, so I am looking to ramp up my brewing a bit more now that I can do lagers which is what I mostly drink.

I really want a kettle that has a sight glass and ball valve and while I'm aware I can add these things I just simply don't want to. Along with a new kettle I am considering going to a ten gallon kettle. I have a hard time getting through the beer I brew now in a timely manner, I do not see myself ever wanting to brew ten gallons at a time. I do not brew big stouts or barley wines. I like the extra space I have now to help prevent boilovers but I frankly feel as if I got too much kettle for what I'm doing, by the end of the boil this thing is only 1/3 full. Cooling is a bit of a pain with my IC because th kettle is so deep and wide - with the addition of a valve I plan to got to a counter flow chiller in the future anyways so this is just a temporary issue. I do 90 minute boils but I think a ten gallon kettle still has plenty of room for that. I eventually want to switch to a three kettle set up and I'm mainly writing this to get opinions and advice on if this system will statisfy my needs. If I had a three ten gallon Kettle set up would this be fine for say five gallon batches with 90 minute boils and at most a 1.070 OG with most beers I make falling between 1045 and 1055.

Almost across the board everything I read always tells people to go for the larger kettle but I wonder how many ever actually end up moving to ten gallon batches. Any thoughts or opinions on this? Does it ever make sense to go with a smaller kettle if saving money is not a priority? Thanks everyone!

 

[Wizard_of_Frobozz]

I'm in the same boat as you. I have a 14 gallon kettle and a 35 gallon HLT (was an industrial kettle that was being scrapped by my work). In 20 years of brewing, I have brewed exactly one 10 gallon batch; everything else has been 5 gallons. I always want to brew another batch long before I have worked through the previous one.

One thing that bugs me is cleaning those larger kettles; dragging them over to the sink, manhandling them, tipping them to get the last little bit out. When you have a discharge ball valve, electric heating element + cord, thermometer, and sight glass all attached to it, it get's a bit unwieldy. The size makes it harder - I'm probably going to downsize to a 10 gallon boil kettle, then re-purpose the 14 gallon to become the new HLT.

 

[GoodmanBrewing]

I'm in the same boat as you. I have a 14 gallon kettle and a 35 gallon HLT (was an industrial kettle that was being scrapped by my work). In 20 years of brewing, I have brewed exactly one 10 gallon batch; everything else has been 5 gallons. I always want to brew another batch long before I have worked through the previous one.

One thing that bugs me is cleaning those larger kettles; dragging them over to the sink, manhandling them, tipping them to get the last little bit out. When you have a discharge ball valve, electric heating element + cord, thermometer, and sight glass all attached to it, it get's a bit unwieldy. The size makes it harder - I'm probably going to downsize to a 10 gallon boil kettle, then re-purpose the 14 gallon to become the new HLT.

That's exactly my thinking. I'm not moving enough quantity to even consider ten gallon batches and five gallons will keep me brewing more frequently!

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yes, I agree that using a kettle that is too large is an inconvenience!!!

3X finished batch size is too large IMO.

I have several kettles and typically use one that is 2X batch size...

Don't feel bad, some folks go 20 gallon, now that is just ridiculous for 5 gallon batches yet to save face they say they love it lol.

 

[day_trippr]

It's a kettle, not a kidney, and life is too damned short.
Sell your 15g, buy your dream 10g, and if you ever find yourself looking back you can deal with that then...

Cheers!

 

[Homercidal]

Downsize! If it makes sense to you, then go for it. You will be happy to sell what you have and get something that works better for you. I am sure there is someone out there with a 7.5 gallon turkey fryer kettle who would love to get a good deal on a 15 gallon kettle so they can brew 10 gallons.

 

[Sadu]

I have both 15g and 10g kettles. I brew in the 10g mostly, but still find a lot of utility in the 15g. Works good for heating sparge water, and when I cool I put the 10g inside the 15g and the IC output hose goes into the 15g to provide a sleeve of cooling around the kettle.

 

[Murphys_Law]

I got drunk after a brew session and 2 days latter a Bayou 15G kettle showed up on the door step. In thought it would be great for head space and the occasional 10G batch.

I brewed 1 10G batch in the last year.

I bought a 10G Spike this year and I love the size for putting 5.5G in the fermenter. If I have a bigger beer and/or long boil I will simply hold back a gallon or two and sparge (i.e. pour over my grain bag) after the mash.

 

[huzahhdahdaddda]

I have relatively new (to me) 3 vessel 15 gallon RIMS setup and I almost exclusively do split batches. Sunday's brew session was 5 1/2 gallons of Bohemian Lager (Wy2124) and 4 1/2 gallons of American Pale Ale (Wy1056). Honestly, if I were you, I would spend the money on upgrading the chiller first. Don't sell the 15,you will regret it. If you want a 10 gallon, it's a nice option if you are sticking to the 5 gallon batches. My advice is to research all the kettle options on the market and find exactly what you want.

 

[GoodmanBrewing]

Downsize! If it makes sense to you, then go for it. You will be happy to sell what you have and get something that works better for you. I am sure there is someone out there with a 7.5 gallon turkey fryer kettle who would love to get a good deal on a 15 gallon kettle so they can brew 10 gallons.

That's what I'm thinking. I do not have a lot of space to start stacking kettles up so I would definitely be looking to sell it.

I got drunk after a brew session and 2 days latter a Bayou 15G kettle showed up on the door step. In thought it would be great for head space and the occasional 10G batch.

I brewed 1 10G batch in the last year.

I bought a 10G Spike this year and I love the size for putting 5.5G in the fermenter. If I have a bigger beer and/or long boil I will simply hold back a gallon or two and sparge (i.e. pour over my grain bag) after the mash.

I'm leaning towards the spike 10 gallon or blichmann. I see blichmann has some cosmetic issue pots right now that seem to be a reasonable deal, but I have to be 100% honest here...I don't care for the way the blichmann pots look and a dinged up one won't help that. I know looks do not matter when it comes to performance but all things being equal I'll take the better looking pot.

I have relatively new (to me) 3 vessel 15 gallon RIMS setup and I almost exclusively do split batches. Sunday's brew session was 5 1/2 gallons of Bohemian Lager (Wy2124) and 4 1/2 gallons of American Pale Ale (Wy1056). Honestly, if I were you, I would spend the money on upgrading the chiller first. Don't sell the 15,you will regret it. If you want a 10 gallon, it's a nice option if you are sticking to the 5 gallon batches. My advice is to research all the kettle options on the market and find exactly what you want.

I appreciate your perspective on this, thank you. The problem here is that my kettle currently has no valves or ports, so to really upgrade my chiller would require modification of the kettle which I know can be done but I simply am not interested in doing that. I have a 50' stainless steel double coil IC that I don't want to replace just yet. I believe the chiller will prove to be much more effective in a smaller pot.

 

[Vandulus]

If it'll make you're brew day easier and more enjoyable, I'd say go for the 10 gallon as that size seems the sweet spot for doing 6 gallon and under size batches. If really want to do a larger batch in the future, you could always do a partial boil and adjust the hops accordingly. I did this for a few years starting out with a 3 gallon pot making 5 gallon batches. You'd have to pry my 10 gallon out of my cold, dead hands now...