Help/Advice for 10gal Batch

[hbhudy]

I am tired of running out of my house ale and I want to start doing 10gal each time I brew it. My only problem is really at my brew pot... I use a 10gal igloo cooler which will easily handle to grain bill for 10gal (only about 17# of grain), but my pot will only hold 10gal. Any idea's from folks who have the same setup? I was thinking about just winging it and running off about 9 gal and then simply top off each carboy to get to 10gal.

Any advice from someone who has the same/similar setup would be greatly appreciated.

 

[texasbrewer73]

I use a converted Keg for my 10 gal batches. I'm starting with 14.5 gal pre-boil. My suggestion would be to look into getting something bigger for sure.

Since you would realistically be pulling only about 8 gal from you mash tun, your gravity will change and you'll be leaving behind perfectly good fermentable sugars. Your efficiency will drop a good bit and that forces you to use more grain. A simple keggle with the top cut off and a valve added would do the trick.

 

[Kate00]

If youre collecting nine gallons of wort, boiling and topping off, you're going to throw off your efficiency and IBU's because you're basically watering batches down. You'll need to add extract and additional hops to compensate, like a big partial mash.

 

[hbhudy]

If youre collecting nine gallons of wort, boiling and topping off, you're going to throw off your efficiency and IBU's because you're basically watering batches down. You'll need to add extract and additional hops to compensate, like a big partial mash.

I agree.. I was hoping someone had the same setup as me and could suggest other options. I have another 7 gallon pot that I could use to capture the 2nd runnings and brew 2 beers and then combine onced cooled. Maybe this is my plan-B

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have another 7 gallon pot that I could use to capture the 2nd runnings and brew 2 beers and then combine onced cooled.

Rather than a first and second runnings kettle...I would mix runnings and boil like 60 / 40 % in the 10 / 7 gallon kettles. Split the hops proportionately and make two like batches and combine. I wouldn't get crazy splitting everthing to the gram either...just divvy it up and cook it...cheers!

 

[BrewLou]

As stated above if you top off to 10 gals pre boil you will be much less post boil and have to water down your batch. I would toss in another vote for a converted keg to brew in.

You can def do the mix runnings as posted above as well. That would be pretty easy to do as long as you have two burners to boil.

Worst case scenario would be to just brew twice in a day. That is typically what I do atm for my 10gal batches. Wife and I are just on my income atm so extra brew toys are out of the question baring an amazing craigslist find . It takes me most of the day, but in her words it keeps me busy and out of trouble!

 

[ktraver97ss]

Either the keggle or boiling in 2 kettles will work. We use a 20g kettle and a keggle to brew 25-30g batches. Just divide the hops and mix before cooling. The sketchy part of our system is having to lift the keggle about 5ft off the ground on to our stand after the boil to get it to drain into the kettle before cooling.

 

[Jaysus]

Start earlier, brew twice

 

[Horseballs]

If youre collecting nine gallons of wort, boiling and topping off, you're going to throw off your efficiency and IBU's because you're basically watering batches down. You'll need to add extract and additional hops to compensate, like a big partial mash.

It's no different than what most people do for their extract batches with partial boils. As long as it isn't a very hoppy ale, there is no reason you couldn't formulate the recipe to get the appropriate OG IBU and color after topping it up. I'd give it a try - I've even been meaning to brew a few batches exactly how the OP describes it.

 

[dcp27]

both your plans are sound and ive done both ways. IME, i'd just go as is and top off with a gallon or 2 or whatever is necessary to get to the proper quantity to save yourself more work/gas. if its only 17#'s grain, i doubt there'd be much efficiency loss and the hop utilization difference is fairly minimal. i used ot do it all the time with 5gal batches, revvy & others have too. theres a # of threads about non-full boil AG