HLT/MLT/BK sizing for high gravity beers

[HoppyMcHopster]

I am planning to move all grain after a bit of extract brewing so I'm trying to find out what type of equipment I should buy. I see that in a lot of setups the HLT and MLT are bigger than the BK. (http://www.blichmannengineering.com/boilermaker/boilermaker.html). I regularly brew 8% beers and the occasional 10% extract brews and the moment and I would like to continue this habit with all grain. I am really only considering brewing 5 gallons at a time but I also like to brew very high ABV. I'm thinking I may need a 15 gallon MLT for this but that leads to an non-standards setup of 10/15/10? Can I get away with a 10/10/10 setup like on the Blichmann website recommends? They mention that on the 15G kettle the thermometer probe doesn't register till 6.5G so I'm guessing thats no bueno for 5 gallon batches. Anyone other fellow brewers have a similar setup/needs?

Cheers

 

[BrewingViking]

I do a lot of 8% to 10% brews, mostly tripels, on a 5/8/8 setup. (haven't gotten out to get my 10 gallon MLT yet.) It depends what type of beer you want to brew. If you need to know if you can mash a recipe in a 10 gallon check this out http://rackers.org/calcs.shtml/.

 

[HoppyMcHopster]

I do a lot of 8% to 10% brews, mostly tripels, on a 5/8/8 setup. (haven't gotten out to get my 10 gallon MLT yet.) It depends what type of beer you want to brew. If you need to know if you can mash a recipe in a 10 gallon check this out http://rackers.org/calcs.shtml/.

Just as confirmation these are all grain recipes with no extract used? What is the biggest grain bill you used?

 

[HoppyMcHopster]

I do a lot of 8% to 10% brews, mostly tripels, on a 5/8/8 setup. (haven't gotten out to get my 10 gallon MLT yet.) It depends what type of beer you want to brew. If you need to know if you can mash a recipe in a 10 gallon check this out http://rackers.org/calcs.shtml/.

Also should ask. Are you brewing 5 gallon batches with your 5/8/8 setup

 

[BrewingViking]

Yup these are all grain, some with sugar additions but no malt extract. The biggest grain bill is 13 pounds so far. And yup all 5 gallon batches.

 

[Mandan]

Yup these are all grain, some with sugar additions but no malt extract. The biggest grain bill is 13 pounds so far. And yup all 5 gallon batches.

Figure .08 gallons of space per lb. of grain plus infusion water. An 8 gal mlt & bk should work. You could get away with a 5 gal hlt.

 

[BrewingViking]

Figure .08 gallons of space per lb. of grain plus infusion water. An 8 gal mlt & bk should work. You could get away with a 5 gal hlt.

I do batch sparges. So i'll do the first batch then refill the hlt and heat the second batch.