Is a keggle for 6 gallon batches overkill?

[bgough]

Ok, so I've been doing boils 6 gallon boils in my 7 gallon pot, but someone just gave me a fully put together keggle.

I would love to increase my pre-boil volume to 7 gallons from 6, but I thought a 15 gallon keggle might be a bit much for a 7 gallon boil.

I'm not ready to move to 10 gallon batches yet, and was wondering if anyone else uses their keggle for smaller than 10 gallon batches?

 

[Blue_Water]

Yes it will work great for a 6g batch.. Keggles are great.

 

[BeerCrazy]

Not at all. The price is right. Around here $30 for a pot? You're crazy to buy a $150 kettle. Also, the keggles will let you up size your batches. Make a starter and your yeast is the same price. Hops from hopsdirect are like a buck an ounce and if you pay more than $45/bag for base malt of $55/bag for specialty malts your crazy. Go 10 gallon and split into 5 gallon fermenters and pitch diffrent yeast, dry hop, spices, other wierd additions, etc. I've even had 5 gallons of stout with clams and jap peppers and another without.

 

[Rick500]

I brew 6 gallon batches, and I love my keggle. Wouldn't brew without it now that I've brewed with it.

 

[The Pol]

I brew 5.5 gallon batches, I have boiled my keggle over a few times LOL

 

[humann_brewing]

I brew 5 gallon batches in my keggle, I am about to convert a keg into a MLT, I am wondering if that is overkill for 5 gallon batches.

 

[bgough]

Thanks for the responses! Looks like I'll be washing out that keggle for my next batch. Since it has a valve, tha means no more racking on brew day :rockin:

I brew 5.5 gallon batches, I have boiled my keggle over a few times LOL

I've actually done 6.5 gallon boils in my 7 gallon kettle thanks to foam control. It's a thing of beauty. Only about an inch and a half from the top of the kettle. You juyst gotta watch it like a hawk when it first boils.

 

[Rick500]

That's the best thing about doing 5-6 gallon batches in a keggle -- unless you're The Pol you don't have to worry about boilovers and don't have to be there every second of the boil.

 

[arturo7]

Keep in mind that a keg is typically taller and thinner than a pot. My keggle is roughly the same diameter as my 8 G pot. Evaporation is largely determined by surface area.

My guess is your boil off with the keggle will be pretty close to what you now see with your 7 gallon pot.

 

[MarshyTheKid]

Just finished my keggle and I'm doing 5 gallons now. Once I make my mash tun, I'll be moving to 10 gallon.

 

[The Pol]

Well, boilovers arent t problem now...

Basically it was from leaving the PID at 100% during the hot break... 18,000BTUs will boil over 6 gallons of wort pretty easy in a 15 gallon kettle.

So, now I set the PID for 180F while I sparge. After that is complete I use 100% to reach a boil in 5 minutes, then dial back to 70%. Once I am boiling and dial it down to 70%, there is no need to watch. My boilovers have almost all happened during brewcasts while I am talking to viewers and the kettle is kicking at 100% behind me

 

[wrestler63]

I brew 5 gallon batches in my keggle, I am about to convert a keg into a MLT, I am wondering if that is overkill for 5 gallon batches.

it is not overkill to use a keggle for MT......be sure to install your screww in thermometer low though......mine is perfect for 10g batches but sits too high for 5g .........good luck

 

[Richabt]

I do anywhere from 5 to 7 gallon batches with my keggle. I haven't done a 10 gallon batch, but it's nice to know the option is there.

The best part is I picked mine up at a flea market for $15.

 

[maida7]

Have you considered how it will work with your chiller? If your using an imersion chiller it may not fit as well in the larger keggle.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Yes.

That is why it's a match made in Valhalla.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

During my transition from extract to AG I used my new keggle to finish up the last of my LME. It was a 5 gallon batch. It was probably my best extract batch ever! The freedom from watching the pot for boil-over was also a huge plus.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Is, of course, not implying that the kettle did not boil over. Just that he was relieved to not be watching it do so, this time.

 

[springer]

I have had boilovers using a keggle during a 5 gallon brew. I now use a 30 gallon pot but i don't do 5 gallons anymore :rockin:

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Is, of course, not implying that the kettle did not boil over. Just that he was relieved to not be watching it do so, this time.

LOL! well, what i SHOULD have said is that I did not have to watch it like a hawk in case there was a boil over that made such a mess of the stove that I could be banished to the garage a second time!

 

[IrregularPulse]

Not at all, I've had 5.5G batches (7Gin pot) boil over before in my keggle.