Kettle Size for 5 & 10 gallon batches

[Ttownbrewer]

I've been considering upgrading my system from a starter all grain single tier, to a single tier HERMS, possibly electric. With the system I'd like to mostly do 10 gal batches, but also have the capability to do 5 gal if desired.

The question I have is about Blichmann Boilermakers. They suggest for a 10 gallon batch, you use 15/15/20. The electric brewery uses 20/20/20. If I end up electric, I won't need to worry about the kettle Thermometor, since it will be on PID. But all the deadspace has me concerned.

What are others doing with kettle size for capability of both 5 &10 gallon batches?

 

[headwall]

I'm stepping up from 5 gallons to 10-13 gallons. I went with 15/20/20. I almost went with 15 gallons for the MLT, but ended up getting the 20 to give myself more flexibility if I wanted to big beers. However, the kettles I was looking at had the same diameters for the 15 and 20 gallon versions. The extra 5 gallons was made up vertically. So the dimensions of the mash would be identical in either vessel. Does that make sense? That's why I opted to just go ahead and get the bigger kettle, as it was a nominal additional expense and I wouldn't lose anything.

I opted for the Brewers Hardware kettles. They are listed at 15.75" diameter. My 8 gallon pot that I used for 5 gallon batches was about that wide, as was the cube cooler I used for a mash tun, so I would be comfortable doing 5 gallon batches with the larger kettles.

 

[Ttownbrewer]

I'm stepping up from 5 gallons to 10-13 gallons. I went with 15/20/20. I almost went with 15 gallons for the MLT, but ended up getting the 20 to give myself more flexibility if I wanted to big beers. However, the kettles I was looking at had the same diameters for the 15 and 20 gallon versions. The extra 5 gallons was made up vertically. So the dimensions of the mash would be identical in either vessel. Does that make sense? That's why I opted to just go ahead and get the bigger kettle, as it was a nominal additional expense and I wouldn't lose anything.

I opted for the Brewers Hardware kettles. They are listed at 15.75" diameter. My 8 gallon pot that I used for 5 gallon batches was about that wide, as was the cube cooler I used for a mash tun, so I would be comfortable doing 5 gallon batches with the larger kettles.

Thanks for your insight. It has me thinking, and now considering going with Stout Tanks - all 20 gallon set up. I believe these to be the same kettles as Brewers Hardware.

I am still wondering if there would be much issue with the dead space of boil kettle for a 5 gallon batch, they list at 27" tall.

Any Stout Tanks owners out there wish to comment? Any and all information is much appreciated!

 

[headwall]

By dead space in the boil kettle, are you referring to the loss of volume that you won't be able to pick up from the dip tube? I just measured that volume in my 20 gallon Brewers Hardware kettle (you are right, I believe they are the same as the Stout Tanks kettles) and found it to be just under 1/2 gallon. But you could always rack it off with a racking cane. These pots are pretty narrow at 15.75 inches. It is essentially the same diameter as a sanke keg and 1" wider than the 8 gallon pot I was using for my 5 gallon batches. You might get a little more boil-off doing 5 gallons in such a kettle, but I'm not sure how dramatic the difference would be.

 

[GoodDogShelby]

Ttown...

Would your logic change if you brewed mostly 5 gallon with an occasional 10 gallon?

I am in a similar dilemma with sizing a kettle. I brew ~7 gallon batches to make sure I have plenty to fill a corny keg accounting for losses and without being tempted to dip too low in the fermenter. I will occasionally brew a 10 gallon batch and have to stick right at that level. 15 or 20 gallon BK, that is my question.

 

[UofMontanaAlum]

I have an all electric Blichmann 15/15/15 setup and I love it. Currently I brew 5 gallon batches and I have no issues at all. I like the extra room so I don't have to be as attentive to the boil.

 

[Ttownbrewer]

By dead space in the boil kettle, are you referring to the loss of volume that you won't be able to pick up from the dip tube?

By dead space I'm referring to the vertical make up of the kettle. There would be a lot of room in there if I were to only bring over 7 gallons for a 5 gallon batch. I assume there would just be a lot of boil off that would need to be accounted for while sparging.

 

[Ttownbrewer]

Ttown...

Would your logic change if you brewed mostly 5 gallon with an occasional 10 gallon?

I am in a similar dilemma with sizing a kettle. I brew ~7 gallon batches to make sure I have plenty to fill a corny keg accounting for losses and without being tempted to dip too low in the fermenter. I will occasionally brew a 10 gallon batch and have to stick right at that level. 15 or 20 gallon BK, that is my question.

I don't know that my logic would change if I were mostly to do 5 gallon batches with the occasional 10. I think in reality I'll be doing more 5 gallon batches to start, and then stepping up to 10. I don't want to buy to small and be dissapointed, yet I don't want to go to big either. I'll probably end up with Stout Tanks 20/20/20, I like the standard Tri Clovers. It might be overkill, but I should work out.

 

[headwall]

By dead space I'm referring to the vertical make up of the kettle. There would be a lot of room in there if I were to only bring over 7 gallons for a 5 gallon batch. I assume there would just be a lot of boil off that would need to be accounted for while sparging.

Oh, we'll the vertical space really won't affect boil-off any. Surface area is the key factor there, so the diameter of the pot is what you should be most concerned with, not the height. They are pretty narrow, so you shouldn't see too much of an increase in loss from boil-off. The 20 gallon kettle is about an inch wider than the 8 gallon kettle I used for my 5 gallon batches. If you do a trial run with water you can adjust your pre-boil volume accordingly with very little trouble I imagine. In the end you'll probably be happy with the larger kettles as you go up in batch size.

 

[Yooper]

I don't know that my logic would change if I were mostly to do 5 gallon batches with the occasional 10. I think in reality I'll be doing more 5 gallon batches to start, and then stepping up to 10. I don't want to buy to small and be dissapointed, yet I don't want to go to big either. I'll probably end up with Stout Tanks 20/20/20, I like the standard Tri Clovers. It might be overkill, but I should work out.

I do mostly 10 gallon batches, but up until about a year ago I did mostly 5 gallon batches.

I have kegs for all vessels, so it's 15/15/15. The HLT doesn't hold 15 gallons of water, though- more like 13.75 because the HERMS coil is in there and so is the stirrer. That's the one place I wish I had went bigger- I have to refill the HLT (not much, most batches use 14.5-15 gallons of water).

The MLT was a 10 gallon cooler, and was usually big enough for even 10 gallon batches up to about 1.068 or so, but I'm glad it's 15. It's more than adequate for any size grain bill for a 10 gallon batch.

The BK is big enough, and a 5 gallon batch is fine it it. I'd like a 20 gallon kettle, though, because I'd like to end up with 11 gallons in the fermenters and it's close to boiling over until after the hot break. I'm not sure how low the volume would be with only a 5 gallon batch in a bigger kettle but the keg was fine for 5 gallon batches.

If I had it to do over, I'd go with 20/15/20.