Kettle size
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Sorry, fat fingers posted before I was finished. I'm wondering what kettle size would be recommended for some heavier beers? Some Barleywine, maybe the eventual 120 minute clone? Is 10 gallon big enough for mash and lauter or is 15 better?
Black Island Brewer
An Ode to Beer
It comes down to your batch size, grain to water ratio, and efficiency. For example, I'm brewing an 10 gallon 1.086 Doppelbock this weekend, and at 70% efficiency I would not be able to get it all in to my 15 gallon mash tun, but at 78% I'll have a gallon and a half of room to stir the mash. A 10 gallon mash tun is very versatile for 5 gallon batches, even with big beers, and if you do run our of room, you can always formulate for additions of DME or LME to get the final gravity points.
MindenMan
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This question is one of great debate. My first question is how many BTU's is the burner you have? I quickly outgrew my original 22 qt BK, that was a holiday gift to me. I purchased a 30 qt turkey fryer setup for $20.00. That is a deal I couldn't pass up. I brewed a 5 gallon brown porter on Friday, and saw 30 qt's is not near big enough due to my higher efficiency last brew, and the extra sparge water I needed, kept me at the verge of boil over for the first few minutes. I will use my 40 qt BK next time so I don't have to babysit my wort while boiling.
kombat
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I'm a little confused - are we talking about a boil kettle or a mash/lauter tun?
Boil kettle, you'd be fine with a 15 gallon one. Bigger beers don't require bigger boil kettles, as the extra sugars don't add any appreciable volume to the liquid or alter the boil-off rate.
Mash tun, if you're doing 10 gallon batches of fairly big beers, you'd want at least a 70-quart cooler, preferably 100.
If you're talking about mashing in a pot, then I can only guess at the size you'd need, as most of us use converted camping/drink coolers. I suppose it would be the same - 17.5 to 25 gallons, but that sounds awfully pricey to me.
Boil kettle, you'd be fine with a 15 gallon one. Bigger beers don't require bigger boil kettles, as the extra sugars don't add any appreciable volume to the liquid or alter the boil-off rate.
Mash tun, if you're doing 10 gallon batches of fairly big beers, you'd want at least a 70-quart cooler, preferably 100.
If you're talking about mashing in a pot, then I can only guess at the size you'd need, as most of us use converted camping/drink coolers. I suppose it would be the same - 17.5 to 25 gallons, but that sounds awfully pricey to me.
Why would you say 100 quart preferable for 10 gallon batches? I have done 11 gallon batches in my 50 quart cooler. Yes that maxes that one out. I will be upgrading to 70 quart soon, which will be more than enough. 100 quart seems way overkill, IMO.
bajaedition
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what size batches do you do
I am a 5 gallon all grain brewer
I use an eight gallon BK
I have 2 mash tuns, my first was a 5 gallon igloo cooler, not a good idea but then I do still use it for small beers because of the size it works well and is easy to use and clean
I also have a 10 gallon igloo MT which works well for bigger beers but still can get small fast for really big beers such as Scotch ales or Barley wines.
a guide line is that the BK needs to be about 1.5 the size of the batch size, and that is a sliding scale
and double the size for a MT, and even at that you can fill it to overflowing
basically it depends on what kind of beers you want to brew
I am a 5 gallon all grain brewer
I use an eight gallon BK
I have 2 mash tuns, my first was a 5 gallon igloo cooler, not a good idea but then I do still use it for small beers because of the size it works well and is easy to use and clean
I also have a 10 gallon igloo MT which works well for bigger beers but still can get small fast for really big beers such as Scotch ales or Barley wines.
a guide line is that the BK needs to be about 1.5 the size of the batch size, and that is a sliding scale
and double the size for a MT, and even at that you can fill it to overflowing
basically it depends on what kind of beers you want to brew
kombat
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Because the OP specifically mentioned brewing some very high gravity beers (barleywines and extreme Double IPAs).
My double-IPA recipe calls for 32 pounds of grain for a 10-gallon batch. at 1.25 qt/lb, that's 40 quarts of water. Add in a bucket and a half of milled grain and rice hulls, and there's no way that'll fit in a 48-quart cooler.
Now imagine doing a barleywine that calls for 40 pounds of grain.
For 5-6 gallon beers, I would recommend a minimum of a 25 quart cooler.
For 10-11 gallon beers, I would recommend a 52+ quart cooler. I use a 50 quart right now, but that is pushed to it's limit for my 11 gallon batches.
For 5 gallon boil kettles 7.5 gallon minimum, would recommend 10 gallon.
For 10 gallon boil kettles 15 gallon minimum, would recommend 20 gallon.
I do 11 gallon batches, and start with a boil a little over 13 gallons, which pushes my keggle to it's limit at the boil start.
For 10-11 gallon beers, I would recommend a 52+ quart cooler. I use a 50 quart right now, but that is pushed to it's limit for my 11 gallon batches.
For 5 gallon boil kettles 7.5 gallon minimum, would recommend 10 gallon.
For 10 gallon boil kettles 15 gallon minimum, would recommend 20 gallon.
I do 11 gallon batches, and start with a boil a little over 13 gallons, which pushes my keggle to it's limit at the boil start.
I can do 11 gallons for my Stout which uses 33 pounds of grain, in my 50 quart cooler. I just have to do two batch sparges due to the size. If I had a 70 quart, 1 batch sparge would fit just fine. Remember you don't always have to do 1.25 qt/lb, you can try 1.2, 1.1, and 1. People do all of those ratios. Some even do 1.5 qt / lb and only use first runnings.
Black Island Brewer
An Ode to Beer
I would suggest a 15 gallon pot then, if you think you will ever brew 10 gallon batches and to avoid buying another one. You can always upgrade to a larger cooler for the MT at a minimal cost. Cheers!
MindenMan
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I agree, a 15 gallon brew kettle would be the ticket. Buy once and forget about it. If I would have had my new propane burner already, I wouldn't had purchased a 10 gallon BK, instead I would have bought the 15 gallon BK. I currently mash in my old 22 qt SS pot, and I lauter/sparge in a Zapap bucket. I have no problem keeping desired temps.
Mzucovsky, you might want to try making a Zapap bucket. For the cost of two plastic 5 gallon buckets, and the time to drill a lot of holes in one of them on the bottom. $10.00 and an hour of your time will make a lauter/sparge tun that will get you through in the beginning of your new addiction, um, uh,... I meant brewing days. Just My $0.02
Mzucovsky, you might want to try making a Zapap bucket. For the cost of two plastic 5 gallon buckets, and the time to drill a lot of holes in one of them on the bottom. $10.00 and an hour of your time will make a lauter/sparge tun that will get you through in the beginning of your new addiction, um, uh,... I meant brewing days. Just My $0.02
I use a digital thermometer placed directly in the mash to take a reading. Some brewers drill a hole and mount a permanent thermometer to the outside of the cooler.
kombat
Well-Known Member
You don't need to. The cooler will hold its temperature.
Once you have your equipment profile dialed in with your brewing software (I use Beersmith), you can consistently hit your dough-in temperature. If you pre-heat your mash tun and ensure the mash is well-mixed (read: even temperature throughout), then you don't need to fret over the temperature. It will hold it just fine. I take the extra step of laying a sheet of aluminum foil on top of my grain bed for an extra layer of insurance.
I check my temperature at the end of the mash just out of curiousity, and it's always within 1 degree of my dough-in temperature.
Talonracer67
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What I found works is to go about 10-15 degrees over my strike temps then dump it into my 10 gallon Rubbermaid mash tun, then close it up for 15 minutes. This gives me a good preheat (VERY important to preheat). It usually puts me close to my strike temps, then I dough in a couple degrees above my dough in temp-then stir it with my drill mounted stir rod like that grain owes me money, you'll lose a couple degrees this way and it puts you right at your mash temp (use the online calculators, very useful). My first two AG brews I over shot my OG by 8 points on one brew and a whopping 10 points on my second brew. A good grind + a good stir is the ticket.
Also i have found, as far as mash tuns go, the fuller you can get your mash tun the better it will keep heat. I have a 5 gallon cooler also and will be using that for "smaller" beers.
Also i have found, as far as mash tuns go, the fuller you can get your mash tun the better it will keep heat. I have a 5 gallon cooler also and will be using that for "smaller" beers.
I only do 5 gallon batches so I can finish the beer quicker and jump between different styles. I currently have a 10 gal round cooler and a 9.2 gal BK from Stout Tanks & Kettles. My setup allows me to do bigger beers if desired. You should be able to comfortably mash in 20lbs of grain with a 10gal cooler. Using a 1.25qt/lb water/grain ratio you'll use about 6.5 gal for strike, which you can lightly sparge to collect boil volume and do a double batch with another sparge and some extra light DME to bump gravity if needed. 20lbs of grain will hit around an OG of 1.105 at 72% efficiency using 152°F.
bajaedition
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buynig to big can also be a reason to have to buy again
you need to decide what size batches you are going want to make
I think a lot of guys are going to try to steer you into the 10 gallon batch size.
personally, for me that is just to much beer of 1 style at a time so I do 5 gallon batches. My gear is based on that. I keep 2 beers on tap all the time, am usually lagering a beer or 2 all the time. and never have an issue about needing more beer.
But that is me, not you, and yes at one time I had a 10 gallons system I sold to get a 5 gallon system.
SOOOO, once you figure out what size you need. I think we all will agree that around 1.5 size for a BK and 2 times the size for a MT
I would go bigger than 1.5 size, more around 1.75 - 2 x size. I have brewed tons of 5 - 6 gallon batches with my 7.5 gallon SS kettle. That pushes it to it's limit, and I have to watch the hot break very carefully. 9 - 10 gallon pot would be much easier to work with and less worries. Assuming you are brewing outside on a propane burner. If inside, 7.5 gallon may be the largest you can get on your stove.
bajaedition
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I think you hit the reason I said "around", but that is a sliding scale
I use an 8 gallon for a 5 gallon batch, but would you use a barrel and a half for a barrel size batch, or would that be a bit large?
the scale slides and would take many pages to print an ideal size for every size batch.
then I notice you are limiting according to burner options, I still have no problem outside with an eight gallon kettle, guess I adjust mine better than someone who would.
You look at the More Beer website and they suggest 8 for 5, 15 for 10 and 28 for 15. all on outside propane systems,
that is a sliding scale for sure. most of us HOBBYIST are going be in that size area and it looks like it is based on an "around" 1.5 per gallon. not perfect but effective scale
I think 1.5x is on the small size. 8 gallon for 5 - 6 gallon batches, puts the starting boil almost at the top. Even for my 10 - 11 gallon batches, I fill my Keggle almost to the top. That is why I mentioned 1.75 - 2 x.
