Making the switch to AG!

[moorerm04]

I'm pretty stoked because I have been doing partial mash brews for the past 2 years do to the limited space of my old house. My wife and I just moved into a new home that has a very nice back deck with a big awning. I just built my mash tun from an igloo cooler, and picked up a LP turkey fryer from basspro that comes with a 6.5 gal aluminum pot. It was in sale for $39 bucks. Think for my first batch I'm gonna make a very simple grain bill IPA.

 

[moorerm04]

Correction 7.5 gallon kettle.

 

[metanoia]

Good luck! I'm moving from extract to all grain this weekend with an IPA, can't wait!

 

[J187]

I think you might have a hard time doing full boil 5 gallon batches of significant gravity in that kettle. You are also probably going to be remiss if that pot does not have a spigot. Trying to account for boil off and leaving a little room for boil over prevention, while ending up with a 5 gallon boil vol, is going to be very challenging...

 

[ETCS]

I think you might have a hard time doing full boil 5 gallon batches of significant gravity in that kettle. You are also probably going to be remiss if that pot does not have a spigot. Trying to account for boil off and leaving a little room for boil over prevention, while ending up with a 5 gallon boil vol, is going to be very challenging...

In my old system, I used a 8 gallons brew kettle. I made a barleywine in it with a pre-boil volum of 7.5 gallons (90 Min boil). Yes you have to watch it. Get a spray bottle with some distilled water in it and and as the hot break happens, spray the foam on the top to keep it down. Doing that and turning the temp down a little until the hot break is done, you will be fine. You have to watch it though, it can get out of control VERY quickly.

 

[menerdari]

I have done 6+ gallon boils in my 7.5. no problem with fermcap,
I did finally get a 10 gallon pot and am much happier.

 

[tre9er]

You can always scale a batch down to 4.5g or 4g if boilover becomes an issue. I'd get some fermcap-s (cheap) and put two or three drops in the kettle while the boil is getting ready to happen. Stuff is magic and that's way below the recommended dose. I have done 5g batches in a turkey fryer though it wasn't easy, as mentioned just watch it and don't boil vigorously at first. A siphon is fine for now, although a kit from BargainFittings (keg/kettle bulkhead kit with ball valve) is cheap with $5 shipping and easy to do. If the pot is aluminum, you can use a spade bit or cheap step-bit and knock the hole out pretty easily. I'd also order an elbow to use as a pickup tube. You'll get some trub in the fermenter, but don't worry about it. That will all settle out. Volume is more important with that smaller pot.

 

[moorerm04]

I forgot to mention that I have been doing full volume boils with my PM recipes for over a year in a 7 gallon pot. As long as I pay attention I don't even come close to a boil over. We are talking a little over 5.5 gal in a pot with 2 gal to spare

 

[tre9er]

I forgot to mention that I have been doing full volume boils with my PM recipes for over a year in a 7 gallon pot. As long as I pay attention I don't even come close to a boil over. We are talking a little over 5.5 gal in a pot with 2 gal to spare

a 5g batch will be about a 6.5g boil, FWIW. about a gallon boiloff plus nearly 1/2g trub/hop loss.