Mash tun sizing (15 or 20 gallon)

[CidahMastah]

I assume that if you plan on doing 10 gallon batches, your mash tun only needs to be 15 gallons right? I have a 15 gallon brew pot, and only plan to ever do 10 gallon batches on here and there.

I tend to like beers with big grain bills (13.5lbs or so). Wasn't sure how much this would displace the mashtun volume.

A buddy of mine is looking into Blichman, Keggle and Gott tuns so we can get an all grain set up to share. Any recs appreciated (I have a 15 gal megapot for boils).

 

[DakotaPrerunner]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-big-your-mash-tun-needs-123585/

 

[BendBrewer]

I get away with a 10 gallon cooler and can do 26# grain bills. I do have to split my sparge though. The keggle guys use 15 gallons. Don't see why you would need a 20.

 

[CidahMastah]

I get away with a 10 gallon cooler and can do 26# grain bills. I do have to split my sparge though. The keggle guys use 15 gallons. Don't see why you would need a 20.

Cool - I thought 15 would be good - thanks for confirming it! Holey monkey... 26# grain bills? is that a barely wine?

 

[BendBrewer]

Cool - I thought 15 would be good - thanks for confirming it! Holey monkey... 26# grain bills? is that a barely wine?

No. Just 10 gallons of IPA.

 

[weirdboy]

Wow 26 pounds in a 10 gallon cooler? What mash thickness is that?

I did about 25 pounds in my 12 gallon cooler last week and it was absolutely filled to the rim.

For a 5 gallon batch you could use a 10 gallon cooler no problem. If you ever want to do 10 gallon batches, you'll want at least 15 gallons IMO.

 

[CidahMastah]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-big-your-mash-tun-needs-123585/

Thanks - had read this a while back but couldn't find it.

 

[CidahMastah]

Ah - just clicked in my head - you were doing 26lbs for a 10 gallon batch - ha - I thought you meant for a 5 gallon batch.

 

[BendBrewer]

I use 1 qt/1 pound and she's pretty damn full.

 

[Hex]

I just crammed 16.2 lbs grain and 6 gal H2O into a 7.5 gal lauter kettle, so double that and you can predict your maximum mash volume...

From mash tun to lauter tun.

After vorlauf and grain bed set.