New to the Brew

[iowabrew]

so been reading every bit of information out there for the last several months, even went and helped a buddy do an all-grain batch. I'm going to jump right into AG and never look back. I'm going to go mostly 5 gal batches since i'm the only who likes beer in my household for now. I will also be batch sparging as it seems to me the simpliest and most time efficient. Got the wife's blessing to start buyin equipment and have started looking around. I already have a 10gal MLT cooler with SS braid and a 55k BTU burner (without timer) plus i bought a SS 7.5 gal pot with the fryer. I'm looking at the deluxe kit from NB since they are on sale, and also adding a IM wort chiller and other misc items including mash paddle, digital therm, etc. Planning on brewing a hybid wheat/pale ale recipe i can get from NB as well. Just have a few simple questions.

1. Can i use my 7.5 gal pot as both my HLT and BK and just run my first runnings into my bottling bucket until i pour my sparge water, then transfer bucket to BK when it's empty?

2. If i use some fermcap, can i make 7.5 gal work?

3. My basement stays about 70f but is a little damp, although a dehumid is running all the time, will this climate work to ferment? OR i have a very old RC cola vending machine that is gutless with only the cooling element in it, could a simply hook up a override thermo to it? Its old but works like a bottle vending lid on top type one.

Looking forward to this hobby, actually been obsessing about it for several months while i've read and gathered info. Thanks in advance!!

 

[shawnbou]

I have heard of people using a bucket or other container to hold the first runnings while they sparge, but I'd be concerned about the high temperatures and the plastic.

IMO, I do think a 7.5-gal pot is too small for 5-gal AG batches, because you'll need to run off at least 6.5 gallons and maybe more than 7 gallons depending on how long you boil. You want to have plenty of room for a good rolling boil to facilitate hot break and boil off DMS. I've never used Fermcap, so I don't know how well it works, but I'd think even with Fermcap you don't want to fill your pot to the rim with wort and boil it.

So if I were you, as long as you're buying gear to get started, I'd use the 7.5-gal pot as your HLT and get a 9-gal or larger for your boil kettle. That's what I did - my 9-gal pot fits just fine on the burner that came with my 7.5-gal one, and I'm glad I got it.

You could ferment in your basement with a swamp cooler. 70°F is a little warmer than ideal, but it would work if you don't mind a little bit of ester character and depending on what you brew. But a swamp cooler would work very efficiently in a 70°F room, and probably not be much trouble at all. Or that RC machine you have sounds pretty awesome, you might want to rig up a thermostat to that just for bells and whistles.

 

[janivar123]

1 sure you can boil in the kettle you heat water in
(i prefer to not use the bucket ment for botteling or fermenting. but that might be just me)

2 If your carefull at the start of the boil you should be able to start at 7gal, But thats scary
(boiled with less then 1 inch headspace without boilover 2out of 3 times)

70 is pretty high... dont remember the name of the external termostat. Stc 100??? or was it 1000?

no matter how you do it it will be beer

 

[iowabrew]

i would love to buy a bigger BK but money is the real issue. Just kind of looking for guys who have bolied in a 7.5gal with success and what they did

 

[54BelAir]

I use Fermcap S all the time and its great. I never have to worry about boil overs now, but I use a 10 gallon pot. I think you will be pushing it a bit to boil 7g you might be able to get away with 6.5.