Pot size

[AngryAndy]

Hi all,

If I want a 5gal batch and plan to use the usual 10 to 14lbs of grains, how large a pot should I have?

I want plenty of room in the pot. I don't want the wort boiling at upper edge of the pot.

Thanks

 

[brew703]

Min 10 gal. kettle
https://spikebrewing.com/collections/bargain-cave/products/10gal-1-coupler-1

 

[Gravity]

10 gallon pot

12.5 gives you the little extra space

 

[BongoYodeler]

I second the Spike kettle, but I opted for the 15 gallon version. If you go Spike, and can swing the extra money for the 15, that's the way to go IMO.

 

[ProblemChild]

mash tun and hot liquor tank? BAIB? what is brew method?

 

[jbb3]

10 gal.

 

[ProblemChild]

If doing BAIB, go with 15.
Mash tun and Fly sparge, 10 gallon is plenty if you watch the boil.

 

[Morrey]

My 5.5G batches usually have grain bills like yours, 10-14#. I have a 10G kettle, but if I had it to go again, I feel 15G would give a bit more headspace.

The flip side of that lager kettle if you do BIAB is the 15G kettle has more headspace (the price you pay for added room) so the mash temps will not stay quite as stable as a 10G with very little headspace.

10G or 15G either one works.

 

[wilserbrewer]

A good compromise b/w the 10 and 15 gallon choices is the Concord stainless steel 50 qt / 12.5 gallon linked below for $74.66 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Polishe...hash=item20db1df439:m:m8EyLxjTPmNFGUnsgfOeL4w

Or another option is the ever popular Bayou Classic 44 qt for $55.89 shipped. I have one of these, it's a little thin but not a bad pot for the money imho.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bayou-Class...583412&hash=item4d5fe38b2e:g:FDIAAOSw3J5Zea3w

 

[Gravity]

A good compromise b/w the 10 and 15 gallon choices is the Concord stainless steel 50 qt / 12.5 gallon linked below for $74.66 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Polishe...hash=item20db1df439:m:m8EyLxjTPmNFGUnsgfOeL4w

Or another option is the ever popular Bayou Classic 44 qt for $55.89 shipped. I have one of these, it's a little thin but not a bad pot for the money imho.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bayou-Class...583412&hash=item4d5fe38b2e:g:FDIAAOSw3J5Zea3w

12.5 is the way to go

 

[ba-brewer]

I have a 15gal tall boy that I used for a boil pot on a propane burner for 5gal batches. It was just big enough to do an occasional 10gal batch if I watched it. I tend to multitask while brewing and the extra space in the 15gal kettle was nice to prevent boil over. One issues with the big pot was a high boil off rate ~1.5gal/hr.

I switched to electric with a couple hot rod elements and down graded to the 11gal bayou classic to help control my boil off rate and speed heating. I am sure it could be used with a propane burner but it just seems to thin for me and prefer a tri-ply bottom for direct flame heating.

 

[AngryAndy]

thank you thank you thank you. I always thought the bigger the better. But I never considered the extra head space could screw with the mash temperature. I have a large kettle but I don't know how big. I'll have to fill up a few 5 gal fermenting buckets and figure out the actual size of the kettle. I hope its a 12.5gal, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[patsan]

15 gal all the way. It works great for my 5 gal batches. I do BIAB as well. Easy, quick and great beer. Even high Gravity.

 

[bleme]

I use a 10gal on 5.5gal batches with no problems but I have never mashed full volume (mash,squeeze,sparge,squeeze).

 

[wilserbrewer]

I use a 10gal on 5.5gal batches with no problems but I have never mashed full volume (mash,squeeze,sparge,squeeze).

That's a lot of squeezing for $0.50 worth of grain jmo

Just kidding, we all have our methods we prefer and enjoy [emoji4]

 

[bleme]

That's a lot of squeezing for $0.50 worth of grain jmo

I have a LOT of pent up aggression.
Fortunately, a Wilser bag can take a beating...

 

[mirthfuldragon]

I would recommend a 15 gallon pot or a keggle (check Craigslist for used ones). When I started I thought I would never go above 5 gallon batches, and in my first ten batches, three were 10 gallon split batches. 10 gallon batches are twice the beer with the same amount of work. Also, my keggles handle 5 gallon batches without issue.

 

[AkTom]

/\ this. I love my keggle.

 

[PADave]

10 gal. You will have no problems with the boil, and the small amount of head space during the mash holds temp very well.

 

[Inkleg]

thank you thank you thank you. I always thought the bigger the better. But I never considered the extra head space could screw with the mash temperature.

I have a 16 gallon pot and mainly do 5.5 gallon batches. A tricked I learned from HBT was to put aluminum foil down on top of the mash to help with the dead space in the kettle. Last weeks full volume mash dropped only one degree by the end of the hour.

 

[DSP-brasseur]

I have a 16 gallon pot and mainly do 5.5 gallon batches. A tricked I learned from HBT was to put aluminum foil down on top of the mash to help with the dead space in the kettle. Last weeks full volume mash dropped only one degree by the end of the hour.

Do you mean that you put it across the top of the pot and the lid on the top of that? Or do you push it down lower in the pot?

 

[wilserbrewer]

A tricked I learned from HBT was to put aluminum foil down on top of the mash .

On top of the mash, not on top of the kettle.

 

[Inkleg]

Do you mean that you put it across the top of the pot and the lid on the top of that? Or do you push it down lower in the pot?

Lower in the pot right on top of the mash. Nothing fancy just two pieces a little longer than the diameter of the pot overlap them to get edge coverage. If you want to check your mash temperature you can poke your thermometer through the foil without having to remove it.

 

[Dr_Hops]

That's a good idea. The old "false top".

 

[Tricerahops220]

Hi all,

If I want a 5gal batch and plan to use the usual 10 to 14lbs of grains, how large a pot should I have?

I want plenty of room in the pot. I don't want the wort boiling at upper edge of the pot.

Thanks

Went through the same dilemma as you and ended up buying the 10 Gallon SS Brewtech. Great Pot but now I am trying to upgrade so I can do 10 gallon batches and I cannot seem to move the thing.

When I mash, I typically and fairly close to the top of the kettle in terms of water height. When I pull the bag and begin the boil, I typically have plenty of room. The biggest grain bill I have done is 16 lbs.

If you think you might want to upgrade in the future, my advice, like many on here would be get a 10 Gallon Bayou Classic. If you think you might do bigger grain bills or 10 gallon batches, go 15 gallons at the very least.

 

[craker245]

Went through the same dilemma as you and ended up buying the 10 Gallon SS Brewtech. Great Pot but now I am trying to upgrade so I can do 10 gallon batches and I cannot seem to move the thing.

Are you saying you are looking to sell the 10 gal SSbrewtech? I would take it off your hands for the right price. I am in Boston so we are not far from each other.

 

[RichBenn]

I have a 44 quart (11 gallons), and it's big enough for BIAB 5 gallon batches. Maybe ut's not big enough for a super big grain mill BIAB, but I typically use a separate mash tun for that. Or add a little DME to the boil.

15 is a minimum if you ever think you'll do 10 gallon batches. 20 if you want to do frequent or high grain bill 10 gallon batches.