Question regarding equipment?

[medixlux]

Hi guys,
I'm about to brew my first all grain batch but I don't know what I should buy first.
Here is what I have. I got a 5 gallon kettle without a spigot,7 gallon cool box mash tun, a counterflow chiller and a 2000 w heat element.
I have 300 euros saved on the side and I'm thinking should I buy right away a 10 gallon kettle to make 5 gallon batches and build a bigger cool box mash tun and a gas burner or should I start out small.
thanks

 

[Qhrumphf]

It depends on what your current boil setup can handle. If your system is able to handle a full boil for a 5 gallon batch, then yes, I'd buy the bigger kettle, but you should be about set otherwise. A 7 gallon cooler will hold the mash for MOST 5 gallon batches- I've brewed many a 10 gallon batch in a 10 gallon cooler. If you want to go strong, that's where size could be your limitation (if I brew a 25°P barleywine I need a 20 gallon mash vessel for a 10 gallon batch). If your boil system can't handle boiling ~6-7 gallons, then yes, I'd get the gas burner as well.

OR, you can leave your setup exactly as is, and just make smaller batches. A 5 gal kettle should be able to hold 3-3.5 gal batches, full boil, a 2000W element alone can handle that boil volume, and with a 7 gal mash tun, you should be able to fit just about anything in there, even of very high gravity.

 

[medixlux]

It depends on what your current boil setup can handle. If your system is able to handle a full boil for a 5 gallon batch, then yes, I'd buy the bigger kettle, but you should be about set otherwise. A 7 gallon cooler will hold the mash for MOST 5 gallon batches- I've brewed many a 10 gallon batch in a 10 gallon cooler. If you want to go strong, that's where size could be your limitation (if I brew a 25°P barleywine I need a 20 gallon mash vessel for a 10 gallon batch). If your boil system can't handle boiling ~6-7 gallons, then yes, I'd get the gas burner as well.

OR, you can leave your setup exactly as is, and just make smaller batches. A 5 gal kettle should be able to hold 3-3.5 gal batches, full boil, a 2000W element alone can handle that boil volume, and with a 7 gal mash tun, you should be able to fit just about anything in there, even of very high gravity.

thank you so much for your response. i'ts greatly appreciated and was of a great help

 

[Qhrumphf]

Also depends on how you want to sparge. You should be able to fit your full water volume for most batches (again, unless you want to go high gravity) and "no sparge" a 3-3.5 gal batch in a 7 gal mash tun, or alternatively go old school and add sparge water to the mash without draining first. If you want to do a modern batch sparge or continuously sparge, you'd need a separate vessel, in which case, I'd buy that 10 gal kettle and use your current 5 gal as a hot liquor tank (or if you want to stick to small batches, another 5 gal kettle would suffice).

 

[Qhrumphf]

When venturing down the all-grain rabbit hole, I'd also emphatically recommend purchasing your own mill if you don't already have one. Impossible to get a consistent result from store crushed grain.

 

[medixlux]

When venturing down the all-grain rabbit hole, I'd also emphatically recommend purchasing your own mill if you don't already have one. Impossible to get a consistent result from store crushed grain.

yes I got myself a corona mill
speaking or sparge I'm planning batch sparging like larry bbq

 

[madscientist451]

Do you have space to put get a cheap freezer? (We can get them really cheap here in the US). I'd stick with your 5 gallon pot and brew smaller batches and get temperature controlled fermentation. Your beer will be way better when you can control the fermentation and then cold crash.
The 5.5 cu/ft freezers can hold two 3 gallon better bottle fermenters, or maybe one of the Spiedel fermenters and then you can put your keg in there for serving.
Next, I'd get some kegging equipment, then go for a bigger pot/burner.

 

[medixlux]

yes I'm about to get a fridge and maybe a freezer. By the way are you from Bedford MA?