The great "What size kettle" question

[MrSmug]

Purchasing a Blichmann and I am deciding between a 10 or 15 gallon brew kettle.

Assuming I am only doing 5 gallon batches which would be best? I plan to do BIAB in the near future and I was hoping the 10 gallon would be more than enough for some higher gravity beers (~7/8 ABV).

I heard rumors that the 15 is useless for 5 gallon batches because the thermo probe doesn't hit the wort till 7.5 gallons. Any truth to this?

10 or 15? Thanks

 

[hopsalot]

10

 

[stratslinger]

I've used my buddy's 10 gallon Blichmann for 5 gallon brews several times, and it works great at that size. He does also have a 15, but we've never measured out the volume to hit the thermometer probe. It doesn't seem to me like that probe is high enough that the kettle would need to be half full for it to register though...

 

[CrankyBeaverBrewery]

what happens when you want to do 10 gallon batches for a party or friends or anything. ? heard a lot of people buy a 10 and wish they had a 15 ..

 

[two_hearted]

what happens when you want to do 10 gallon batches for a party or friends or anything. ? heard a lot of people buy a 10 and wish they had a 15 ..

I agree, if your going to spend a billion dollars on a blichmann, you might as well spend 1.2 billion.

 

[hopsalot]

I agree, if your going to spend a billion dollars on a blichmann, you might as well spend 1.2 billion.

agreed, I change my response to 15 gal. MORE BEER!

 

[MikeSteele]

I just had this debate a few months ago. I decided to start using BIAB and needed a new kettle.

I went with 15 gal and do not regret it. It is large, and that makes it a little harder to store and clean. But I can't imagine it's much more difficult than 10 gallons.

The main reason I went with 15 is because I typically brew higher gravity, 1.060-1.100, and don't want my options limited. I also want the option of brewing 10 gal batches.

 

[Calichusetts]

Along the lines of the previous posters...unless you are absolutely sure you won't be moving up aka IN LOVE with smaller batches, you might consider the 15...then again you might be able to trade or buy that 15 off your buddy a few years down the road

 

[Gear101]

IMHO 15 15 and 20 would be prefect set up on one of thier brew stands

 

[KitB]

Definitely 15 gallon.

Are you absolutely set on Blichmann?

I have two stainless sandwich bottom 15 gallon Update kettles from waresdirect.
Much, much cheaper, but IMO better durability.
I drilled & installed my own fittings & was able to decide where I wanted everything.

But...If you're set on Blichmann...It's your hard-earned $.

These days, I often brew with a friend & the 15 gallon kettle allows a double batch...5 gallons for each of us.

 

[Seven]

I would recommend getting the 15 gallon kettle. This will give you plenty of room for brewing high gravity (no-sparge) BIAB beers and also allow for future growth of your brewery.

 

[SpikeBrewing]

Not sure if it was answered but the thermo on the 15gal will be too high for most 5gal batch of beers

 

[Spintab]

I use a budget 9 gal ss with a single weld. Perfect size for 5gal IMO.

 

[KitB]

Not sure if it was answered but the thermo on the 15gal will be too high for most 5gal batch of beers

I'm now wishing I had bought a 25 gallon kettle from you!

 

[SpikeBrewing]

I'm now wishing I had bought a 25 gallon kettle from you!

I need to start a trade-in program!

 

[Jaysus]

The bigger the better...

 

[MrSmug]

Not sure if it was answered but the thermo on the 15gal will be too high for most 5gal batch of beers

I've heard this before and this is actually one of my biggest concerns.

 

[MrSmug]

The main reason I went with 15 is because I typically brew higher gravity, 1.060-1.100, and don't want my options limited. I also want the option of brewing 10 gal batches.

I also like to brew higher gravity beers but probably not surpassing 1.100. According to this post https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-big-your-mash-tun-needs-123585/ 10 gallons should be more than enough.

Now if I ever wanted to brew 10 gallons.. thats a different story.

 

[Jaysus]

I've heard this before and this is actually one of my biggest concerns.

Check out the Spike Brewing link above - he has some kettles with horizontal couplers.

 

[Seven]

I plan to do BIAB in the near future and I was hoping the 10 gallon would be more than enough for some higher gravity beers (~7/8 ABV).

I heard rumors that the 15 is useless for 5 gallon batches because the thermo probe doesn't hit the wort till 7.5 gallons. Any truth to this?

The thermometer can easily be lowered by drilling a new hole and plugging the old one. A lot of BIAB brewers remove the thermometer and plug the hole anyways (using the blichmann plug kit) because the thermometer probe can block or snag the basket/bag.

I also like to brew higher gravity beers but probably not surpassing 1.100. According to this post https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-big-your-mash-tun-needs-123585/ 10 gallons should be more than enough.

I maxed out my 10-gallon blichmann kettle when brewing a 5-gallon Hopslam clone that had an OG of 1.100-ish. It was so full that I could barely even stir the mash without overflowing the kettle. These types of beers are the ones that make me wish I had a 15-gallon kettle instead.

 

[MrSmug]

The thermometer can easily be lowered by drilling a new hole and plugging the old one. A lot of BIAB brewers remove the thermometer and plug the hole anyways (using the blichmann plug kit) because the thermometer probe can block or snag the basket/bag.

Figured when I started with BIAB I would need to remove the thermometer but I am currently still only doing extract. How many gallons of water needs to be in the kettle before the probe is submerged?

I maxed out my 10-gallon blichmann kettle when brewing a 5-gallon Hopslam clone that had an OG of 1.100-ish. It was so full that I could barely even stir the mash without overflowing the kettle. These types of beers are the ones that make me wish I had a 15-gallon kettle instead.

Was this the recipe? http://www.brew365.com/beer_bells_hopslam.php
Do you do BIAB? More often than not though, isn't your 10 gallon more than enough for 5 gallon batches?

 

[Seven]

Figured when I started with BIAB I would need to remove the thermometer but I am currently still only doing extract. How many gallons of water needs to be in the kettle before the probe is submerged?

I have the 10-gallon kettle so I can't say ... but I recall others saying that the 15-gallon kettle has the thermometer mounted too high for 5-gallon batches. Some have lowered their thermometers, others have removed it altogether. I removed the thermometer from my 10-gallon kettle and I don't miss it at all.

Do you do BIAB? More often than not though, isn't your 10 gallon more than enough for 5 gallon batches? A

I do BIAB exclusively, 5.5-gallon batches. The 10-gallon kettle is fine for 95-percent of my brews. But that's because I don't brew many high OG beers. I only brew beers like Hopslam when the IIPA/hop-head relatives come out for a visit. These are the times when I wish I had the larger kettle.

 

[Seven]

Was this the recipe? http://www.brew365.com/beer_bells_hopslam.php

This is recipe I used: Hopslam

It turned out fantastic, everybody loved it. It was definitely a learning experience brewing this because it maxed out my kettle and it was a real bear when it came time to rack it to the keg. All the dry hops kept clogging my siphon hose.

 

[oakbarn]

Go see Stout Conicals, Anything with a weldless fitting will eventually leak and be a PIA.

 

[MrSmug]

I have the 10-gallon kettle so I can't say ... but I recall others saying that the 15-gallon kettle has the thermometer mounted too high for 5-gallon batches. Some have lowered their thermometers, others have removed it altogether. I removed the thermometer from my 10-gallon kettle and I don't miss it at all.

I do BIAB exclusively, 5.5-gallon batches. The 10-gallon kettle is fine for 95-percent of my brews. But that's because I don't brew many high OG beers. I only brew beers like Hopslam when the IIPA/hop-head relatives come out for a visit. These are the times when I wish I had the larger kettle.

Looks like the thermo is at 6.5 gallons on the 15 gallon kettle so will probably not work for me. Seems though you can squeeze 17lbs of grain at 75% capacity with the 10 gallon kettle: http://www.blichmannengineering.com/boilermaker/boilermaker.html

Overall you like your Blichmann?

 

[Seven]

Overall you like your Blichmann?

I love it but I will probably sell my 10-gallon kettle some day to move up to a 15 or 20 gallon kettle. I do no-sparge (full volume) BIAB and a 15 or 20 gallon kettle will allow me to do pretty much any brew that I would ever want to do ... which are mainly mid-gravity 5.5 gallon batches and the occasional high gravity or 10-gallon batch.

 

[MrSmug]

I love it but I will probably sell my 10-gallon kettle some day to move up to a 15 or 20 gallon kettle. I do no-sparge (full volume) BIAB and a 15 or 20 gallon kettle will allow me to do pretty much any brew that I would ever want to do ... which are mainly mid-gravity 5.5 gallon batches and the occasional high gravity or 10-gallon batch.

What do you consider mid-gravity? Should be good for 8 %ABV correct?

 

[Seven]

What do you consider mid-gravity? Should be good for 8 %ABV correct?

To me mid-gravity is around 1.070 or so.

 

[MrSmug]

I just had this debate a few months ago. I decided to start using BIAB and needed a new kettle.

I went with 15 gal and do not regret it. It is large, and that makes it a little harder to store and clean. But I can't imagine it's much more difficult than 10 gallons.

The main reason I went with 15 is because I typically brew higher gravity, 1.060-1.100, and don't want my options limited. I also want the option of brewing 10 gal batches.

Which kettle do you own?

 

[HoppyMcHopster]

Same question as the OP and also looking to get a Blichmann but I'm not too concerned about BIAB.

Will the 10 gallon be sufficient even for a MLT for high gravity beers? (5 gallon batches)

 

[speeddemon11L]

I have a 10 gallon BK and on the 5 gallon high gravity brews it is uncomfortably close to overflowing. If I had to do it over again, I would go 15 gallon for the BK.

 

[HoppyMcHopster]

I have a 10 gallon BK and on the 5 gallon high gravity brews it is uncomfortably close to overflowing. If I had to do it over again, I would go 15 gallon for the BK.

Why would high gravity brews change the size of the BK? I'm guessing you are doing BIAB?

 

[Markd27]

Go see Stout Conicals, Anything with a weldless fitting will eventually leak and be a PIA.

Sorry but this is a pretty ridiculous generalization. Weldless fittings done right, as Blichmann does them, will be leak free as long as a welded fitting. Personally, the emphasis on welded fittings is pretty overrated (IMHO).

 

[MikeSteele]

Which kettle do you own?

I bought the heavy duty kettle from homebrewstuff.com. It came with a valve and thermometer. It's great.