Tun size selection in eherms build. 5 and 10 gal batches

[M25]

I'm planning an E-HERMS build in the future based on the electricbrewery design. It will be a build allowing for 10 gallon batches, but I would like to do either 5 or 10 gal batches. I'm concerned that the mash tun selection for a 10 gallon batch will not give appropriate grain bed depth for a 5 gallon batch. I'd like to hear some opinions on this. I'm preferring using kettles over keggles. Also considering stout tanks as a potential supplier. Should grain depth be a concern at these volumes?

note: 10/5 gallon batch meaning in keg. typical 5 gal batch is about 14# of grain.

Thank you for your opinions!

 

[augiedoggy]

I'm planning an E-HERMS build in the future based on the electricbrewery design. It will be a build allowing for 10 gallon batches, but I would like to do either 5 or 10 gal batches. I'm concerned that the mash tun selection for a 10 gallon batch will not give appropriate grain bed depth for a 5 gallon batch. I'd like to hear some opinions on this. I'm preferring using kettles over keggles. Also considering stout tanks as a potential supplier. Should grain depth be a concern at these volumes?

note: 10/5 gallon batch meaning in keg. typical 5 gal batch is about 14# of grain.

Thank you for your opinions!

I use 15.5 gallon stainless bayou classic kettles for my HLT and mash tun ...no issues with efficiency with 5 gallon brews or 10 gallon... I have an electric setup with a rims. I have done many this way now stepping up from a 10 gallon igloo beverage cooler.

 

[UndeadFred]

As big as effing possible. Trust me. That is the place to spend the bucks first. Second is temperature control.

 

[SpikeBrewing]

Most of our customers go 15/15/15 (HLT/MT/BK). Some of them decide to go with the 20gal boil kettle. However I was just talking to a head brewer this weekend and he was saying how they went with a 7bbl HLT and BK but opted for the 10bbl mash tun for bigger beers.

Moral of the story, run your recipes through a program like BeerSmith and see what it's telling you for capacities. Brewing is so unique from person to person so it's difficult to give a universal answer.

If you'd like a custom eHERMS system shoot us an email and we'd be happy to help out! [email protected]

 

[M25]

Augiedoggy, good to hear you didn't have any issues with doing 5 or 10 gallon batches. Nobody else really mentioned anything about grain depth with a 5 gal batch in a 10 gal setup in herms so I guess it should be good. thanks for the opinions guys.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

Example: I brewed Denny Conn's BVIP with my keggle mash tun... I maxed it out for a 10g batch and i lost efficiency... Bigger is better within reason... I will upgrade mine for big beers to a 20G one.

 

[M25]

I appreciate the example. It's possible I didn't phrase my question fully enougj and if so I apologize. My concern was that because a larger mash tun will be wider, the grain bed for a 5 gallon batch would be too thin. Am I going crazy that thin grain beds should be a concern? I'm thinking because nobody mentioned it that it's a nonissue

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Ive brewed many 5 gallon batches in my 20 Gallon 18" diameter Concord pot's...works fine. The only downside is the gallon or two of "deadspace" under my false bottom that isnt touching the grains. It just means i need to account for that volume and add more water than Beersmith says to get the right mash consistency. But thats the case regardless of if its a 5 gallon or 10 gallon batch.

If your going HERMS my advice is bigger is better for the HLT. So that you can keep your coil covered even after draining out many gallons to mash in. If your going RIMS it doesnt matter.

 

[M25]

Cool that's what I was going for. Thanks for the info and tips everyone! The 15/15/15 sounds pretty reasonable. Glad to hear there wouldn't be any issues with smaller batches assuming all the ports are located correctly

 

[brrman]

Hell, I have 20/20/20 pots and still am able to do a 5 gallon batch.

edit: actually my system is nearly identical to FuzzeWuzze's.