Using 10g kettle to brew 3g batches

[eanmcnulty]

I searched the forum to find this info, but nothing came up.

I usually brew 3gal batches. Right now I use my 5g basic kettle to brew full-boil all-grain batches. The kettle is thin, and boil-overs are always threatening. I would like to upgrade my kettle. I was thinking about a 6g kettle, but what if I would like to brew a 5g batch? So, I thought an 8g kettle would do. Then I could brew 3 or 5g batches. I have been reading about Blichmann kettles, and they sound really nice. Money is not an issue, but I want to know if the 10g Blichmann is too big to brew 3g batches. I Usually have a 4g to 4.5g boil. Does anyone have experience with Small batches in a 10g Blichmann kettle?
Thanks,
Jon

 

[kklowell]

NO, I don't have that experience, but I do have experience with 5 gallon batches in a 15 gallon keg as do many of the brewers here. Big is good...no worrying about boil-overs.

 

[Flomaster]

I boil over 5 gallon batches in my keggle so I'd say 10 gallon pot is just right for 3 gallon batches

-=Jason=-
Sent from my HTC Incredible using Home Brew Talk

 

[eanmcnulty]

Wow! that is cool to know. So, the worry over too much surface area is nothing? I would be happy to know that I could just "up" the recipe a little to account for the loss and make it all so easy.
Is that what I'm hearing?

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

the larger the surface area, the quicker the evaporation. What that means is you have to test your equipment to find it's evaporation rate in order to start with the proper volume. A fifteen gallon kettle with an 18" diameter has a much higher evaporation rate than a 16" diameter keggle based on my experience.

 

[warex]

Even with a 10 gallon pot you can have boil overs with 5 gallon brews. You simply must watch it as it gets to a boil. for the first couple minutes of the boil there is a danger of a boil over. After the foam breaks though you can ignore it.
I usually spend the time between hop additions on the computer and not at the pot.

Also Blichmann kettles are not necessary. They are certainly nice but any sturdy pot will work.