Why did you increase your batch size?

[BrewBarron]

I ask this question because I am trying to decide on a brew kettle. Public opinion seems to be to buy a bigger kettle from the start, because you are going to want to brew bigger batches eventually. But, I was wondering why people end up increasing their batches from 5 gallons to ???

I am a recent Mr. Beer graduate and figure that 5 gallons batches should be perfect. My wife and I like variety and my goal is to keep 4 taps flowing. We only drink a beer or two a night, and we don't entertain too often. So, why would someone like me feel the need to brew 10 gallons or more at a time? Do friends and family with a craving for home brew come out of the woodwork? Do you find yourself aging batches longer? Do you find that you give away more brew? Please enlighten me.

 

[Netflyer]

Don't get smaller than a 10 gallon kettle if you want to do full boils. IMHO...

Also if not 10 gallons you may want to brew 5.25-6 gallon batches. I brew 5.25-5.5 usually so after I leave the yeast cake on the bottom of the fermenter I can end up with a true 5 gallons.

The idea with full boil batches is to start with more and boil down to your final volume as opposed to partial boils where you add water at the end. You will need to start with around 6.5-7 gallons of wort to end up with 5-5.5 depending upon evaporation rate, so right there you need more than a 5 gallon kettle.

If I were (eventually I will) doing larger than 5.5-6 gal batches then I would use a Keggle (modified keg into a kettle) but for the 5-6 range I'd go for a 10 gal. kettle... there are a lot of good places to buy a kettle, I think I got mine at Northern Brewer...

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I haven't increased batch size. Still doing 5gallon batches and haven't had a need to increase.

 

[mikebiewer]

I think you can get an 8 gallon kettle if you didn't want to go as big as 10 gallons.

I am looking at going up to something like that and the reason I am entertaining the idea is that you will have better hop utilization and a move even flavor beer to beer. See, doing the partial boils and adding water really means all you are doing is watering down your wort. So you have to mix that stuff up really, really good to get an even mix of water and wort.

If you do the whole thing at once you still have to shake it up to aerate, but your quality of flavor should be better.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

I brew 10 gallons per month (2x5 gallon batches). I have 2 10 gallon kettles and 2 5 gallon kettles and I find that I use the 10 gallon kettles more often than the 5's; go with the 10's and that way, you can increase batch size down the road if you see fit.

 

[BrewBarron]

Thanks for the advice guys,

I have pretty much decided not to go any lower than the 10 gallon BK's, but what I've been hearing quite a bit is to bump it up higher to about 15 gallons so if I ever wanted to brew 10 gallons, I could. This is where I couldn't see myself wanting to brew more than 5 gallon batches at a time, so was wondering if people did increase the size of their batches, what was the reason for it. Seems like I am in good company so far as you all have stuck with 5 gallon batches.

 

[CDbrews]

But if you have a beer that you like and that drank quite often a ten gallon batch would be nice... i built my mash tun to only accomodate five gallon batches and am kicking myself for it now. i like variety also but i have a few recipes that i brew every other month because i go through them to fast

 

[DavidSteel]

10 gallon saves time. Instead of spending 6-8 hours to get 5 gallons of beer, you spend the same amount of time for twice as much. Plus, there are some smaller and cheaper brews out there that just should be done in 10-11 gallon batches. These two for example: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/centennial-blonde-simple-4-all-grain-5-10-gall-42841/ & https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/cream-three-crops-cream-ale-66503/. I currently can only do 5 gallon batches, but really want to do 10 gallon batches.

 

[Grizzlybrew]

It looks like you've got it figured out. Because you like variety and don't consume a whole lot, 5 gallon batches (or smaller) should be perfect. If you are brewinf only a couple of styles and time is a constraint (or having kids), brewing larger batches less often would be a plus.

 

[CDbrews]

also a beer or two a night adds up quite quickly. that means that if you are both having two beers a night a keg can be gone in 12 days, that is a decent amount of brewing to keep four taps pouring constantly. It depends on if you have the time to brew that often, i sure wish i did since i have trouble keeping the two taps on my kegerator pouring beer

 

[bbone66]

10 gallon saves time. Instead of spending 6-8 hours to get 5 gallons of beer, you spend the same amount of time for twice as much. Plus, there are some smaller and cheaper brews out there that just should be done in 10-11 gallon batches. These two for example: Centennial Blonde (Simple 4% All Grain, 5 & 10 Gall) & Cream of Three Crops (Cream Ale). I currently can only do 5 gallon batches, but really want to do 10 gallon batches

+1

Brewing 10 gallons of Centennial Blonde this weekend, dry hopping 5 gallons and adding fruit to 5 gallons.. 2 beers, one brew session. It's nice to have the 10 gallon option. IMO

 

[Displaced MassHole]

For me its all about time. Being active duty with a wife, kid, new house, and going to school three nights a week, I don't have a lot of spare time. 10 gallon batches keep me stocked up with plenty of beer and I only have to brew about every three weeks. Keep in mind I don't consume it all myself, I have very thirsty friends and co-workers.

 

[BrewBarron]

+1

Brewing 10 gallons of Centennial Blonde this weekend, dry hopping 5 gallons and adding fruit to 5 gallons.. 2 beers, one brew session. It's nice to have the 10 gallon option. IMO

I never thought of doing it that way. Thanks.

For those that brew 10 gallon batches, do you use a 15 gallon pot, or larger?

 

[bbone66]

I have a 15 gal pot. Even with 5 gallon batches its half full at times.

 

[remilard]

I have a ten gallon system but brew 5 gallon batches.

I think people increase because they don't brew very often, they have a beer they always want on tap and don't want to brew it every month, they have friends over for the game every week, whatever.

Me, I brew a lot and drink a lot of commercial beer (and other people's homebrew), so I stick with 5 gallon batches. If you can't think of a reason to increase batch size, don't.

 

[DilvishTheDamned]

There's also something about scaling up. It's slightly more expensive to get the larger kit, but not as bad as that leap from "normal" kitchen gear to industrial (5, 10, 15 gal) gear, and the larger sizes work just as well as the smaller for smaller batches.

 

[JetSmooth]

Split the diff and do 7 gallon batches. ;P

I have a 36quart Bayou Classic I'm about to drill and turn into my BK. My starter 4 gallon wouldn't let me do 5 gallon AG batches. The new kettle won't let me do ten gallon full boils, but I'm thinking of trying to get up to seven gallon batches and split the fermentation between two carboys. I think my existing glass carboy is only 6.5 gallons, I don't recall. Saw 5 gallons for $25 at a local kitchen supply place.

 

[david_42]

I've got a 15 gallon kettle and have never made anything bigger than 5 gallons. The extra cost was small and about every 3 years, I need the boil-down volume for a barleywine.

 

[rwinzing]

I only brew five gallon batches because I like the variety. I try and keep 3-4 kegs filled and have recently trying to get some more in bottles. For me it is fun having a bunch of choices.

I will say when I entertain it really can put a hit in my pipeline.

 

[weirdboy]

I often do smaller batches.

I like experimenting with different recipes and processes, so I often do 2-4 gallon batches. Plus, it's quite easy to improvise a BIAB setup for a smaller batch, so it makes the brew day a bit easier all around. 2.5-3 gallons is a sweet spot I often use. A case of beer for something I may or may not like seems like a good quantity to me.

 

[Cliff897]

5 gallons is gone too quickly
Simple as that.

 

[schristian619]

I brew 5 gallon batches, going to 10 very soon, and I upgraded from a 10 gallon kettle to a 15 gallon. Even with 5 gallon batches, I was constantly having to worry about boilovers, especially for high gravity beers. Now, I don't have to worry about them, except for high gravity beers. Plus it gives me the option of 10 gallon batches. So, I would recomend getting a 15 gallon kettle.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I doubled the batch size for two reasons: 1) brewing 10 gallons takes the same amount of work and time as a 5 gallon batch, and 2) I acquired a keggle when I was building my all-grain rig. Unfortunately, moving up to all-grain has increased the time it takes to brew, but I figure that it balances it out. More time, more beer.

 

[dobeluvr]

i just have a 15.5 gal keggle. normally do 5 gal batches, but have the option to do a 10 gal batch. It does save time and sometimes I need all the time I get just to keep up.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I went opposite. Started at 10 gallon batches to learn and scaled back to 5's to brew consistent.

 

[BillyBeer]

I have made the leap to mainly 10g batchs due to time. I just don't get the chance to brew as often as I would like with a wife and 3 kids. I too like variety so I have invested in 13 corny's so I can stockpile a variety of beer

 

[RegionalChaos]

Time. I have 4 kids, a wife, a house that needs work, a full time job, etc., etc... Two times the volume for roughly the same amount of time sounds like the way to go to me. That said, I haven't done 10 gallons yet..... I do have a keg to convert though, and that is second on my list after a fermentation chamber, which I have all the go a head and resources I need. So maybe by summer I'll be doing 10g..

 

[DFoster]

I have a 20 gallon pot to do the occasional 10 gallon APA...it's worth it to make sure you never have to upgrade again.

 

[Southside]

5 gallons is gone too quickly
Simple as that.

+1

I went to 10 gallons this year and I have already brewed 60 gallons. hear is what my plans are... I have brewed 60, 25 gallons of which I have bottled conditioned. the rest has been kegged is being consumed. If I run into a pinch and can not brew for a short time I have bottles as back up. Secondly my mash tun can do 10g batches so I can pull first running for strong beers to age and then a light one to drink on! Also there are recipes that you can boil 10g of wort split into 2 5g batches and pitch 2 different kinds of yeast and tada... 2 different beers at once

 

[sean6247]

Economy of scale. I have started buying grain and hops in bulk, and washing yeast. I con do a 10 gallon batch for about $25.

Also, with a 5-gallon batch, as soon as I get to know the beer it is gone. With 10-gallon batches, I can get-to-know and enjoy my beer.

 

[HickoryMike]

After 3 months of brewing 5g batches I found myself constantly frustrated that my beer went so quickly. I drink it, my wife drinks it, my friends drink it....my beer is lucky to survive a month on the shelf. I have always imagined having a multitude of different beers in my fridge--instead I find that as soon as a new batch is ready to drink, the batch before it is gone.

Soooo, I am making the jump to 10g batches. I just finished mounting my hardware to my keggle. One day I might actually be able to offer a selection of homebrews, rather than just being able to offer my most recent brew.

 

[BrewBarron]

Great thread guys, thanks for all your input,

I think I am leaning towards buying a 15 gallon BK to add to my (2) 10 gallon cooler set up. This way, I have plenty of room for 5 gallon batches, and have the ability to brew a 10 gallon batch if I want. If I later decide that I want to brew more 10 gallon batches in the future, I then have the option of turning my Bk into a 15 gallon HLT, then upgrading my BK to 20 gallons. Does anyone see any issues with that?

 

[weirdboy]

Economy of scale. I have started buying grain and hops in bulk, and washing yeast. I con do a 10 gallon batch for about $25.

So? I can do a 5 gallon batch for $12. I don't see how the batch size enters into the economy of scale thing, unless you're REALLY scaling up.

 

[sully]

lets be honest people you dont need any reason to brew more. however there are many reasons.

 

[OMJ]

I have a keggle 15.5 gallons and I started doing 10 gallon batches cause its not anymore work really and I have more beer. I have lots of people at my house drinking my kegs and I got my dad a kegerator for christmas so I have to supply him with kegs now too. If I didnt do 10 gallons batches I wouldnt get to drink much of my own brew