Looking to scale up.

[TroutHunter1106]

I've always brewed 5-6 gallon all grain batches using a 10 gallon cooler+false bottom as a mash tun, a 5 gallon cooler for an HLT, and a keggle. I generally brew pretty big beers like IPA's and Imperial Stouts and am looking to scale up to 10-12 gallon batches. I have a few kegs laying around that I can use to convert into whatever I need, but I'm curious as to what folks are using to brew batches in that 10 gallon neighborhood. Thanks in advance.

 

[Craigerrr]

I've always brewed 5-6 gallon all grain batches using a 10 gallon cooler+false bottom as a mash tun, a 5 gallon cooler for an HLT, and a keggle. I generally brew pretty big beers like IPA's and Imperial Stouts and am looking to scale up to 10-12 gallon batches. I have a few kegs laying around that I can use to convert into whatever I need, but I'm curious as to what folks are using to brew batches in that 10 gallon neighborhood. Thanks in advance.

I use to have this system, but I sold it and bought s 35L Brewzilla. It was just too much heavy lifting for me. I also found that with brewing 10 gallons of one style at a time that I wasn't ending up with the variety that I like. Sorry, not to discourage you, just sharing. Two pumps, and two burners. I was working towards a HERMS setup with a control panel, but bailed on the whole plan...

 

[WesBrew]

I converted my gear to electric last year which was really nice for big batches. Took a lot of gas before.15 gallon kettle, converted a 10 gallon pot into mash tun/herms, Ferment in a 13 gal kegmentor. Its heavy, and make sure you pick something you really want to drink 10 gallons of. - if you get tired of it you can always bottle some of it from the keg.

 

[J A]

I have a 2-vessel, 1 pump electric HERMS set up. Each pot is 15 gallons and the HLT (with 220v heating element) doubles as the boil kettle. Very efficient and it's very easy to transfer 11 gallons into a fermenter or two 6.5 gallon carboys for 10 gallons plus of finished beer to fill 2 kegs.

 

[Blackmuse]

My Brewzilla 17Gallon (65L) system just came in yesterday! It came early I'm stoked! If I get a batch in this weekend I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[Minbari]

I have a 2-vessel, 1 pump electric HERMS set up. Each pot is 15 gallons and the HLT (with 220v heating element) doubles as the boil kettle. Very efficient and it's very easy to transf1500w. gallons into a fermenter or two 6.5 gallon carboys for 10 gallons plus of finished beer to fill 2 kegs.

Basically what I do too, but for 5 gallons. One pot for mlt and boil kettle. The other pot is purely for the herms coil to maintain mash temps and for cooling wort after boil. I have 4500 watts in the boil pot and herms pot 1500w

 

[J A]

Basically what I do too, but for 5 gallons. One pot for mlt and boil kettle. The other pot is purely for the herms coil to maintain mash temps and for cooling wort after boil. I have 4500 watts in the boil pot and herms pot 1500w

That's the sequence I use for double batches. I sparge into my 30 gallon kettle and at the end of the boil, run everything back through the herms coil with ice in the HLT.
For my single batches, I empty the sparge water from the HLT into a separate vessle and then sparge back into the HLT and use the coil to boil. Then I can run water through the herms coil along with my chill plate to drop temp quickly.

 

[TroutHunter1106]

Thanks for the input! I really like the hand on-ness of using multiple vessels but I'm definitely intrigued by the idea of an electric BIAB system like the Brewzilla or the Clawhammer one. For those that use a system like that, whats your max grain bill size for a 10 gallon system?

 

[Donoroto]

I have a 5 gallon batch (35 liter size) and I would struggle mightily to fit 14.5 pounds in it.

 

[Craigerrr]

Here is my 35 liter Brewzilla from today, grist below, (6.48kg minus the 430 grams of lactose) 12.75 lbs, pretty tight! I think all the flaked takes up more space than malted grains.

 

[WesBrew]

Thanks for the input! I really like the hand on-ness of using multiple vessels but I'm definitely intrigued by the idea of an electric BIAB system like the Brewzilla or the Clawhammer one. For those that use a system like that, whats your max grain bill size for a 10 gallon system?

As long as you have space above to lift up the basket enough to get it on the tabs that hold it up to drain, its a good option. electric, pretty precise. maintain mash temps. mash sparge, boil in one kettle. i had a buch of equipment already and didn't have head space to lift a basket, so just converted it all to electric. highly recommend going E, but if you're thinking about doing it indoors, you have to do something about the steam or it will be dripping from the ceiling.

 

[Craigerrr]

Here is one thing that I love about the Brewzilla. Even though the controller is on the bottom, and the timers count up, instead of down. The timers, and the temperature control are fantastic. I am able to set the machine up so that strike water is ready when I plan to brew. I set the machine up last night. When I got up this morning, I doughed in and skipped to the next timer, which was to mash for 4 hours. Had my shower, then gave it a good stir, got it recirculating, and went to work! I was out for about 3 hours, when I got back home, I gave it another good stir, and switched to the next timer which was mash out temp for 1 hour. Went to my office to do what I had to do, then had some lunch. After lunch I lifted the pipe, sparged, and carried on with the brew day.

 

[TroutHunter1106]

Here is my 35 liter Brewzilla from today, grist below, (6.48kg minus the 430 grams of lactose) 12.75 lbs, pretty tight! I think all the flaked takes up more space than malted grains.
View attachment 15754 View attachment 15755

Is that photo including all of the required water or do you keep a couple gallons aside and add after the grain is pulled?

 

[Donoroto]

mash out temp for 1 hour.

Craig, I need to PM you on this. Mash for 4 hours? I never even considered it. But that sounds ... low-stress. Not that brew day is stress, but adhering to times is an obsession... That process seems quite pleasant!

 

[Craigerrr]

Is that photo including all of the required water or do you keep a couple gallons aside and add after the grain is pulled?

Sparged with 5.7 liters, I have a sous vide stick to heat that up in another vessel. Here is the mash info, and water volumes. And water profile (that is the actual theoretical profile, not the target...)

 

[Craigerrr]

Craig, I need to PM you on this. Mash for 4 hours? I never even considered it. But that sounds ... low-stress. Not that brew day is stress, but adhering to times is an obsession... That process seems quite pleasant!

Quite pleasant indeed!