I intend to do my first 10 gallon batch next, on the suggestion of a few friends and my LHBS. You know, the logic of "it's the same amount of work for 5 or 10 gallons, so you might as well make more" etc.
The question is, do I need a bigger mash tun in order to do a 10 gal batch? I know it depends on the recipe/grain bill.
The next beer I wanted to do, as a 10 gallon batch, is an Alpha King clone. Something similar to this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/three-floyds-alpha-king-ale-clone-192385/ (I have cut and pasted the recipe on this post as well)
I'm new to AG, but hooked. The last beer I made was an attempt at a 5 gallon IRS that should have come in around 11% abv, but is probably topping out between 8 and 9% (racking to keg tonight, so I'll find out.)
Unfortunately, my 10 gal cooler mash tun was insufficient for my massive grain bill, and I couldn't keep an inch of water on the top of the grain... everything was just BARELY submerged, and my lid floated on top of the grain. Mash profile be damned. I didn't hit my numbers, though I probably could have sparged more and just boiled a lot longer... the second runnings made a small beer... so there was clearly a ton of sugar left to pull.
I'm not really interested in competitions... just in making frakkin' delicious beers, so it's not a big deal to me... this one tasted great as wort, looks gorgeous... I can't wait to get it carbed! The big deal would be to make the same sort of mistake twice.
Anyone using a 10 gal barrel cooler for a mash tun, do a recipe of similar size (noting that the description below is for a 5 gal?)
Here's an example recipe:
BYO Alpha King Clone
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 8.79 gal
Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 8.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 69.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
5 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 54.19 %
4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 39.41 %
1.9 oz Caramunich III (Weyermann) (71.0 SRM) Grain 1.18 %
1.6 oz Caramel Malt - 60L (Briess) (60.0 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
1.6 oz Caramunich I (Weyermann) (51.0 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
1.6 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
1.6 oz Melanoidin (Weyermann) (30.0 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
1.6 oz Special B (135.0 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
0.5 oz Wheat - Soft Red, Flaked (Briess) (1.6 SRM) Grain 0.30 %
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 days)Hops -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.50 oz Magnum [13.50 %] (60 min) Hops 30.2 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.58 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [12.00 %] (60 min) Hops 31.2 IBU
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [Starter 2000 Yeast-Ale
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 10.15 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 3.17 gal of water at 170.1 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 1.78 gal of water at 198.5 F 168.0 F
I have a keggle for boil and a keggle for hot water. I haven't finished building the keggle I will be using for my mash tun yet, so that's why I'm concerned.
Input appreciated!
The question is, do I need a bigger mash tun in order to do a 10 gal batch? I know it depends on the recipe/grain bill.
The next beer I wanted to do, as a 10 gallon batch, is an Alpha King clone. Something similar to this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/three-floyds-alpha-king-ale-clone-192385/ (I have cut and pasted the recipe on this post as well)
I'm new to AG, but hooked. The last beer I made was an attempt at a 5 gallon IRS that should have come in around 11% abv, but is probably topping out between 8 and 9% (racking to keg tonight, so I'll find out.)
Unfortunately, my 10 gal cooler mash tun was insufficient for my massive grain bill, and I couldn't keep an inch of water on the top of the grain... everything was just BARELY submerged, and my lid floated on top of the grain. Mash profile be damned. I didn't hit my numbers, though I probably could have sparged more and just boiled a lot longer... the second runnings made a small beer... so there was clearly a ton of sugar left to pull.
I'm not really interested in competitions... just in making frakkin' delicious beers, so it's not a big deal to me... this one tasted great as wort, looks gorgeous... I can't wait to get it carbed! The big deal would be to make the same sort of mistake twice.
Anyone using a 10 gal barrel cooler for a mash tun, do a recipe of similar size (noting that the description below is for a 5 gal?)
Here's an example recipe:
BYO Alpha King Clone
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 8.79 gal
Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 8.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 69.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
5 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 54.19 %
4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 39.41 %
1.9 oz Caramunich III (Weyermann) (71.0 SRM) Grain 1.18 %
1.6 oz Caramel Malt - 60L (Briess) (60.0 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
1.6 oz Caramunich I (Weyermann) (51.0 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
1.6 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
1.6 oz Melanoidin (Weyermann) (30.0 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
1.6 oz Special B (135.0 SRM) Grain 0.99 %
0.5 oz Wheat - Soft Red, Flaked (Briess) (1.6 SRM) Grain 0.30 %
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 days)Hops -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.50 oz Magnum [13.50 %] (60 min) Hops 30.2 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.58 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [12.00 %] (60 min) Hops 31.2 IBU
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [Starter 2000 Yeast-Ale
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 10.15 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 3.17 gal of water at 170.1 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 1.78 gal of water at 198.5 F 168.0 F
I have a keggle for boil and a keggle for hot water. I haven't finished building the keggle I will be using for my mash tun yet, so that's why I'm concerned.
Input appreciated!