Help! Ive created a monster!

[vineyardbmw]

So a while ago when I used to brew a bunch (I recently started again) I turned my brother on to craft beer and home brewing. Opened his eyes let me tell you. Before this he was a BL drinker, yuck. Well he has been buggering me to build a brewery again and he would pay half. Now I can't convince him that we don't want to build a 25 gal system for two people. I can't imagine a 25 gal disaster down the drain. Any one have any ideas ?

 

[vineyardbmw]

Ideas on how to convince him that 25 gal is a mistake? Or am I just wrong.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

try to convince him you only need a 20 gallon system.

 

[RoundKid]

Just make sure that whatever the size it can function smaller as well. I have a 10 gallon system, but it works just as well for 5 gallons.

Important things are dead space, height to width ratio, chiller design (and or RIMS/HERMS), etc.

25 gallons would be awesome, if you can still make a 10 gallon batch on it. No two people need 25 gallons of wee heavy or barley wine, but 25 gallons of pale ale is wonderful.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Just make sure that whatever the size it can function smaller as well. I have a 10 gallon system, but it works just as well for 5 gallons.

Important things are dead space, height to width ratio, chiller design (and or RIMS/HERMS), etc.

25 gallons would be awesome, if you can still make a 10 gallon batch on it. No two people need 25 gallons of wee heavy or barley wine, but 25 gallons of pale ale is wonderful.

wtf?!? that's crazy talk.

 

[oneandahalfshepherds]

I need 25 gallons of wee heavy all to myself

 

[unionrdr]

It depends on how much beer you go through & how quickly. A 10 gallon system might be fine for two of you. that's 5 gallons each & gives more opportunities to brew,not having 25 gallons at a time. At 12.5 gallons each,that's a lot of beer to drink. Not to mention the expense of ingredients. Balance in all things,I say.

 

[Bostonbrewin63]

Confused.... Ur building this in YOUR house right? Just tell him no ur building a 10 gallon system.. Sounds straight forward to me. I have a 10 gallon system an I love it, I do 5 gallon most of the time cuz I like a verity of beer in my fridge/keggerator, if I want more of the beer that was finished I brew more... Experiment with a new ingredient, to me that's what homebrewing is all about! Cheers!

 

[corwin3083]

No two people need 25 gallons of wee heavy or barley wine, but 25 gallons of pale ale is wonderful.

That's just crazy talk. I bet you 25gal of barley wine that I can make it all disappear...

 

[vineyardbmw]

Ok I convinced him to go with a system that will not get harmed by running smaller batches. It will be at his property so I can't just put my foot down. But my reluctance comes more from variety not quantity Plus I enjoy the exercise of brewing just as much as consuming. We are going 50/50 so my concern is also budgetary. Ill just give him the money for the setup I'm willing to fund and after that he can go wild I suppose.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

How about this:


10 gallon system
2x fermenters that can ferment those batch sizes (Sanke fermenters are cheap)
One fermentation chamber at each house (craigslist fridges are cheap)

Sure, you may have to do some double brew days, but this gives you variety and plenty of capacity.

 

[vineyardbmw]

How about this:

10 gallon system
2x fermenters that can ferment those batch sizes (Sanke fermenters are cheap)
One fermentation chamber at each house (craigslist fridges are cheap)

Sure, you may have to do some double brew days, but this gives you variety and plenty of capacity.

I like your thinking. Ill have to research Sanke fermenters. I've never actually seen one.

 

[RoundKid]

How about this:

10 gallon system
2x fermenters that can ferment those batch sizes (Sanke fermenters are cheap)
One fermentation chamber at each house (craigslist fridges are cheap)

Sure, you may have to do some double brew days, but this gives you variety and plenty of capacity.

This is exactly what we do.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I like your thinking. Ill have to research Sanke fermenters. I've never actually seen one.

Very simple:

1) buy 15.5 gal Sanke keg
2) buy this: http://www.brewershardware.com/American-Sanke-Keg-Fermenter-Kit-with-Thermowell.html

And you're good to go. BTW sanitation becomes a breeze- put 2 gallons of water in the Sanke and throw it on a burner