Troxs
Well-Known Member
I'll put the TLR up first: Should I begin to upgrade my system to a better, all stainless, three kettle system, or should I begin upgrading to a 10 gallon system?
As it is now, I have a 5 gallon system (2x 5 Gallon Coolers for MT/HLT, and a 8 Gallon brew pot. My parents bought me a 14.5 Ferminator a couple years back for Christmas so I've been basically brewing twice and combining the batches within the ferminator on the same day. As you can imagine this creates quite a long brew day. So, it is time to upgrade, but how should I proceed?
Currently I'm thinking about upgrading in 3 ways. Mind you, with both ideas I want to have a nice clean SS system rather than the plastic coolers. In other words either way I plan to use the Ss Brewtech InfuSsion Mash tun.
5 Gallon upgrade: Currently this is my main thought process. Mostly because I'm also planning to build a 4 tap keezer, and I'd like to have a different beer for each tap. Doing all 10 gallons would mean having more kegs, which is fine, but its also more money. I know that I'd also need to get some more 5 gallon friendly fermenters, which is why I would start with a Ss Brewtech Bucket, but of course I'd likely get a few more later on, and at their price it would be easier to set the money aside.
5/10 Gallon upgrade: This was my second idea, because then I could possibly do smaller grain bill 10 gallon batches if I wanted, but also be able to do 5 gallon batches without having too much head space. My only concern here is whether or not I could boil a 10 gallon batch in a 15 gallon kettle...?
10 Gallon upgrade: Of course this would just be to get the most use of my current fermenter, and suck up the fact that I'd need extra kegs hanging around. I worry about this set up though, because I'm figuring I could purchase maybe 1 piece ever 2-3 months, and really none of then would be able to be used in my current setup, I'd have to store them until I get all of the pieces. Not too mention I'm not sure how my current burner would work (cheap one from the local hardware store) so I may end up needing a new one of those as well.
All-in-all: where should I begin?
EDIT: Okay, so I think I may have a solution which would be at minimal cost, and do what I wish to do. I have decided to do 10 gallon batches, and after watching a video of a two vessel electric system (namely this long-ass video [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjGkS0M0LgY[/ame]) I've come up with an idea to try out.
I would use a 20 gallon Ss InfuSsion mash tun and a 20 gallon Ss Kettle. I would Mash at my normal temperature for an hour, and have my sparge water to temp in the kettle. When the mash was done I would circulate the Mash to the kettle while cycling the contents of the kettle through the mash tun. I would keep the heat low and really monitor it until both reach my sparge temperature, then shut down the pump and let the full content flow into the brew kettle to begin the boil.
So, I would need to get...
Would this work though, or should I invest (later down the road) on a Blichmann Tower of Power and do a constant recirculation as shown in the video?
As it is now, I have a 5 gallon system (2x 5 Gallon Coolers for MT/HLT, and a 8 Gallon brew pot. My parents bought me a 14.5 Ferminator a couple years back for Christmas so I've been basically brewing twice and combining the batches within the ferminator on the same day. As you can imagine this creates quite a long brew day. So, it is time to upgrade, but how should I proceed?
Currently I'm thinking about upgrading in 3 ways. Mind you, with both ideas I want to have a nice clean SS system rather than the plastic coolers. In other words either way I plan to use the Ss Brewtech InfuSsion Mash tun.
5 Gallon upgrade: Currently this is my main thought process. Mostly because I'm also planning to build a 4 tap keezer, and I'd like to have a different beer for each tap. Doing all 10 gallons would mean having more kegs, which is fine, but its also more money. I know that I'd also need to get some more 5 gallon friendly fermenters, which is why I would start with a Ss Brewtech Bucket, but of course I'd likely get a few more later on, and at their price it would be easier to set the money aside.
- 10 Gal Ss Brewtech Kettle + Thermometer HLT
- 10 Gal InfuSsion Mash Tun + Ss Sparge Arm
- 10 Gal Ss Brewtech Kettle + Thermometer BK
- Ss Brewtech Brewbucket
5/10 Gallon upgrade: This was my second idea, because then I could possibly do smaller grain bill 10 gallon batches if I wanted, but also be able to do 5 gallon batches without having too much head space. My only concern here is whether or not I could boil a 10 gallon batch in a 15 gallon kettle...?
- 10 Gal Ss Brewtech Kettle + Thermometer HLT
- 10 Gal InfuSsion Mash Tun + Ss Sparge Arm
- 15 Gal Ss Brewtech Kettle + Thermometer BK
- Ss Brewtech Brewbucket
10 Gallon upgrade: Of course this would just be to get the most use of my current fermenter, and suck up the fact that I'd need extra kegs hanging around. I worry about this set up though, because I'm figuring I could purchase maybe 1 piece ever 2-3 months, and really none of then would be able to be used in my current setup, I'd have to store them until I get all of the pieces. Not too mention I'm not sure how my current burner would work (cheap one from the local hardware store) so I may end up needing a new one of those as well.
- 20 Gal Ss Brewtech Kettle + Thermometer HLT
- 20 Gal InfuSsion Mash Tun + Ss Sparge Arm
- 20 Gal Ss Brewtech Kettle + Thermometer BK
All-in-all: where should I begin?
EDIT: Okay, so I think I may have a solution which would be at minimal cost, and do what I wish to do. I have decided to do 10 gallon batches, and after watching a video of a two vessel electric system (namely this long-ass video [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjGkS0M0LgY[/ame]) I've come up with an idea to try out.
I would use a 20 gallon Ss InfuSsion mash tun and a 20 gallon Ss Kettle. I would Mash at my normal temperature for an hour, and have my sparge water to temp in the kettle. When the mash was done I would circulate the Mash to the kettle while cycling the contents of the kettle through the mash tun. I would keep the heat low and really monitor it until both reach my sparge temperature, then shut down the pump and let the full content flow into the brew kettle to begin the boil.
So, I would need to get...
- 20 Gal Ss Brewtech InfuSsion Mash Tun + Ss Sparge Arm
- 20 Gal Ss Brewtech Kettle
- 1 Chugger pump
Would this work though, or should I invest (later down the road) on a Blichmann Tower of Power and do a constant recirculation as shown in the video?