30lt boiler?

[Andyhull]

Is a 30lt boiler big enough for 5gal 23lt 40pint brews?
What size do you guys generally use?

 

[Baz Chaz]

Andy, I had a 30 ltr boiler given when I first returned to brewing, within half a dozen brews I'd bought a 40ltr buffalo :!:

The 30 ltr was getting a bit tight for headroom on a rolling boil when you allowed a bit for evaporation and deadspace, I really would go for the extra bit of capacity without a doubt :thumb:

 

[Andyhull]

I have already made a 30lt one from an old mango barrel!
I'll have a look out for a 45lt one and remove all the bits off the old one and bin it.

Thanks

 

[pittsy]

yeah , i have a 33l and it's tight 40 would be ideal

 

[Dave1970]

Agree with both of the above. I use a 40l Buffalo and I'm very glad of the extra capacity. It just saves a lot of hassle and reduces the risk of messy splashing and boil overs.

 

[Andyhull]

I thought that it would have been enough as i want to end up with 23lt so thought 5 litre boul off would have left me with 2 litres headspace.

I know where i can get a 45lt one from for £8 so i'll get one next week or so!

 

[Dave1970]

You're right it is enough, but only just. I've found that I need 30 litres at the start of the boil to end up with 23 in the FV. It's not just evaporation, there's absorbtion by the hops to consider as well. A couple of litres is not a lot of head room once you get a strong boil going.

 

[Andyhull]

Im going to remeasure the volume again and put a boil on of 30lt and see just how risky it is!
not sure if including the thread on the top it's more like 30.9423lt instead of the 30lt i previousely thought, i mean measured :wha:

 

[Killick Greenie]

I use a 30ltr Burco and so far its been ok. I top up the wort at the end of the boil. Probably not a good idea but it seems to work for me.

At start of boil I top mine up to just under the screws that hold the handles on, havent had a boil over......yet :pray:

I would go for the larger version and then you've got that extra headroom. If you do get a Buffalo I'd be interested to know how you hack the thermostats so you can get a proper boil. I say that because the Burco doesn't actually boil (makes you wonder why its called a boiler) so you have to bypass the flux capacitor to get it to er boil.

:

 

[Andyhull]

yeh but you need one point twenny one giggawatts of electricity to bypass it. :lol:

 

[Dave1970]

I use a 30ltr Burco and so far its been ok. I top up the wort at the end of the boil. Probably not a good idea but it seems to work for me.

At start of boil I top mine up to just under the screws that hold the handles on, havent had a boil over......yet :pray:

I would go for the larger version and then you've got that extra headroom. If you do get a Buffalo I'd be interested to know how you hack the thermostats so you can get a proper boil. I say that because the Burco doesn't actually boil (makes you wonder why its called a boiler) so you have to bypass the flux capacitor to get it to er boil.

:

My Buffalo boils, no modifications apart from a better tap. There obviously are some that have had problems and there are threads on here that tell you what to do. I get the impression that most who have bought them lately are using them unmodified with no probs.

 

[Baz Chaz]

.... If you do get a Buffalo I'd be interested to know how you hack the thermostats so you can get a proper boil. I say that because the Burco doesn't actually boil (makes you wonder why its called a boiler) so you have to bypass the flux capacitor to get it to er boil.

You mention Buffalo then Burco which have you got

I've a buffalo and it gets a good rolling boil going no problem, I use it stood on a 'workmate' so there's plenty of air circulating round the base, never had a brew/boil fail yet :!:

 

[johnnyh]

I am yet to use my 30l Buffalo in anger, but did a test boil of 30 litres and all was good. That said I am only intent on making 15-18 litre batches, mainly 15 litre since this gives me more excuse to brew more often and try different styles. (I'm actually tempted to do a few 12 litre/20 pint batches)

 

[jonnymorris]

Are you talking about a HLT or copper? You might get away with 30l if you use it as the former though less so the latter.

I use my 50l pot as both and its well worth having the extra space. I look to get 33l or wort from the grains for a 23l brew length. Needless-to-say, a 30l pot wouldn't be big enough.

 

[johnnyh]

I use a version on maxi BIAB methods and top up the wort during the boil with left overs from the sparge. I have used an 18.5 litre pot to make 15 litre brew lengths so far, so should find no bother in 15 to 20 brew lengths in a 30 litre.

 

[Andyhull]

So how do the people who have the brewpacs type boilers, 25lt or 30lt manage?

 

[johnnyh]

safe to say there is more than one way to "skin a cat", "make eggs", or "brew beer".

For me, to BIAB with a sparge is a second vessel and then topping up works just fine. I am aware that bigger can be simpler, but it is hardly any extra effort.

As said I have tended towards 15 litre brew lengths and have done this happily in a 18.5 litre stock pot up until now, so a 30 litre boiler is going to seem huuuuuuuuuuuge
Darn sure I could happily do a 20 litre brew length if I wanted, and sounds like folk manage 23 litre too.

Each to their own, it is what makes the world an interesting place. :

 

[fbsf]

I've got a 33L FV-based boiler, and I regularly do 23L brews. 29-30L in the boiler at the start, 3-4L boiloff and a couple of L to the hops and break material gives me my 23L for the fermenter.

I've not had a boilover yet, but I am careful when it is getting to boiling point - too much foam on top scares me!

I think a 30L boiler would be a bit small though, unless you mashed stronger and liquored back in the FV perhaps? Might need to adjust the hop schedule a little.

 

[Wezzel]

I don't think a 40 litre Buffalo boiler is much bigger than a 30 litre one. I've a feeling that its the same diameter just a little taller.

I'm so glad I bought the larger one.

 

[Baz Chaz]

I don't think a 40 litre Buffalo boiler is much bigger than a 30 litre one. I've a feeling that its the same diameter just a little taller.

I'm so glad I bought the larger one.

Nope, its the other way round, they're the same height but quite a bit further round, nice and stable :thumb: