Equipment to buy for gradual growth

[zeptobrewer]

I have a 15l stock pot and I've successfully pumped out a couple of 5l and 10l brew in a bag kits. 10l was a little dicey…

I'd like to step up to larger batches as I'm really enjoying this, but the inefficiency is a little disappointing. It's a lot of work and cleaning for 8 pints.

I’m trying to work out what to buy in what order so that I can end up with a system that can grow in the future, but only have to buy the minimum now and waste as little of it as possible. I’m relatively well equipped for DIY and don’t mind doing hardware or electrical/electronics work myself. I’d rather stick to doing it on my existing gas hob which is equipped with a 5kW wok burner or going electric than having to manage propane and propane accessories. I have a garden shed that I can build a semi-permanent installation in if I want to, but it’s only on a standard ring main extension.

I think I should get a 50l kettle and start doing brew in a bag on a larger scale. Once I’m comfortable with that, I think the next step is another 2 vessels so I can then use one as a hot liquor tank and another as a boil vessel. Once I’m comfortable with that, perhaps I make it into a HERMS/RIMS system (some way down the road I expect.)

Is there some fundamental step I’m missing? Are there checkpoints along the way that I need to plan for now, so I don’t design myself in to a corner? I’m aware I could probably just bite the bullet, get a grainfather and probably be happy with that for a long time, but I enjoy making things myself.

Do you really need a pulley for 20l brew in a bag? I’m reasonably sturdy but can’t get an idea for how essential it is. I think I could rig something up if needs be to fit over the kitchen hob.

 

[Clint]

You might not boil 50l on your wok burner...I just about manage with my 32l pot.
I got 2 X 32l pot,one with a tap,which is the boil kettle. The other is for mash and sparge water. I use an igloo picnic cooler with tap for a mash tun and swapped the bazooka filter out for a copper manifold type which increased my efficiency.
Not expensive stuff,the pots will last a lifetime,the cooler many years. Idiot proof...I can break anything! Easy to clean and they go in my little shed when finished. I made a wort chiller out of some copper tube from the DIY store..it's not pretty but does the job.
I can easily afford to get a grainfather or similar but can't see what extra it would give me at the moment.

 

[zeptobrewer]

To clarify, I'm thinking I should buy a 50l pot to acheive 23l batch sizes, which is about as big as I expect I'd want to go. Is that a correct assumption or could I size down and still manage that safely? As I said, 10l in a 15l pot required some juggling.

 

[Clint]

I do 23l in my pots easily,unless you want to do more,50 is a waste of money.

 

[Clint]

Pot maths....
Eg.
5kg grain + 2.6l water/litre -approx 12l in mash tun. You lose approx 5l to grain absorption..this leaves 7l.
Now...all systems are different regarding boil off rates and kettle losses.
I sparge with about 23l...so plus the 7 is 30l going to your kettle. My boil off minus kettle loss (hop and break material you leave in the kettle) gives me 23 or so litres to fv.
Boil off can increase in the summer a bit but it's no big deal.

 

[zeptobrewer]

Got it! 30l boiling in a 33l kettle seemed a little tight to me, but given I haven't done it and you have I'll gladly take your word for it!

 

[Clint]

You must watch it though and as the hot break happens and it starts to look like Ovaltine you need to fold the foam back into the liquid with the big stainless paddle you have to have..or it could boil over...and,trust me ,you really want to avoid that!
I also dangle a thermometer into the kettle.

 

[stan.distortion]

You can also post-dilute. I mostly use a 15L pot too, usually 12L batches but for the last brew I increased my grain bill and hops by about 50% (not exact, mash efficiency and hop utilisation drops so some tweaking is needed). That gave me an 18L batch from a 15L pot and some folks go much higher, works just fine for relatively low ABV beers but very high ABVs (imperial stout for ex.) need a full boil.