-
Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.
All grain 10 gallon batches
- Thread starter Brewcave
- Start date
brewfun
Grandmaster Brewer
Is it big enough for 10 gallons? The answer is "Yes."
But that's not really a good answer because what you really need to know is what's the maximum gravity you can make at 10 gallons.
This all gets into yields and losses, which become numbingly complex in just a few short turns. So, allow me to simplify it to just the mash tun and just 10 gallons of wort.
The keg is actually 15.5 gallons when completely full of beer. With the top cut off, this becomes about 15 gallons, total. A false bottom typically holds the grain back from 1.5 gallons of the keg's space. This leaves you with a theoretical 13.5 gallons of usable space the grain can occupy.
My typical ratio of grain capacity is Quarts x 0.7 = maximum grain capacity. That allows room for a 1.25:1 liquor to grist ratio.
13.5 gals is 54 quarts. 54 x 0.7 = 38 lbs rounded.
The next thing to figure is what that translates to as gravity for 10 gallons of wort. This is where the very important concept of mash efficiency comes in. If you can get better efficiency than my example, so much the better!
Assuming 70% mash efficiency, pale or pils malt should yield 26.6 gravity points per lb.
26.6 x 38 = 1010 total gravity points.
Divide the total by the target gallons (or the post boil total in the kettle).
1010 / 10 = 101. Translated into SG, it's 1.101 for 10 gallons. Seems like plenty of space to make beers of any strength.
This is just to get you started. You'll have additional variables like your actual efficiency and loss to trub that will move that number around.
But that's not really a good answer because what you really need to know is what's the maximum gravity you can make at 10 gallons.
This all gets into yields and losses, which become numbingly complex in just a few short turns. So, allow me to simplify it to just the mash tun and just 10 gallons of wort.
The keg is actually 15.5 gallons when completely full of beer. With the top cut off, this becomes about 15 gallons, total. A false bottom typically holds the grain back from 1.5 gallons of the keg's space. This leaves you with a theoretical 13.5 gallons of usable space the grain can occupy.
My typical ratio of grain capacity is Quarts x 0.7 = maximum grain capacity. That allows room for a 1.25:1 liquor to grist ratio.
13.5 gals is 54 quarts. 54 x 0.7 = 38 lbs rounded.
The next thing to figure is what that translates to as gravity for 10 gallons of wort. This is where the very important concept of mash efficiency comes in. If you can get better efficiency than my example, so much the better!
Assuming 70% mash efficiency, pale or pils malt should yield 26.6 gravity points per lb.
26.6 x 38 = 1010 total gravity points.
Divide the total by the target gallons (or the post boil total in the kettle).
1010 / 10 = 101. Translated into SG, it's 1.101 for 10 gallons. Seems like plenty of space to make beers of any strength.
This is just to get you started. You'll have additional variables like your actual efficiency and loss to trub that will move that number around.
I appreciated the info regarding the size of my mash-tun, now I was wondering if there is a rule of thumb for making a 5 gallon recipe into a 7 or 10 gallon batch. To double volume on a recipe, do you just double all ingredients, or is it more scientific than that? I think I'll try a 7 gallon batch first, and see how it goes, then go for the 10 gallon. It seems the only recipes I have are for 5 gallon. I've had 7 successful 5 gallon batches so far, so I think it's time to make a little more out of my brew day.
Thanks!
Thanks!
If you are using BeerSmith you can Scale the recipe by using the "Scale the recipe" Icon on the tool bar.