I am in the process of moving from a 10 gallon brewery to a 15 gallon. I currently boil in a converted keg. My keg works ok but I must stand vigilant until after the break watching for boilovers.
I am planning to stop in at Northern Brewer tomorrow and pick up a 25 gallon Megapot.
My question of those of you that might have a similar set up: I assume that a preboil volume of 18 gallons in that 25 gallon pot will allow me some relief from boil overs. Correct?
Yes, without a doubt. I have the same pot and routinely put out 22 gallons from it.
I had the chance to watch a fellow worker on brew day. His set up consisted of three 25 gallon pots. HLT,mash tun and boil kettle are all the same. His brew kettle was filled about 3 inches from the top pre boil. He didn’t boil over. His boil was very very slow. I was amazed! I boil 8.75 or 9 gallons in a 15 gallon kettle and had a boil over once,wasn’t real bad, but still had one.
Yes, but it can still happen. A few years ago I did a 5 gallon batch in my 25 gallon kettle, and thinking I was safe from boil I turned my back to work on cleaning up my mash tun. Boom, wort all over the driveway. It’s the initial boil foam that only lasts a few seconds that seems to climb the kettle walls especially well.
[quote=“CliffordBrewing”]Yes, but it can still happen. A few years ago I did a 5 gallon batch in my 25 gallon kettle, and thinking I was safe from boil I turned my back to work on cleaning up my mash tun. Boom, wort all over the driveway. It’s the initial boil foam that only lasts a few seconds that seems to climb the kettle walls especially well.[/quote]Yup, it’s a very short time when all the foam covers the top and insulates the heat. Then it builds up and boom, thar she blows. Sneaky little bugger.
If you want plenty of room get a 30gal. I have a 20gal and have done preboils of 18+gal and it equates to about an inch of freeboard. I use fermcap S on those batches.
I should add that myBayou pot is about as wide as it is tall, if the megapot is taller thn you would probably have a little more space at the top. Still you are talking about filling the pot 90% full, considering the height you can figure how much freeboard you’ll have and decide for yourself. A good foam on a boil can raise up at least three inches.
How hard of a boil are you guys doing. When I get to the boil, I adjust the heat to keep the wort doing a little roll, no bubbling, just a gentle roll. My friends boil didn’t look like it was boiling. Every so often his wort surface would show a sign of a boil. Other than that it was still. I thought a boil needed to do a job to get rid of something. How slow of a boil can one get away with?
Brad
I like a healthy rolling boil. Enough that the whole surface is rolling, and about 25% of the surface is bubbling and churning. A harder boil is supposed to kick off more DMS. I don’t know if I buy that, but I just like it to churn so I know I’m getting equal caramelization and hop utilization; again, I don’t know if those issues are even related to boil vigor, it’s just what I do.
[quote=“CliffordBrewing”]I like a healthy rolling boil. Enough that the whole surface is rolling, and about 25% of the surface is bubbling and churning. A harder boil is supposed to kick off more DMS. I don’t know if I buy that, but I just like it to churn so I know I’m getting equal caramelization and hop utilization; again, I don’t know if those issues are even related to boil vigor, it’s just what I do.[/quote]My thoughts exactly.
MullerBrau, Are you saying that when you transfer your wort to the fermentor you have 22 gallons in it?
Prior to purchasing the 25G Megapot I converted some of my ten gallon brews, (Ten G transferred to fermentor.) to 15 G through Beersmith. It tells me I will begin with about 18 G in the brew kettle.
In talking with Chuck earlier today he indicated I may end up boiling off about 5G or so. What is your experience with your Megapot? What is your hourly rate of boiloff?
MullerBrau, Are you saying that when you transfer your wort to the fermentor you have 22 gallons in it?
Prior to purchasing the 25G Megapot I converted some of my ten gallon brews, (Ten G transferred to fermentor.) to 15 G through Beersmith. It tells me I will begin with about 18 G in the brew kettle.
In talking with Chuck earlier today he indicated I may end up boiling off about 5G or so. What is your experience with your Megapot? What is your hourly rate of boiloff?[/quote]Yes, I usually get 22 gallons into the primaries and 21 into the kegs.
I collect wort until I reach the top of the top rivet on the Megapot. I boil for the two hours it takes to fly sparge that much volume. Then I boil for one hour and at that time, I am at the bottom of the lower rivet.
This may sound funny but this is based upon brewing in a heated garage with lots of humidity.
MullerBrau, Are you saying that when you transfer your wort to the fermentor you have 22 gallons in it?
Prior to purchasing the 25G Megapot I converted some of my ten gallon brews, (Ten G transferred to fermentor.) to 15 G through Beersmith. It tells me I will begin with about 18 G in the brew kettle.
In talking with Chuck earlier today he indicated I may end up boiling off about 5G or so. What is your experience with your Megapot? What is your hourly rate of boiloff?[/quote]Yes, I usually get 22 gallons into the primaries and 21 into the kegs.
I collect wort until I reach the top of the top rivet on the Megapot. I boil for the two hours it takes to fly sparge that much volume. Then I boil for one hour and at that time, I am at the bottom of the lower rivet.
This may sound funny but this is based upon brewing in a heated garage with lots of humidity.[/quote]
TY for the response. I look forward to my first brew with this kettle.
