Jumping from 5 gallon to 10 gallon batches

[Rob2010SS]

So I'm toying with the idea of moving from 5 gallon batches to 10 gallon batches. We cannot seem to keep kegs full in our house when we make something we really like (we do not have a problem, lol).

I can either stick with the traditional 3 vessel setup like what I have now or I started wondering if this is the time to go to BIAB. My current setup:
-10 gallon kettle
-10 gallon Mash Tun
-7 gallon HLT
If I stick with 3 vessels, I need to upgrade my kettle and my mash tun. I found some IGLOO 55-60 qt coolers for like $35. Don't know if anyone knows of any cheaper ones....?

If I go with BIAB, correct me if I'm wrong but I would no longer need the coolers at all, correct? I could upgrade the kettle on it's own and go no sparge BIAB...? I could even take this as the time to go electric, but would need a 240V outlet installed in our house.

So, long winded post, but I guess my questions are these...

1. What are your thoughts, is the 3 vessel method a better method than BIAB, or vice versa?
1a. If I go BIAB, what size kettle would be needed to do 10 gallon batches?
2. Anyone upgraded from 5 gallons to 10 gallons before and what was your experience, how much money did it take?
3. Anyone know of a cheaper 55-60 qt cooler?
4. Anyone had a 240V outlet installed in your house? What did it cost?
5. Any other thoughts/opinions welcome.

 

[BugEyedValiant]

I ended up buying a 20 gallon Spike kettle and I do BIAB in it using a 5500w electric element. I can't give you the cost of any of the work because I built it all myself. I absolutely love doing it this way. It takes about an hour longer to do 10 gallons than it used to do 5 gallons in my old 10 gallon kettle. I did partial boil 10 gallon batches before, but now with the 20 gallon kettle I can do 15 gallon full boil batches. Ends up freeing up a couple brew days a month now.

 

[ThunderKhajiit]

I recently made a keggle from a free keg, I think it cost about $20 for the parts and works great as a 15gal kettle on my propane burner. The 10 gallon round cooler can barely manage the grain for 10 gallon batches, so I either do biab or use some lme to make up the difference. So far the move to 10 gallons has been inexpensive and easy. Cooling takes longer using my old IC.
It's nice to have a simple rig, but over time I'll be converting the other kegs I have into a hlt, mash tun and fermenting vessel.

 

[wepeeler]

Check this out: http://www.brewgeeks.com/a-biab-brewday-tknice.html

With fermcap it's absolutely possible to do 10 gallon batches in a 15 gallon kettle. I haven't done it yet, but I've been emailing with the guy who posted that, and he's even made a barleywine with that setup (although a bit more difficult). He said, you'll want to start with as much mash volume as you can, to maximize efficiency. But it certainly can be done.

The kettle was the biggest upgrade fee for me. Around $300 after BIAB bag, pulley and kettle. I'll be attempting a 10 gallon batch within the next month or so.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Yeah, that's my thing though, if I'm going to buy a new 15 gallon kettle, I can get the 20 gallon for only $20 more through spike. I'd probably just do that and make BIAB a bit easier, if I go that route.

Anyone know anything about 240V outlets and how much they cost to install?

 

[wepeeler]

Yeah, that's my thing though, if I'm going to buy a new 15 gallon kettle, I can get the 20 gallon for only $20 more through spike. I'd probably just do that and make BIAB a bit easier, if I go that route.

Anyone know anything about 240V outlets and how much they cost to install?

Well, I went with the 15 so that I have the flexibility to do 5 gallon or 10 gallon batches. Not sure how a 5 gallon batch would fair in a 20 gallon kettle.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Well, I went with the 15 so that I have the flexibility to do 5 gallon or 10 gallon batches. Not sure how a 5 gallon batch would fair in a 20 gallon kettle.

That's a valid point. Not sure about that either...

 

[mirthfuldragon]

You can do 10g batches in a 10g mash tun with a 15g keggle. Doing 12g split batches is harder. I use home depot buckets to collect runnings then combine them back in through the boil.

I have a two keggle + cooler system, and ultimately my plan is to move towards a single-vessel BIAB system. I've done BIAB batches and I lose some points in efficiency, but the day is significantly shorter and there is less to clean.

Anyone know anything about 240V outlets and how much they cost to install?

Depends on where your panel is and how far the run is to your brewing location. You will need a GFCI breaker or a spa panel, so that is ~$60-$100 by itself, plus a controller panel. Several ways to do it, depending on your budget.

 

[wepeeler]

That's a valid point. Not sure about that either...

I do way more 5 gallons batches, I just wanted the flexibility. Plus, I wouldn't want 10 gallons of too many big beers anyways. I typically brew 1.055-1.065 beers. Anything higher and I'd just do a 5 gallon batch.

 

[bleme]

I often brew with a friend who does 10 gallon brews using 2 keggles. The last time I was over, he got a little ambitious and tried making 10 gallons of an Imperial Stout and we were fighting boil-overs for a good 40 minutes.

I've made a 10 gallon batch once with my 10 gallon pot, BIAB plus 5 gallon sparge. I just made a concentrated wort and topped it off with water in the fermentor. Efficiency suffered but I had planned for that and it turned out fine.

 

[ancientmariner52]

Are you certain you need to add new circuits? Can you use an existing range or drier outlet? Perhaps add an outlet to a water heater circuit? Install a gfci breaker if needed, make a suitable extension cord, and there you are. Just make sure the range / dryer / water heater isn't energized while brewing, or your breaker will trip.

My local diy stores often have tag ends of spooled bulk cable for ridiculously low prices. Iirc, I paid less than thirty dollars for 25 feet or so of 10 ga, 3 conductor plus ground, rubber-covered cable. RV extension cords are available also, though pricey.