New mash tun! Looking for advice

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by CaptainQuint, Mar 13, 2016.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. CaptainQuint

    CaptainQuint Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2014 Massachusetts

    I recently purchased a 70 quart Coleman Xtreme cooler to be used as a mash tun.

    I was just wondering if there was any information on how many pounds of grains I can effectively pack it with, and still leave room for water. I want to brew some super high gravity beers (the higher the better) but don't want to screw myself over by adding too much grain and not having enough room for strike water and fly sparging. The plan is to make a 10 gallon batch, divided up into two 5 gallon boil kettles. One 5 gallon for myself and one for my brewing partner. Two stage fermentation, kegging and force carbonating. Looking to make some big barleywines and imperial stouts and IPA's. Again, the bigger the better. 13+% would be fun.


    Thanks!
     
    #1 CaptainQuint, Mar 13, 2016
  2. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    #2 PortLargo, Mar 13, 2016
  3. CaptainQuint

    CaptainQuint Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2014 Massachusetts

    Awesome! Very helpful! Thank you.
     
    #3 CaptainQuint, Mar 13, 2016
  4. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Rule of thumb for high gravity batches: mash tun volume in gal = 1/2 grain weight in #

    eg. 15 gal mash tun = 15 = 1/2(30# grain) ...(this is essentially your 70 qt if conservative...really 17.5 gal)

    augment with extract if needed...better than having too big a mash tun for moderate gravity (usual) batches.

    mash efficiency usually drops off for bigger beers
     
    #4 GreenKrusty101, Mar 13, 2016
  5. chavinparty

    chavinparty Zealot (653) Jan 4, 2015 New Hampshire

    Yeah I didn't do the math but I brewed an 8%er in the same setup recently and it was almost too much. If you want a huge barleywine I'd do a partigyle mash
     
    #5 chavinparty, Mar 13, 2016
  6. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Good luck with your 13% Barley Wine.

    Unsolicited word of advise.
    If you are just now sorting out your mash tun, 10 gallons of 13% beer is not likely. Hell, that kind of OG for a 5 gallon batch requires a lot of experience and planning, not to mention a fairly robust brewery. Set your sights on 5 gallons of 1.010 and work it out from there. Gravity is not linear; it's not only about increasing the amount of grain.

    Cheers.
     
    #6 billandsuz, Mar 13, 2016
    inchrisin, chipawayboy and PortLargo like this.
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    The Rackers.org calculator link @PortLargo posted is good. Also, if you don't already have brewing software, BrewCipher tells you if you will run out of room.
     
    #7 VikeMan, Mar 14, 2016
  8. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    After sailing the seas of beer and a 3 hour boil.
     
    #8 inchrisin, Mar 14, 2016
  9. CaptainQuint

    CaptainQuint Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2014 Massachusetts

    Thanks for all the tips, guys! My grandiose idea of a 13%er is just wishful thinking because I really enjoy big beers. I'm brewing this weekend and going to start with an IPA. We brewed last year around this time a great extract IPA and decided to try and replicate it with the new all grain system. After that we'll attempt some bigger brews with as high of an ABV as we can get.
     
    #9 CaptainQuint, Mar 16, 2016
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.