Brewery Scaling?

[DethApostle]

So I'm now able to start buying/building my 3rd brewery but unfortunately because I've been spoiled with the out-of-the-box setup of the Grainfather I've forgotten the ratios for pot sizes!

I am aiming to get a 38.5l Mash Tun from another JBK user so the first question is...
1) Are 56l HLT and Kettle more appropriately sized for this MT than 38.5l Kettles?
2) What is the 'normal' final brewlength from a 56l pot?
3) Can you forsee any issues using 38.5l kettles along with the same size mashtun?

ps. I have no plans at all in the future to go bigger volume as I prefer to brew smaller and more often. The 'buy big, buy once' argument isn't for me.
pps. I brew all sorts of styles so my kit needs to have capacity for high ABV beers
ppps. My ideal brewlength is c. 26l (1 full corny and 12 500ml bottles)

Thanks in advance!
DA

[Kingfisher4]

This may be a naive question, but why do you want to change from a Grainfather? My last couple of brews have resulted in 26 - 27 L into the 30 L fermenting vessel, which was a bit tight, but the Grainfather managed that brew length. I did collect the extra Sparge runnings and add in aliquots late in the boil and both batches were quite lightly hopped, which obviously makes a difference to total volume as there was relatively little hop / trub wastage.

P. S. If you like brewing smaller batches, more often, wouldn’t a second fermenting vessel be a better option?

[PeeBee]

Same thought as "Kingfisher4". I've got a Grainfather to supplement my three vessel (soon to be four vessel!) brewery. The Grainfather does the making up to 30L at a time, the main brewery knocks out 40-70L. Sort of makes my Grainfather the "pilot" brewery (once upon a time we used to be happy with a bucket and can of Boots extract).

But you seem to want a brewery to replace the Grainfather, not supplement it? What might you gain from that?

(EDIT: Scratch this, I've just seen that you've sold the Grainfather. Too late to question the wisdom now.)

[PeeBee]

My volumes are too big for you, but same logic applies if scaled back.

I have 70L+70L+100L (HLT, Mashtun, Boiler).

Boiler should be x2 intended brew length to avoid boil overs, but you can get away with x1.5 … just.

HLT is often quoted as same size as boiler, but if using HERMS the mash water can be heated in the mashtun and a smaller HLT (size of mashtun) used.

Mashtun at 70% of boiler volume will be good for anything. But I chose this size because it fitted with available pots. Next size down would have been 50% of boiler volume which would have been too small.

[LeeH]

Same thought as "Kingfisher4". I've got a Grainfather to supplement my three vessel (soon to be four vessel!) brewery. The Grainfather does the making up to 30L at a time, the main brewery knocks out 40-70L. Sort of makes my Grainfather the "pilot" brewery (once upon a time we used to be happy with a bucket and can of Boots extract).

But you seem to want a brewery to replace the Grainfather, not supplement it? What might you gain from that?

(EDIT: Scratch this, I've just seen that you've sold the Grainfather. Too late to question the wisdom now.)

I’m exactly the same PeeBee but I use the Master Brewer just to be different.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I've got a 70L HLT, 50L mash tun & 100L Boiler.... I.can brew 15 gallon at around 4.5%

[PeeBee]

I've got a 70L HLT, 50L mash tun & 100L Boiler.... I.can brew 15 gallon at around 4.5%

Guess that proves my earlier assumption that I might want a bigger mashtun than 50L ... except; I've never brewed anything stronger than 4% in a 15 gallon batch. Ah well, it's all down to me being able to make the grandest boasts; until someone comes by with an even bigger home brewery and then I have to leave the room with tail 'tween legs ... hang on, is that a dog biscuit? I'll be back later ...

[DethApostle]

Thanks all.

To answer the questions about why I'm selling the Grainfather, I want to move back to 3vessels because it's a little more involved during the brewday and feels a bit more like a 'proper' brewery. Don't get me wrong, the grainfather is a good bit of kit, and was exactly what I needed to keep me brewing while my daughter was a toddler, but now I'm able to get a bit more dedicated me time I want to go back to a more hands on brew day,!
A very personal decision I know so might not look like the obvious route to some!

Cheers
DA

[WalesAles]

Alexa,
Define `Aliquots` please.
Ah, got it, thank you Alexa.
MrsAles thinks I am mad saying `Please` and `Thank You` to Alexa.

WA

Sent from my Sofa.

[IPA]

Alexa,
Define `Aliquots` please.
Ah, got it, thank you Alexa.
MrsAles thinks I am mad saying `Please` and `Thank You` to Alexa.

WA

Sent from my Sofa.

Maybe not mad but perhaps just a little unwise having a spy in your house.

[Kingfisher4]

Thanks all.

To answer the questions about why I'm selling the Grainfather, I want to move back to 3vessels because it's a little more involved during the brewday and feels a bit more like a 'proper' brewery. Don't get me wrong, the grainfather is a good bit of kit, and was exactly what I needed to keep me brewing while my daughter was a toddler, but now I'm able to get a bit more dedicated me time I want to go back to a more hands on brew day,!
A very personal decision I know so might not look like the obvious route to some!

Cheers
DA

Makes perfect sense, no experience with anything but the Grainfather yet, but certainly understand the multi vessel kit concept.

[DethApostle]

Alexa,
Define `Aliquots` please.
Ah, got it, thank you Alexa.
MrsAles thinks I am mad saying `Please` and `Thank You` to Alexa.

WA

Sent from my Sofa.

Ok... you lost me WA!

Anyhoo... think I'm going to settle for 3x 38.5l vessels. A larger Mashtun gives me lots of range for high ABV beers and I think a 38.5l kettle should yield a brew length of roughly what I am aiming for.
I'll be brewing indoors and can insulate the pots if needed to minimise boil off as much as possible if it's an issue... or use 330ml bottles instead if I can't squeeze 12x 500ml's along with the corny!

DA

[WalesAles]

Alexa,
Define `Aliquots` please.
Ah, got it, thank you Alexa.
MrsAles thinks I am mad saying `Please` and `Thank You` to Alexa.

WA

Sent from my Sofa.

Ok... you lost me WA!

DA,
I did not know what`Aliquots` were/are, so instead of Googling it, I asked Alexa!

WA

Sent from my Tap that won`t tork.