# Maximum mash size in 50 litre keg?



## mr_wibble (8/2/16)

Roughly how many kilograms of grain could I mash in a 50 litre keg?

Assuming a domed false bottom, that would waste a couple of litres too.

Planning out a triple-batch of my belgian-double. It wants about 18kg of grain, but I'm not sure if my esky is up to it.

thanks,
-kt


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## barls (8/2/16)

I've done 14.5 in my 45L igloo cooler and honestly I'm going to say that 13 is now my limit in there


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## Dae Tripper (8/2/16)

Yesterday I only just squeezed 16kg into mine at 2.3 mash thickness. Trade off was I had about 600ml or so that didn't fit till later on. 
Also I have to do tripple batch sparges because then the sparge was 20L max each time.


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## mr_wibble (8/2/16)

Geeze, I might have to stick to a double-batch dubbel then.


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## Simdop (12/2/16)

It might take longer but what is to stop you from doing two mashes? One after the other?

I borrowed a mash tun off a mate for a big grain brew and split the grain across the two tuns and mashed at the same time then sparged them both into the kettle. It was a bit of a balancing act but it worked rather well.


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## MastersBrewery (12/2/16)

Simdop said:


> It might take longer but what is to stop you from doing two mashes? One after the other?
> 
> I borrowed a mash tun off a mate for a big grain brew and split the grain across the two tuns and mashed at the same time then sparged them both into the kettle. It was a bit of a balancing act but it worked rather well.


The advantage to this would probs increase efficiency to if you over loaded the tun.


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## Markbeer (12/2/16)

Ive done 17kg in a 50l keg. Rediculously thick.

First runnings were 1100. Will do again.

google "can I mash it" and use a calculator.


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## Dan Pratt (13/2/16)

http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml


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## mxd (13/2/16)

I tried 18 kg in a 50, the efficiency dropped so much (I should had 21 kg in) and it was 2 batch sparges, it wasn't a successful day


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## Markbeer (14/2/16)

FWIW when i did it since the mash was so thick I let it rest 2 hours and stirred every half an hour.

I was happy with my efficiency. i got 55 or 60% on a 1100 SG.


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## seehuusen (14/2/16)

A few of us sunny coast brewers got together with 3x50l keggle setups (3V), to fill an octave (100l barrel)

Grist was 14.5kg and we filled the keggle mash tun to the top, which was approximately 35L of water for a single infusion mash. We all ended up with about 65% efficiency (1.107) and 15L+ extra each for a parti-gyle at 1.035 ish, pre-boil.

I probably wouldn't go higher in grain bill weight 

Cheers
Martin


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## fdsaasdf (22/2/16)

From experience I wouldn't suggest over 15kgs in a 50L keggle! Triple batches of high ABV beers need a larger tun


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