Double All Grain, One Fermenter Or 2?

[Andrew Clark]

Hi
anybody into doing double batches do you ferment in a big fifty lt fermenter or do you split into 2 smaller fermenters. I am going to do a double all grain lager this weekend and am not sure if I should ferment in one vessel or 2.
any ideas or advice ??
Regards
Andrew

 

[Doc]

In the past I've fermented in a 60 litre fermenter and kegged the brew into a 45 litre keg.
However this is a pain to move a 60 litre fermenter for kegging, and the 45 litre keg only allows me to have one other keg (18/20 litre) in the keg frigde at the same time.
As such I now prefer to ferment in smaller (25 litre) fermenters and if I'm brewing for a big session combine at the end of fermentation into the 45 litre keg.

Beers,
Doc

 

[jayse]

i do the primary ferment in a 60 litre then rack to two 25 litre fermentors after a week or so.
i have one 60 litre and four 25 litre fermentors.the oldest brew in the 25 litre fermentors ussually goes into c/c cubes or kegs on brew day then the last weeks primary ferment in the 60l goes into them leaving the 60 litre one empty ready for the next brew.



don't no of any real pros' or cons' either way.but this is the way that i have found works for me.
i don't like racking back into the 60litre after fermention because the is to much extra head space left.
although i have done that with out any problems at all.if i have a choice i woud rather not do it, just use it for my primary fermention vessel.