Size matching gear to batch

[livo]

I'm now looking into recipe builds and matching the batch to the gear I have to make the most efficient use of it. I already had a 60 litre Fermzilla All-Rounder which I've been enjoying as I can easily ferment 50 litres which fills 2 standard Corny kegs, and a half sized one. I've also been using a 60 litre drum FV to make 58 litre batches which fills 3 Cornys, so this has been fairly easy to accomplish using extract kits and extras.

The new gear I have for AG requires a little bit of thought and I'm open to suggestions.

16 gallon / 65 litre Digiboil HLT
10 gallon / 40 litre MLT (SS Brewtech InfuSsion)
10 gallon / 40 litre kettle (Nano)
14 gallon / 52 litre Brew Bucket (SSBT)

The HLT is ample size, and I won't need to fill it. Obviously, the other 3 vessels require the allowance of some head space, particularly the kettle I'd imagine. The brew bucket is bigger, and so is the Fermzilla, so FV size is adequate. If I start with a pre-boil volume of 35 litres in the 40 litre kettle there is hopefully enough space to avoid boil overs, and with evaporation of 6 - 8 % I'd be looking at post boil volumes of 32 - 33 litres. Ideally, I would like to have either 40 or 50 litres of product using either the Brew Bucket or Fermzilla respectively, to allow easy use of keg sizes.

I have an immersion chiller and a plate chiller. I also have a second 40 litre SS pot with lid, but no fittings, and a second gas burner so I can do double pot boils. I did this with 2 smaller pots when I last did AG. I can punch a hole in the second pot for a tap, but I'd rather not.

I'm happy to make Mid-strength beer rather than full-strength.

I have cubes in both 20 and 25 litres and the no chill bladders look good, but I am more thinking about making "concentrated" wort and diluting to add volume to the FV. Any thoughts?

 

[Sidney Harbour-Bridge]

if you use the pots differently you could heat mash/sparge water in 40 l kettle, mash in the 40 l tun, maybe 8 kg of malt? Sparge and collect more than 50 l in the digiboil and boil to 40 l which would fit nicely in the 52 l fermenter

 

[livo]

if you use the pots differently you could heat mash/sparge water in 40 l kettle, mash in the 40 l tun, maybe 8 kg of malt? Sparge and collect more than 50 l in the digiboil and boil to 40 l which would fit nicely in the 52 l fermenter

That's a good idea.

Edit: I did like the idea of digital control of mash / sparge water, but I can work with this idea. A second Digiboil would work as well and do away with the gas. Hmmm! I can only run 1 at a time and only at reduced power as it is. No chance of 15 amp in my brew space after being booted from my big shed.

 

[Unslaven]

Concentrated wort works, but just know your grain usage efficiency will be lower than with larger volumes of sparge, unless you plan on boiling off for a very long time. That's fine if you are, but you'll need to vary your kettle hop timings.
Diluting in the fermenter is also fine, but note you'll need to pasteurise any water you plan on adding or you're asking for infections.

Sidney Harbour Bridge's idea is elegant for using what you have available to make wort that you can transfer and pitch straight away.

Also check your switchboard. There is a good chance your 10A circuit is on a 20A breaker. That is NOT an excuse to file down the earth pin on your digiboil, but depending on what other outlets are on the circuit, it may mean you have more power available than expected. You can turn off all of the other circuits in the house and work out what outlets are still live. A lamp or even phone charger will work for diagnostic purposes. It may turn out there is another circuit close by you can utilise as well.
If you get super lucky and it turns out your brewery outlet is on its own circuit and its 2.5mm cable, then its a 5 minute job (THAT ONLY A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN CAN PERFORM....ffs) to swap it to a 15A plug.

Edit disclaimer: Please don't go pulling apart sockets or your switchboard to check cable size, but if you have exposed wiring tacked to the wall it should be written on the cable.