Upgrading from 40L URN

[Dicko72]

Hi Folks,

I currently do BIAB with a 40L crown urn.
I'd like to upgrade my kettle so I can do double batches.

From what I've read 70L seems to be a good size.

I'd prefer to use electricity over gas but could run gas line into my garage.

Does anyone have any recommendations for where to get a pot from?

Should I use stainless or aluminum?

Thanks in advance

Dicko

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[Yob]

Depends on your wallet size...

Have a look at Qldkev's website, all sorts of info there on stuff etc.

http://qldkev.net/brew.php

 

[Dicko72]

Thanks Yob.
Swmbo has authorised the upgrade. So I'm lucky enough to have around $500 to spend!

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[seamad]

I changed from a 40l urn single vessel to a 3V RIMS. Got the 70l pot from ross at craftybrew and it works fine. If you want to stay electric I am using 2 X over the side elements and get a good boil, and still have to insulate the pot. Getting about 45l into fermenter, bought some antifoam for starters and had it on standby just in case but haven't needed it yet.
cheers

 

[Dicko72]

Anyone had any experience with one of these?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=261201179925

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[Bribie G]

Before you get rid of your kit and spend hundreds of dollars:

I have a 60L FV and easily do double batches using my 40L Crown urn plus an esky, a hybrid method of course but it works very well indeed and only adds an hour or so to the brew day. Apart from the Esky, which I got for around $20 at Aldi, all you need is a second bag.

I'll dig up the link from my previous thread with pix but in the meantime, using two grain bills:

• Basically you mash the first batch in the urn as normal, hoist and bring to boil.
• Meanwhile you do a second mash in the bag lined esky.
• While you are boiling the first batch you have hoisted the second batch and draining back into esky
• While that is draining you run the first batch into a cube or through a chiller
• When the urn is free you clean it up, especially the element
• Transfer the wort from the second batch into the urn and bring to boil.

Notes: I have an over the side immersion heater that I use to prepare strike water in the esky as well as shortcutting things like bringing to the boil and even bringing the wort in the esky up while the first batch is being cubed.
Around a hundred if you want to buy one
I find I can do a doubler in around an hour longer than a single BIAB. As you know, any brewday consists of a lot of waiting around punctuated by bursts of panic. So you can fit extra bursts of panic into this "slack" time and end up not too far behind timewise.
The batches don't need to be identical, you can do a "fodder" batch in the esky or even an adjunct mash to avoid lots of picky weighing out... it all gets blended anyway.

 

[Dicko72]

Interesting. As you say most of the brew day is thumb twiddling.

This process would be ideal for utilising the waiting time and give another batch.

One of the things I also wanted to achieve was experimenting with split batches for different yeasts and different hops for cube hopping.

My preference would be the same wort in 2 x 20L batches.


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[Black Devil Dog]

Buy another 40l urn + bits & pieces, you'll still have change out of your $500 for a couple of bags in a bulk buy.

 

[Bribie G]

Here tis: the comments at the end were directed at a couple of trolls who have dropped off the forum

I can also make two different styles of course. I used to have two urns and the timeframe ends up not too different, as it happens. In my case I only have one sky hook so I staggered the urn times so I could drain one after the other, added about half an hour to the brew day.

 

[thedragon]

Thanks Bribie. Great thread that you've linked.

Looks like a great way to fill one FV and have a full no chill cube ready to go by extending the brew day by only one hour.

 

[zeggie]

I bottle and clean my last fermenter whilst waiting for mash/boiling times.

I like this idea tho, may investigate cheap esky's

 

[Bribie G]

If I have time I'll do one today (running out of beer) and post some pix again. I end up with two lots of no chilled wort and in fact I'll save some $$$ by pitching one lot of Wyeast into the first lot of wort in my 60L FV tomorrow, then the next day I'll chuck in the second lot of wort ... Drauflassen.

Many ways to skin a cat.