how big?
- Thread starter GoHawks
- Start date
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The commercial folks will probably say something around 750 gallons. 
55 gallon drums are not uncommon for folks to use. Of course, don't fill it to the top.
55 gallon drums are not uncommon for folks to use. Of course, don't fill it to the top.
Well I have made 130 gallons in a torpedo fermenter. Did a bunch of electrical work for a brewery, trade for use of his equipment. Really scary making that much, and worry about it going bad. Especially after using over 350lbs of honey.
That sounds excellent. I've got no concept about making a batch that size, hell, even 5 gallons is a big batch for me....
Brilliant, well done.
regards
fatbloke
Actually it turned out great. I kegged the batch, due to time restraints and my constant traveling for work. The brewery that I do electrical work for, actually put it on tap as a guest brew. It has been getting some good reviews. Turned out alittle higher than I was thinking too, @ 14.8%. But hey Im not complaining.;D
Down to the last keg as of last week actually. Fortunately I made 30 gallons of a spiced cyser at the same time of the 130 gallons. So its about 6 months old now and will be putting it on for people to try this weekend. So jazzed its alot of fun doing the bigger batches. I curtaintly have a 30 gallon batch of a Black cherry, and a 40 gallon of a traditional(with a honey blend that looks like it could be my new favorite) in the fermenters. My local honey guy loves me!!!! But my pocket book is not to happy
So I am curious. What is different, other than amount of ingreedients to keep the ratio up, in brewing a 30-100 gal batch as opposed to a 5-6 gal batck and what is the differnece in brewing a 750 gallon batch comercially?
I understand that the fermentation process is the same, roughly, but what things to you need to take into account and plan for and do differently?
Obviously a larger fermenter and even possibly some non-air circulation while fermenting is good but what else?
What advice would you give on the actual brewing process, not sales or insurance or liscencing, to someone that is thinking on going from 5-6 gal batches to a large 50 gal batch or larger?
I understand that the fermentation process is the same, roughly, but what things to you need to take into account and plan for and do differently?
Obviously a larger fermenter and even possibly some non-air circulation while fermenting is good but what else?
What advice would you give on the actual brewing process, not sales or insurance or liscencing, to someone that is thinking on going from 5-6 gal batches to a large 50 gal batch or larger?
Aside from the physical difficulties that are obviously involved in working with that much honey, mixing/aerating, etc, the one thing I hear that does start to become a problem is heat - yeast generate heat, and in a small batch that is dissapated more easily than a large one, so cooling/temp control becomes an issue.
