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Brewery size for high-gravity beer? read on

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  • Brewery size for high-gravity beer? read on

    I'm close to purchasing a 7 bbl brewery/system.

    Output-wise and size-wise, it's what i think would be best for my needs (brewpub in a 5000 sq ft space. will include bottle shop).

    One question I'm trying to answer is: my ability to do high gravity beer.

    If I'm looking at occasionally brewing beer with OG at 1.120 (for example), then should I really be looking at a larger system? or should i just be satisfied with a lower final volume? not sure if it makes sense to get a 10 bbl system based on my initial calculations on our volume.

    Interested in your thoughts/experience.

  • #2
    IME most breweries, especially smaller ones, made and sold in the USA today have mash tuns that are woefully undersized...and way undersized for high grav beers...unless you use additional refined sugars of some type in the brew kettle.

    So if your schtick is going to be high grav...get an oversized mash tun. Most brew houses are custom builds, unless you buy one cash and carry or a demo unit. Modifications aren't that big a deal. Tell them you want the thing with an oversized mash tun (say, +30% capacity, emphasis on larger diameter rather than additional height.)

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    • #3
      To knockout 8 bbl at 1.120, you'll need something like 850-1000 lb of grist. That's 270-320 gal for the volume of the mash (at 1.2 qt/lb). So you'd probably want a gross capacity in the tun of at least 320 gal, and preferably 350+.
      Sent from my Microsoft Bob

      Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
      seanterrill.com/category/brewing | twomilebrewing.com

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