Is a 30 quart brew kettle big enough?

Beer is good · 09-24-2006, 05:10 AM

Hello beer buddies! Home depot has some cajun cooker thing for 90 bucks or so and it includes a propane burner and 30 quart aluminum kettle, is that big enough for all grain recipes? 7.5 gallons? thanks friends

MrSaLTy · 09-24-2006, 05:19 AM

You can probably do it but its cutting it real close. I have a 32 qt and its BAIRLY big enough. IF you lost 1 gallon to evaporation during the boil you need 6.5 gallons to yeild 5.5 galons, which is what I do. 6.5 gallons is way closer to the top of the kettle then I really like. You cannot boil too hard or you will get a boil over for sure and you really got to watch it. You can do it but you have to be careful.

Brewsmith · 09-24-2006, 05:20 AM

I have one but it's not quite big enough for all grain. I usually collect at least 7.5 gallons of wort, but only 6 gallons fits in the pot without boiling over. I have to get the rest going on the stove and slowly add it back into the brewpot. It can work, but a 10 gal pot would really be recommended for all grain.

**Bobby_M** · 09-24-2006, 06:35 PM

I just did a test boil with my 30qt pot and I feel quite confident that I will be able to manage boil overs starting with 6.5 gallons in the pot. Even though it is rated at 30 qts, I think absolute capacity is closer to 36. I put exactly 6.5 gals in the pot and there was another 2" of head space. I figure I'll lose about 1/2" before I even add extract.

By the way, skip Depot and go to Walmart. The same kind of kit is only $37.

Bobby

**Brew-boy** · 09-25-2006, 10:38 AM

I got a good deal on E-bay. 38qt stainlees steel stock pot for $58.00 Nice quailty pot made in Wisc. I justed used it for a brew this weekend, worked out great.

PicoD42 · 09-25-2006, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

By the way, skip Depot and go to Walmart. The same kind of kit is only $37.Bobby

Is that for stainless steel or aluminum? I got the SS cajun cooker 30 qt from Home Depot for $99. As has already been said here, it is cutting it real close for AG. I think 30 qts is all the way to the brim. I put 6 gal. in it and it was just a couple inches from the top. I may look for a larger kettle for brewing and keep this one for boiling corn or frying - it came with all the accessories anyway.

ian · 09-25-2006, 12:42 PM

I'll second (or third, or fourth) that it can be done - I've got 9 all-grain full boils under my belt (on a 7.5 gal pot) now and haven't boiled over yet. But, you've gotta stay on top of it. If I were buying a pot right now I'd go for at least 40 qt. just so I could walk away a little more.

But, that being said, once you get the hot break you're fine.

**Bobby_M** · 09-25-2006, 01:52 PM

The Walmart fryer that is $37 is aluminum. I did however just buy a 30qt SS pot that was being sold as a fryer kit replacement pot (I guess). I think it was an older stock item and I grabbed the last one they had, but I only paid $30. You might not find such a steal. I found that I can't really get a fast enough boil on my stove, but I was able to do it by having the pot straddle 2 of the 3 burners on my grill.

Bobby

**seyahmit** · 09-30-2006, 02:35 PM

I will also agree that the 7.5 gallon pot is fine for 5 gallon batches. I got a turkey fryer kit from Bass Pro. The kettle has a spigot on the side. I filled the pot with about 7 gallons of runnings from the mash tun. The only time that I really had to watch it like a hawk was when it started to a boil and before I got the hot break. I boiled for 5 minutes to get the hot break to drop then added the hops and started the 60 minute clock.

I boiled off about a gallon, chilled then whirlpooled. I was able to drain the pot with the spigot and did not get any hop trub other than a few bits in the beginning and at the end when I tilted the pot to get as much sweet wort out as possible, enough to get just over 5 gallons in the carboy. The best part was that I didn't have to siphon!

**runhard** · 09-30-2006, 03:10 PM

I picked up a stainless 8 gallon cajun fryer at SAMS for $99. It was easy to attach the weldless bulkheads and on to brewing. The 32 qt. was pushing it but it worked for AG.