Brew-in-a-Bag Brew Kettle Opinions?
 

I'm just finishing up my 8th batch of extract kits, and would like to move to all grain with the brew-in-a-bag method. Anyway, I currently have a 16 quart pot and need to move up. Thought I'd go ahead with a 15 gallon pot in case I want to do 10 gallon batches down the road. Any pros/cons to the pot below from AHS? Anyone own one? Any better suggestions around the $300.00 range?

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_463&products_id=1289 4

I'm sure its a nice pot, 15 gallon would be a great size or 5 gal. batches. I use a 10 gallon kettle and it gets pretty full at about 15lb of grain. I'm not sure I could ever bring myself to spend almost $300.00 on a pot. I'm using a 10 gallon kettle that I picked up at an outlet for about $70 and added a ball valve to for about $30.00.

This is what I am getting once I sell off my keggles:

Bayou Classic 62 Quart pot w/ steamer basket
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-62-Quart-Stainless-Stockpot/dp/B000FTEQBK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1305049013&sr=1-2

For big grain bills the steamer basket will provide more support for hauling out the grain bag, IMHO

www.brewhemoth.com

Their penrose kettles are $180 shipped to your door; best bang for the buck in my opinion.

:mug:

Also check out this forum dedicated to BIAB.http://www.biabrewer.info/

I like this inexpensive 10 gal aluminum...at 41 bucks to your door it's a price performer for sure:mug:

Never done BIAB, but I would think a handheld thermometer would be handy to check the mash at various places rather than a hard mount thermo...YMMV

http://cgi.ebay.com/Thunder-Group-ALSKSP007-40-qt-Aluminum-Stock-Pot-/250756324335?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a623d dbef

Can't get much cheaper nor more effective than a keggle

Go as big as you can....I recommend a 20 gallon pot if possible. If I were in the market, I'd get an SPS-80 or SPS-100 :FROM INSTAWARES. They're the exact same pot as the megapot. Then, just put some weldless fittings in right where you want them.

Home Depot sells Brinkmann 60qt aluminum pots, that's what I use. I found it on sale for $40 at my HD, then added a weldless ball valve kit from Bargain Fittings.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=202038916&l angId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=202038916 &cm_mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D28X-_-202038916&locStoreNum=277

I have a 10 gallon Pot; I like to end up w/about 7 gallons to start the boil. It can get pretty full and to full with the grains; but that's not generally an issue.... I just hold back two gallons and add it after I remove the Bag. You could use that water then as a rinse/sparge water... or not.