Help with Brew Kettle

Okay, so I do mainly extract and I need to get a new brew pot as I was just using one of our lobster pots. Another catch is I have a 50 dollar gift cert. to midwest brewing. I am looking for a pot for my extract brews but if I can do more with it that is okay too. Can someone help me pick one, there are a lot of choices, not sure if I can go with the 40 dollar one or need the 75 dollar one.
Cheers

The biggest consideration for me is the size of the kettle. I'd go with something that would let you do full 5 gallon boils, minimum. I don't think most lobster pots can do that, but I'm not 100% sure based on your post.

If you can do 5 gallons, you can always do less. However, if you can't do 5, you'll end up paying more when/if you decide to bump up to full boils. Also, reselling something that can do 5 gallons will be easier than reselling something that can't.

I got my 10 gallon SS boil kettle from Austin Home Brew Supply. It was their economy model, and I've been very happy with it (except now I wish I had bumped it up to do full 10 gallon boils). Alas, that is the nature of life I suppose...

Thanks for the detailed responce. This holds 5 gallons, so I assume I will need the next model up to do a full boil? I forgot to add that I do this on my gas stove in my kitchen.

underwaterdan said:

Thanks for the detailed responce. This holds 5 gallons, so I assume I will need the next model up to do a full boil? I forgot to add that I do this on my gas stove in my kitchen.

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remember you can always do smaller boils in a big pot not the other way around . get the bigger one

Doing 5 gallon boils (6 or 7 if you consider evaporation) on your kitchen stove may or may not be an easy feat. Since the stove is gas, you may have a better shot at it than I do on my electric. Is the space above the stove big enough to hold the pot? Is it strong enough to hold the pot? Due to my kitchen's limitations, I've done every batch on a propane turkey fryer on my back porch, so I'm not the best qualified to answer the question. So, I guess I would modify my answer to say that a bigger pot is better, until you run out of space or outstrip your heating source...

You need at least a 7.5 gallon pot in my opinion for full boils.

But for extract brews I can use a 5 or even 4 gallon pot without a problem right?

underwaterdan said:

But for extract brews I can use a 5 or even 4 gallon pot without a problem right?

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You bet. Bigger is better, of course, (giggle), but you could do a 4 gallon boil in a 5 gallon pot and add top up water, or a 3 gallon boil in a 4 gallon pot and do the same.

Note that FermCap-S will help you boil more liquid in a given pot, since it stops the wort from foaming up and boiling over on you.

Buy the right pot for the job. I have a odd 9.5 gallon to do my 5 gallons batches in. I think this is one area not to skimp on. I think you want it to hold at least 7.5 gallons

I wonder if this 7.5 one is too cheap and it will cause my sugars to burn. I havent seen any reviews on it. It would cost me over a 100 bucks to get this, since shipping is so pricey.
Or is this one compairable? I really like austin home brew better... But I do have the gift cert and all

To Quote myself

springer said:

Sam's club has some on the cheap

40qt $32.88

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Are you dead set on Stainless? You can use the gift cert. for brewing supplies

weird the 32 qt is more than the 40 qt

My 10 gallon stainless (with sandwiched aluminum core bottom) was $100 at a local cooking wholesaler. Look around and see what the local restaurant supply companies are selling them for before jumping into something too small or too light duty just because it's cheaper. Better to spend the extra $30-50 now to get what you want, than have to spend the extra $100-150 later when you outgrow your current setup.

*edit* The one I bought is basically this one: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_463&products_id=10460

I'm kinda in the same boat. I'm just starting out. I want to be able to 10 gallon boils, so I'm looking at buying a 15 gallon brew kettle. Problem is I don't have 300 bucks to spend on this. There is a 15 gallon Turkey frying pot I was looking at. Was wondering how difficult it would be to augment and add a ball valve and thermometer myself. I can get this pot for around 140 bucks.

Change in plans...

Ok. Change in plans thanks to the wife not liking the smell of my brewing. I am going to brew outside. So I need a burner and pot. I did some research and some say I can just buy a turkey fryer and use that. What is the right way to do this within reason maybe like 150 or so.

underwaterdan said:

Ok. Change in plans thanks to the wife not liking the smell of my brewing. I am going to brew outside. So I need a burner and pot. I did some research and some say I can just buy a turkey fryer and use that. What is the right way to do this within reason maybe like 150 or so.

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I brew with a turkey fryer and a 7 gallon stock pot that came with it. They have them at Home Depot for like 60 bucks. Not sure if they are SS or aluminum but would be fine for doing full boils outside. Then you can spend the extra money on a bulkhead and thermometer if you want to. I just contacted a local brewery and they are going to sell me two import 1/2 kegs for 13$ each.

I got a turkey fryer, 30 qt aluminum pot, and propane tank on craigslist for $50. Works awesome for me.