Thicker kettle walls an advantage?

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SOPiiAC

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Hey guys, I'm planning a ebiab kettle and I'm trying to decide on the kettle I want. Would the thicker walls of a Winware 60qt Kettle be an advantage over the thinner walls of a 62qt Bayou Classic? I'm thinking the thicker walls might hold the mash temp better...

Anyone have experience with this?
 
While I'm not an expert, metal conducts heat fairly easily and I don't think thicker walls would mean much for holding mash temp. When you are heating by electricity from a source in the kettle, I don't think thickness would mean much. Thickness is more important when you are heating from outside the kettle to better spread the heat and not create hot spots.
 
not likely to show any noticable difference in temperature. if the choice was between aluminum and steel; aluminum conducts heat better and would let more excape. otherwise the only difference would be durability and weight.
 
Thicker walls, bottom means more heat is necessary to get it to temperature, although the heat capacity of the wort and grain is way larger. Putting insulation around the kettle - now there is an idea. Use the money that would have been spent on a thicker kettle on insulation.
 
RichBenn said:
Thicker walls, bottom means more heat is necessary to get it to temperature


Not if the op is heating from within the vessel. I would agree if the vessel is heated with propane or natural gas.
 
Not if the op is heating from within the vessel. I would agree if the vessel is heated with propane or natural gas.

More total mass = longer. Simple physics(the engineer in me couldn't let that pass) But, like I said, it's not much.

Rich
 
thicker walls will hold more heat but will also suck more heat at the start. thicker walls will also make the chilling process longer if you're using an ice bath or immersion chiller.
 
Well, I did find one problem with "thinner" pots. The welds for the handles on my last cheap pot went through and are kinda rough on the inside(Sanitary?) The Bayou Classic handles are also known to sometimes have issues where riveted, as well. So thickness or construction is worth consideration.
 
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