New Boil Kettle

I'm seriously considering getting a new boil kettle. I'm trying to decide which way to go between a basic 10 gallon Mega Pot with a valve or the Blichmann Boilmaker. I know, both ends of the spectrum.

I really like the Blichmann but I'm thinking it's probably more than I need for using as just a boil kettle. The sight glass would be nice but not necessarily needed. I do like the idea of the pick up tube inside though so you don't leave too much behind. The temp gauge on it wouldn't be much use except maybe when using the immersion wort chiller, maybe.

Then there's the Mega Pot. Nothing too fancy, a little less costly. I haven't found out yet if it has graduation lines on it indicating how full it is. That'd be nice. But I like the idea of being able to open the valve to draw off as opposed to siphoning. Thing is, I don't know how much wort is left behind since it doesn't have a pick up tube. Anyone know?

I brew for 5 gallon batches and like to have 5 gallons to keg when I'm done so I don't want to leave too much of the wort behind or have to add water after to get that amount. Adding water dilutes the wort more than I like, lowering the starting gravity.

Any input is appreciated.

I picked up a 10 gallon Blichmann not that long ago... The thing is SICK... I would recommend getting a pump in the near future though. I'm using a plate chiller now, and towards the end, I needed to tip the kettle a good amount to get the wort out once it was below the valve body. I'm pretty sure that with a pump, that won't be an issue.

I use the kettle to heat up my mash water too, so the thermometer built in is nice. I typically mash large enough grain bills, with enough water, to get the thermometer submerged.

The sight gauge/tube is a bit tricky, since if you have a good boil going, the wort will go up and down within it. You'll know, at least, what your true pre-boil volume is. You'll also know what you're at for post-boil... If you want to check between, you'll probably want to slow the boil down until the level is stable. Not that difficult with a propane burner.

I installed a ball valve in my first kettle (pot before the valve was installed)... I put the hole center 1.5" above the bottom. This gives me a good drain point, since it keeps going until just a little is left. You just tip the kettle towards the valve to get the final bits out. Not much of an issue. Less since you'll be using an IC. Once you start using the ball valve in a kettle to drain the wort into fermenter, I don't think you'll ever go back to using a siphon to move it. You're looking at <90 seconds to drain if you open it fully (1/2 valve)...

Only thing I would caution you about is the diameter of your IC and the amount of room you'll have for it within the kettle (if you get the Blichmann)... If the IC is tight enough, it won't be an issue, and you'll be able to move it around to chill faster. If it's wider, you'll probably need to move the wort around it. Another case where I like the plate chiller better... Just set your valves for the wort in and out, and let it ride... Boiling hot wort (or damned close to it) goes in, comes out at 65-70F depending on how I set the out valve. :rockin: I plan to get a march pump before my next batch, to get the wort to flow faster than gravity feeding will let me. I've only used the plate chiller one time, so I figure it could take me a few before I have it dialed in fully. LOVE how compact the sucker is... :rockin:

I looked at the blichmanns and the mega pots, and then just bought a bayau 36qt for $75 on ebay. This was for my E-brewpot that I had SS bulkheads for. Not weldless fittings, but actual bulkheads. I couldn't spend all that extra cash on the bling when the cheap pot would do.

YMMV
B

I was ready to make the upgrade about a month ago. I was going to buy the Blichmann, but I found several online stores had warnings about delivery times, and one had stopped accepting orders at all. So instead I went with the cheapo Bayou Classic. I bought the 9 gallon with valve, basket, and lid for $114 (including shipping) from livingdirect.com.

If the issues have been resolved, I would choose the Blichmann Boilermaker over any other kettle -once you add the valve, and sightglass, and thermometer, and pickup tube it is a better value than the competition.

That being said, I am pretty satisfied with my Bayou Classic for doing 5 gallon batches (all grain brew in a bag).

Golddiggie said:

I picked up a 10 gallon Blichmann not that long ago... The thing is SICK... I would recommend getting a pump in the near future though. I'm using a plate chiller now, and towards the end, I needed to tip the kettle a good amount to get the wort out once it was below the valve body. I'm pretty sure that with a pump, that won't be an issue.

I use the kettle to heat up my mash water too, so the thermometer built in is nice. I typically mash large enough grain bills, with enough water, to get the thermometer submerged.

The sight gauge/tube is a bit tricky, since if you have a good boil going, the wort will go up and down within it. You'll know, at least, what your true pre-boil volume is. You'll also know what you're at for post-boil... If you want to check between, you'll probably want to slow the boil down until the level is stable. Not that difficult with a propane burner.

I installed a ball valve in my first kettle (pot before the valve was installed)... I put the hole center 1.5" above the bottom. This gives me a good drain point, since it keeps going until just a little is left. You just tip the kettle towards the valve to get the final bits out. Not much of an issue. Less since you'll be using an IC. Once you start using the ball valve in a kettle to drain the wort into fermenter, I don't think you'll ever go back to using a siphon to move it. You're looking at <90 seconds to drain if you open it fully (1/2 valve)...

Only thing I would caution you about is the diameter of your IC and the amount of room you'll have for it within the kettle (if you get the Blichmann)... If the IC is tight enough, it won't be an issue, and you'll be able to move it around to chill faster. If it's wider, you'll probably need to move the wort around it. Another case where I like the plate chiller better... Just set your valves for the wort in and out, and let it ride... Boiling hot wort (or damned close to it) goes in, comes out at 65-70F depending on how I set the out valve. :rockin: I plan to get a march pump before my next batch, to get the wort to flow faster than gravity feeding will let me. I've only used the plate chiller one time, so I figure it could take me a few before I have it dialed in fully. LOVE how compact the sucker is... :rockin:

Click to expand...

Are you attaching a tube to your valve? It will provide suction, thus no need to tip the pot.

Deuce said:

Are you attaching a tube to your valve? It will provide suction, thus no need to tip the pot.

Click to expand...

1/2" ID silicon tubing from the valve in the kettle to the plate chiller wort in port... It might be the way I had the valve in the kettle set (about 1/2 open), or the wort out valve on the chiller (about 1/2 open too) to get the wort chilled to where I wanted it. I will have better connections for the chill water side for the next batch. I'll probably run that at a higher rate, so that I can run the wort through faster. All part of what I consider 'dialing-in' the chiller...

BTW, I'm very glad I got the Blichmann kettle... I just need to tweak the burner so that it has a shield on it that won't depend on the kettle holding it there. Minor item, IMO...

My brother has a Blichmann 15 gal pot and loves it. He does fly sparging whereas I do batch but it really doesn't make any difference when it comes to the brew pot. I do use an immersion chiller but am also considering an in-line chiller of some sort too. I normally try to leave as much cold break in the bottom of the boil kettle as I can while still trying to get everything out. I'm thinking I need to adjust my software volumes to account for more being left in the boil kettle while still getting the volume I desire.

I recommend the Sabco Keggle. Make sure you get the valve. It's 15.5 gallons. Boils of 7.5 gallons for me are pretty much set and forget, which is good when you have little ones and boil overs are as dangerous as messy.

It's heavy and cumbersome though, but it's pretty bad ass.

Do either the Megapots or Polar Ware kettles have the volume graduations on them or do you need to measure everything out if you don't have a sight glass?