Brew kettle

I've got everything I need to brew except for a brew kettle. Kind of the most important thing. Does anyone know where I can find one (dept stores and such). I've looked at my local home brew shop and they are all sold out and I can't find one of the size I'm looking for anywhere

What are you looking for? Homebrewing.org carries keggles; lots of online places carry Blichmann, Polarware, Bayou classic cooker (my fave), etc.

Wally world and others carry lots of inexpensive 5gal stainless stockpots.

I recommend Stainless steel. You'll wish you had one in the long run, though Aluminum works - make sure you boil in it first to "season" it.

Dave

Lowes in my area has a 7.5 gal turkey fryer with a stand for around $65 I think. That's what I use for my 5 gal batches.

Check out the HBT Vendor List and look through their inventories to find what suits you. If it's on that list, at least one person on this forum has done business with them. If you have any questions on a particular product or vendor, there are more than a few opinions to spare.

If you're just starting out with partial boil extract recipes, you can make do with a garden variety (er, kitchen variety) stock pot from Walmart. I have an inexpensive 16qt enameled stock pot that was my first brew kettle on the kitchen stove, still in my inventory.

Academy sports has a7.5 gallon fryer pot for 20 bucks

Depends on your size. Google aluminum stock pot (or stainless stock pot) and follow the google shopping links.

The key is that bigger will end up being better in the long-run, just as long as it's not too big to fit your setup, ie. if you're boiling on a stove-top you might not be able to get a pot with a 18" wide base to boil very well. If you're using propane or nat. gas, you're probably fine.

Minimum size I would get is a 30qt. turkey fryer pot. My local Menards (like a Home Depot) has them for $29.99 with basket and lid.

I got a 18.5 QT stock pot from target for 20$. I use it for steeping grains,boiling hops and mixing malt extract. Love It

15 gal aluminum pot for $75 delivered from HD. Add ~$30 for SS ball valve & Bob's your uncle.

Are you brewing indoors? Outdoors? Extract or All-grain? Will this be your first brew?

If this is your first batch ever, and are using extract, all you need is a large stock pot, of at least 4-5 gallons.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_452901_-1?Ntt=pot&Ntk=All

This is going to be my first batch ever. I was really looking for a 5 gallon (20qt) pot but couldn't find one. A lot of places had 4 gallon pots but wasn't sure if that would be big enough. I guess since its an extract that I'm using it won't really make a difference between 4 and 5 gallon since I'm going to end up adding water to bring it up to a full 5 gallon batch

Turkey fryer! Has a burner and the kettle already, it probably even had a spigot already

I got a used one for 50 bucks

I just found a turkey fryer at walmart 30qt pot with in pot thermometer, outdoor burner, and lid, for 34 bucks.

mxpx5678 said:

I just found a turkey fryer at walmart 30qt pot with in pot thermometer, outdoor burner, and lid, for 34 bucks.

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Wow, great deal! Usually the pot is that much by itself!

Is it better to get a 20 quart stainless steel pot or a 30q aluminum turkey fryer? Does it matter if it is stainless steel?

I'm looking to expand to 5 gallon extracts myself and I can't find a cheap pot. They're all $40+ at stores in my area and shipping from online retailers doesn't make theirs any cheaper. The worst thing is I have several relatives who have offered me their pots, but all of them have baked on crud at the bottom. Probably going to have to do the multi-pot method.

srehal said:

Is it better to get a 20 quart stainless steel pot or a 30q aluminum turkey fryer? Does it matter if it is stainless steel?

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in the short-to-medium term...no. Stainless will last generations if taken care of. Aluminum will last you many years though, and only needs to be boiled in once with water to create an oxidized layer, then it's good to go.

Mike37 said:

I'm looking to expand to 5 gallon extracts myself and I can't find a cheap pot. They're all $40+ at stores in my area and shipping from online retailers doesn't make theirs any cheaper. The worst thing is I have several relatives who have offered me their pots, but all of them have baked on crud at the bottom. Probably going to have to do the multi-pot method.

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If there's a walmart near you order a tamale pot and have it shipped site-to-store for free. That is, if they don't have it in stock locally. They are like $29.

Thanks for the tip. It never occurred to me to look for a tamale pot. Cool.

Amazon has a 40 quart aluminum for $48 and 2 day shipping if your a Prime member. I have it and it seems really nice and solid.

If you have a Christmas Tree Shops around you check them out. I found a SS 20 quart there for $20. The upper lip was a little spit and dented just a little bit, took it up the the service desk and they gave it to me for $5. I am going to use that for partial mashes. Also check Sams Club if your a member. I just checked the other day and they had some good prices.

Whatever size you're thinking, go bigger. You will eventually, so you might as well get it over with. And I sure as bleep don't mean 4-5 gallons. Is that a joke, ca-ca?
I'm half kidding, but only half.

If you just want to "try out" brewing to see if it's for you, go get a 24 qt stockpot at your local Big Lots/WalMart/dollar store. This is how I started. My first pot cost $14.99. If you have a local homebrew store, you can get a fermentation bucket with a airlock, a bottling wand, and some tube for siphoning for around $20-25. You probably have something at home you can repurpose as a mash paddle/stirring spoon, if not, $2-3 at Target/WalMart. So about $45.00 or so to get barebones equipment.

Then either get some simple extract kits, or follow deathbrewer's stovetop AG BIAB:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

If you catch the fever, then you can upgrade more proper equipmetn, a larger SS pot and propane burner and the whole nine, and you'll find other uses for your old pot. This is what I did, and I still use my original pot every brewday to drain my BIAB into.

If you don't catch the fever, you can repurpose most of the equipment in your kitchen, and you are out a few bucks.

34 Buck on sale at Wally world with thermometer, 30 Qt alli pot with lid and complete Propane burner. Not a bad deal and 7.5 gallons will be big enough for a full boil and end up at the 5 gallon mark. Now I just have to get an immersion cooler and I'm ready to build a rubbermais 10 gallon mash tun. I got plans baby!!!! Just need the coin to finish it all up.
Bob

Rbeckett said:

34 Buck on sale at Wally world with thermometer, 30 Qt alli pot with lid and complete Propane burner. Not a bad deal and 7.5 gallons will be big enough for a full boil and end up at the 5 gallon mark. Now I just have to get an immersion cooler and I'm ready to build a rubbermais 10 gallon mash tun. I got plans baby!!!! Just need the coin to finish it all up.
Bob

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I just got that same pot and fryer combo. The thermometer it comes with is nice. clips onto the side of the pot.