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PaulyWantsABeer

PaulyWantsABeer

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Okay guys, I'm new to this site. I love reading the threads. I've been brewing for a few years with a 5gal setup and I want to upgrade to a 15gal setup. I can't afford the 15gal Boilermaker kettle just yet so is brewing three 5gal kettles at the same time okay? Then, I can cool, aerate, and pour into my 16.5gal fermenter?
 
yes that is actually better. you will get a more consistent beer. Something to note you might not have enough head space in your fermenter. I probably wouldn't put more than 11 gallons in that for primary fermentation.
 
Are you all grain or extract? Brewing three 5 gallon all grain batches in a single brewday sounds like a real PITA. You will need to make sure your mash tun is sized correctly.

If you are only talking extract (or works for all grain actually), might I suggest looking for an old 1/2 barrel Sanke keg (the kind that Natty, Bud, Miller, Coors and others come in) and cutting the top to be used as a brew kettle. That way you can have a 15 gallon brew kettle for less than 50 bucks.
 
If i dont find a keg at a decent price soon to turn into a brew pot i am going to be picking up one of these. I have the 10 gallon version already and it works well for me.
 
jtsims21 said:
yes that is actually better. you will get a more consistent beer. Something to note you might not have enough head space in your fermenter. I probably wouldn't put more than 11 gallons in that for primary fermentation.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, you're right. I wasn't thinking about headroom. :tank:
 
kpr121 said:
Are you all grain or extract? Brewing three 5 gallon all grain batches in a single brewday sounds like a real PITA. You will need to make sure your mash tun is sized correctly.

If you are only talking extract (or works for all grain actually), might I suggest looking for an old 1/2 barrel Sanke keg (the kind that Natty, Bud, Miller, Coors and others come in) and cutting the top to be used as a brew kettle. That way you can have a 15 gallon brew kettle for less than 50 bucks.
Click to expand...

I am an extract brewer. I have considered going the old keg route, but I prefer brewing in my kitchen and not outside with a propane burner. I have a large stove so brewing multiple kettles is no problem.
 
Just make sure you build up a good oxidation layer by boiling water in it first. The 4mm thickness is thicker then any ss pot i have seen its nice and sturdy.
 
Chrisl77 said:
Just make sure you build up a good oxidation layer by boiling water in it first. The 4mm thickness is thicker then any ss pot i have seen its nice and sturdy.
Click to expand...

Okay, so boil water, then cool down to desired steeping temp and continue?
 
nope fill the pot as high as you can and bring it to a boil for an hour. Then dump it out you will see where the water was the aluminum discolored thats the oxidation layer you want. It could look anything from a dull grey to blackish.
 
Chrisl77 said:
nope fill the pot as high as you can and bring it to a boil for an hour. Then dump it out you will see where the water was the aluminum discolored thats the oxidation layer you want. It could look anything from a dull grey to blackish.
Click to expand...

Oh, I see. I need to break in the pot before using it for brewing.
 
Going to that size brew with extract is expensive. I would highly recommend you spend some money on all-grain equipment.

Your Return On Investment will be pretty quick if you buy your grain and hops in bulk, and have your own mill. Once you do that, you can save your money that you would be spending on extract so that you can get a larger Boil Kettle and other parts to match the larger batch size.
 
gnef said:
Going to that size brew with extract is expensive. I would highly recommend you spend some money on all-grain equipment.

Your Return On Investment will be pretty quick if you buy your grain and hops in bulk, and have your own mill. Once you do that, you can save your money that you would be spending on extract so that you can get a larger Boil Kettle and other parts to match the larger batch size.
Click to expand...

Hmmm........good idea.
 
Chrisl77 said:
If i dont find a keg at a decent price soon to turn into a brew pot i am going to be picking up one of these. I have the 10 gallon version already and it works well for me.
Click to expand...

If anyone gets this let me know how it is? Is it cheap flimsy metal or is it sturdy? Thanks
 
BullGator said:
If anyone gets this let me know how it is? Is it cheap flimsy metal or is it sturdy? Thanks
Click to expand...

I have the 10 gallon version that is the same thickness. It is very sturdy. I plan on getting the 15 gallon pot within a month.
 
PaulyWantsABeer said:
I am an extract brewer. I have considered going the old keg route, but I prefer brewing in my kitchen and not outside with a propane burner. I have a large stove so brewing multiple kettles is no problem.
Click to expand...

I have a great high-BTU gas stove, but I can't boil more than about 7 gallons on it. Make sure that your stove can boil whatever volume you're planning on, before purchasing a new pot!
 
Yooper said:
I have a great high-BTU gas stove, but I can't boil more than about 7 gallons on it. Make sure that your stove can boil whatever volume you're planning on, before purchasing a new pot!
Click to expand...

I have a 22,000 BTU burner. Is that enough for a 11 gallon boil?
 
once you oxidize the aluminum pot, do not scrub it with steel wool or one of the green scrubbies to clean it. You want to keep the oxidized layer intact.

Going all grain with the BIAB method is inexpensive, but you would not be able to easily do a 10 or 15 gallon batch.

-Chris
 
I guess I'll just stick with my three 5 gallon kettles and keep enjoying all the beer that I drink. :D
 
PaulyWantsABeer said:
I have a 22,000 BTU burner. Is that enough for a 11 gallon boil?
Click to expand...

Yooper said:
You may be able to boil 6 gallons, though.
Click to expand...

6 gallons easy, but I'd wager 11 gallons is too much. I use a 10G Boilermaker on a 14k BTU NG kitchen stove and it gets 7+ gallons preboil boiling no problem. Granted, it's not a earth-shaking boil, but it's rolling.

My stove has 4 burners - two regular 9k BTU, one small low-btu one, and a high-output 14k BTU burner. I do my brewing on that one.

 

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