Brew Kettle Size

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Rich_S

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I'm currently using my turkey fryer setup as my brew kettle. I'm looking to buy something nice with a thermometer and ball valve, so I don't need to pour wort through a funnel and filter into my carboy.

Right now I do 5 gallon batches. I considered a 10 gallon kettle. But then I figured I should get something big enough to accommodate 10 gallon batches if I decide I wanted to do them in the future.

I'm looking at the Blichmann kettle. I figured a 15 gallon would be enough to handle 10 gallon batches in the future while not being ridiculously oversized for a 5 gallon batch. Then I looked on their website and saw they recommend a 20 gall for 10 gallon batch boils.

So what's the deal? Is a 15 gallon pot too big for 5 gallon batches and too small for 10 gallon batches or not?

I also searched and saw talk about people relocating thermometers for small batches, but even in the stock location, it should be low enough to be submerged in a 5 gallon batch (since I'd start with 6 gallons preboil, and the thermometer is less than a third of the way up).
 
I boil 10 gallon batches in a 13 gallon modified keg all the time. By 10 gallon batches I mean 12 gallons of collected wort and boiling for 60-90mins (depending on what I'm brewing) I come close to a boil over with this much wort at the hot break - but it's never boiled over. I typically adjust the heat some so I'm still getting a rolling boil - but not a vigorous one til after the hot break is over. However variables include my starting SG and what my target original SG is at the beginning of the boil. Having said all of that - my opinion is that bigger is better and yes if you are dependent on a thermometer for your boil kettle - but sure the placement is appropriate for all of the batch sizes you plan to do. Hope my experience helps.
 
15 gallon would work fine for 10 gallon batches. That's why so many people use 15.5 gal. converted Sanke kegs as their boil kettles.
 
I was looking at getting a 15gal Boilermaker( I do 10 gal batches in a keg with no problems). Then I looked at the 20gal pot.

15gal Boilermaker is 368.99 the 20gal is 398.99. For $30 i'd rather have the 20gal. If you going to buy one don't buy a 10gal pot, go with 15! If you buy a 10gal you'll be kicking yourself after the first time you use it and asking youself, why didn't i buy the 15gal.
 
I hate my Sanke kettle and soon I plan to shell out the $400 just to be rid of the damn thing. IMO, it will be worth every penny and more.
 
1. It's very heavy
2. The concave bottom heats unevenly (gas fired) and precludes mounting a drain valve desirably closer to the bottom. Some type of pickup tube is usually a necessity.
3. The keg skirt remains extremely hot long after flame out which interferes with rapid cooling of the kettle contents.
4. They are ugly and only marginally less so when polished up.
5. They do not work all that well as direct fired mash tuns compared to a flat bottomed kettle.
6. They are very heavy.

I do presently have and use a converted keg kettle, but soon it will be replaced with a real 15-20 gal kettle. Probably the 20 gallon one, but I'm still mulling over which to get.
 
I'm definitely leaning towards the 15 gallon kettle now.

If head space with 12 gallons of pre-boil wort becomes an issue, I can just cut my batch size back a little.
 
I have a cheap SS 60 qt. ($60.) It's been great for 11 gallon batches (<13 gallon pre-boil for 90 minute boils.) I'm eying AL 100 qt stock pots now. I still do not need a ball valve. With a 100 qt I will. Might need a counter flow chiller as well. An IC that size might not be cost effective.
 
Interesting points. I'll have to think about those.

Don't get me wrong. The converted kegs make decent boil kettles and the low cost makes them mighty attractive to many home brewers. It's just that I would much prefer a standard flat bottomed kettle. Cost is a major consideration for me too, and that's why I am still using one. It has served me very well for a number of years. So, perhaps hate was too strong. Dislike would have been a better choice.
 
I'm definitely leaning towards the 15 gallon kettle now.

If head space with 12 gallons of pre-boil wort becomes an issue, I can just cut my batch size back a little.

A 15 gallon kettle will be pushed to the limit when doing 12 gallon batches, but you can mitigate this by doing a slightly concentrated boil topping up with additional water near the end of the boil. I brew 12 gallon batches regularly. Pre-boil volume is often up near 14 gallons. This puts me very close to the top of my converted keg kettle, but it's manageable. I'm thinking of upgrading to a 20 gallon kettle very soon.
 
13 gallons in a 60 qt pot does not come to a boil near as fast as 6.5 gallons in a 30 qt pot does. Boil overs are easier to avoid and although it dosen't really look like it there is twice the head space.
 
13 gallons in a 60 qt pot does not come to a boil near as fast as 6.5 gallons in a 30 qt pot does.

Why would we expect anything different? After all, 13 gallons is twice the volume of 6.5 gallons. Perhaps we should ask Mr. Obvious. The heating efficiency of a kettle is primarily a function of the area of the kettle bottom all else being equal (kettle material etc). Larger diameter will generally equate to faster heating.
 
Why would we expect anything different? After all, 13 gallons is twice the volume of 6.5 gallons. Perhaps we should ask Mr. Obvious. The heating efficiency of a kettle is primarily a function of the area of the kettle bottom all else being equal (kettle material etc). Larger diameter will generally equate to faster heating.

That's an interesting point. I have gotten used to using my turkey fryer pot inside on my gas stove during the winter instead of outside on the propane burner. There is maybe 2 inches of space between the top of the pot and the botoom of the microwave that hangs over the range. With the Blichmann 15 gal, I'd no longer be able to do this as it's too tall. The 15 Megapot though would fit fine as it is shorter and wider. Maybe I need to think through my overall setup and get a table or something too. It is getting a pain lifting pots full of boiling wort and pouring through kitchen strainers inside funnels.
 
It dosen't mean exactly any one thing. I does mean things like although head space may be the same percentage boil off rates will not change in the same proportion. Boil off rates will change on a scale to the diameter of the pot and amount of BTUs. A bigger pot (boil volume) may need more BTUs than the burner has. I don't think recipes scale lineally. Boil off rates change changing mash water volumes thus changing BHE. Ect...ect...too many variables. I could spend all day thinking about it.
 
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