Upgrading, is it worth it?

so right now im making my beer in the kitchen in a 3 gallon pot and its a pain in the neck, so i have some questions about upgrading into a turkey fryer

1. Is it worth it cost wise?

2. Is this a good one to buy, North American Outdoors at Lowe's: 35-Quart Aluminum SAF-T-Fryer

3. By doing this will I be able to advance to all grains?

4. Is going all grains better then extract both quality and price wise?

I am eventually gonna start buying this more in bulk, but i want to first settle on my brewing station and tools. If I get the thing ill eventually get a wort cooler. Good thing im unemployed spending my money on this stuff

Thanks for all you helps, also where i get the fryer from has half the tax, plus i have card thats costs $20 thats worth $25 for lowes. Now i just have to find the right place to buy ingrediants

Srm277 said:

so right now im making my beer in the kitchen in a 3 gallon pot and its a pain in the neck, so i have some questions about upgrading into a turkey fryer

1. Is it worth it cost wise?

2. Is this a good one to buy, North American Outdoors at Lowe's: 35-Quart Aluminum SAF-T-Fryer

3. By doing this will I be able to advance to all grains?

4. Is going all grains better then extract both quality and price wise?

I am eventually gonna start buying this more in bulk, but i want to first settle on my brewing station and tools. If I get the thing ill eventually get a wort cooler. Good thing im unemployed spending my money on this stuff

Thanks for all you helps, also where i get the fryer from has half the tax, plus i have card thats costs $20 thats worth $25 for lowes. Now i just have to find the right place to buy ingrediants

Click to expand...

1. Yep. so worth it. I do full boils in the turkey fryer pot, and love it.

2. I don't know that brand, but it looks like mine. Check the IBUs, etc, to make sure it's similar to the rest of them.

3. Yep. Or at least full boils with extract until you can get your AG equipment. Mine is 30 quarts, so it's always in imminent danger of a boil over, so a 40 quart pot would be better, I think!

4. I think so. I found maris otter malt for $.84/pound, so that's a great price, and I can buy in bulk. I think my beer is pretty decent, since I went Ag.

Do it!!!!!!!!

Eventually you will get to the point where BOTH are satisfying. Ive been speaking to a buddy of mine who likes to do both for different reasons. Extract brews make brew, but it cuts out a few steps. With AG you have much more control of what you brew and can experiment a bit more.

Bottom line is you cant go wrong by going bigger with your brew setup. With bigger and better equipment you can still do smaller batches - not the other way around. Having a turkey fryer is the shizzle as it makes life so much easier. KEEP YOUR SMALLER POT THOUGH!!! It comes in very handy for getting your strike and sparge water(s) ready. I almost gave mine away to a new brewer when I upgraded to my turkey fryer, now Im glad I didnt!
-Me

Even if you never switch to AG, having a pot that allows a full boil and using a propane burner outside is totally worth it. You'll need a 10 gal pot (40 qt) to do most all grain batches, but it isn't too big to be wasted space for extract.

Your brew process and fermentation control will have a bigger impact on the quality of your brew than AG vs. extract. As far as expense, it depends on how equipment heavy you get when you switch. If you focus on basic and functional, the lower price of ingredients compensates pretty quickly for the expense of the additional equipment. If you go out and buy a $4,000 brew sculpture, a SS conical fermenter, etc, you're going to have to brew A LOT of AG batches before the overall expense makes the switch justified.

Larger pot....yes

AG or Extract..... that is really up to you on what you want to do. I am set up for both and actually started with AG but can never find the time for it so i usually do extract and partials. I have made really good beers with both and with some recipes i actually prefer the extract/partial brews. But it is really up to you on what you want to do there. Allot of people on here i notice like to push AG but you can make some damn fine award winning extract/partials.

How about these two? Together only $175

60 Quart Stainless Steel Pot:

Amazon.com: Bayou Classic 1060, 60-Qt. Stainless Fryer/Steamer with Vented Lid: Patio, Lawn & Garden

Burner:

Amazon.com: Bayou Classic SP10 High-Pressure Outdoor Gas Cooker, Propane: Patio, Lawn & Garden


I might have to get one of these myself...however I do not like the complaints about them painting the burner and it burns off at first use.

would i be able to do a partial mash with this then? i have never done it and wont really understand it till i try it. also the nice thing about this one is it has a spigot on there. The past couple time i have bottled or switch with a syphone i have wanted to drink heavly cuz the darn thing kept stoping for no reason. I might get a auto syphone, but if the pot i get has a spigot ill make it work no matter what i have to do with bottleing, lol.

those look nice from amazon, but the hard part is with no job not that much money to be spending, specially since im trying to save money to finish paying off my motorcycle and move out of my house, so i also have to think about cost effectiveness.

My dad just asked me if anything would happen if we cook a turkey in it, like the grease messing anything up. Since i live at home none of my toys really are mine, so i have to share.....boo
btw he doesnt drink anymore so it doesnt matter to him how my beer tastes, but he also doesnt read this so i am curious bout the true answer then i will tell him possibly if cooked wrong, lol.

I just picked up a bayou classic turkey fryer from sports authority last weekend for 60 bucks. It's got a 30qt aluminum pot and a 55,000 btu burner. In any matter for cost effectiveness-if you do some shopping around, you should defintely be able to get a fryer for 50-60 if not less. I assume since you were already looking at fryer's you have no issue with aluminum over SS? I certainly don't but i'm not here to try and convert others lol...

My plan with the fryer was to be able to do full boil extracts. I'm still pretty new to the game so my whole thing was I'll defintely be doing quite a number of extracts before i think about switching so for the 60 bucks, it's well worth it even if i upgrade down the road a larger pot can be had for $50 or so.

Also take a look at this thread from someone looking at that same burner:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/what-do-you-think-set-up-fryer-94282/

Looks like there are a few downfalls to the SAF-T features including not being able to use it with another pot...

Srm277 said:

would i be able to do a partial mash with this then? i have never done it and wont really understand it till i try it. also the nice thing about this one is it has a spigot on there. The past couple time i have bottled or switch with a syphone i have wanted to drink heavly cuz the darn thing kept stoping for no reason. I might get a auto syphone, but if the pot i get has a spigot ill make it work no matter what i have to do with bottleing, lol.

Click to expand...

I was the exact same way bud. But trust me - when it 'clicks' you will realize how incredibly simple it is! Like it was stated before, even if you never do an AG or even PM batch the mere fact that you can do a full boil will make life easier, and your beer tastier.

BTW, the only difference between a partial mash and your regular steeping of the grains before adding the extract, is the fact that you have to sparge (rinse) your grains after steeping them. The process isnt much different with AG batches. You just have to do a little math/temp control in conjunction.
-Me

Srm277 said:

so right now im making my beer in the kitchen in a 3 gallon pot and its a pain in the neck, so i have some questions about upgrading into a turkey fryer

1. Is it worth it cost wise?

2. Is this a good one to buy, North American Outdoors at Lowe's: 35-Quart Aluminum SAF-T-Fryer

3. By doing this will I be able to advance to all grains?

4. Is going all grains better then extract both quality and price wise?

I am eventually gonna start buying this more in bulk, but i want to first settle on my brewing station and tools. If I get the thing ill eventually get a wort cooler. Good thing im unemployed spending my money on this stuff

Thanks for all you helps, also where i get the fryer from has half the tax, plus i have card thats costs $20 thats worth $25 for lowes. Now i just have to find the right place to buy ingrediants

Click to expand...

You can find that same turkey fryer on ebay for around $50 by the way!

YooperBrew said:

4. I think so. I found maris otter malt for $.84/pound, so that's a great price, and I can buy in bulk. I think my beer is pretty decent, since I went Ag.

Click to expand...

Not to hijack this thread, but where does one find MO for .84/lb?

BeernuT100 said:

Not to hijack this thread, but where does one find MO for .84/lb?

Click to expand...

My LHBS will cut deals with you if you buy your stuff in bulk. Me and a guy I met on here are going to buy enough 2 row to last me a year (hopefully) and we are getting it at about half the cost. Ask your LHBS if they will cut you a deal on the price per lb if YOU pay for the shipping to the store.

YooperBrew said:

2. I don't know that brand, but it looks like mine. Check the IBUs, etc, to make sure it's similar to the rest of them.

Click to expand...

Don't you mean "Check the BTUs, . . ."

It did make me chuckle.

That's all. Sorry to interrupt,

Panzermann said:

Burner:

Amazon.com: Bayou Classic SP10 High-Pressure Outdoor Gas Cooker, Propane: Patio, Lawn & Garden


I might have to get one of these myself...however I do not like the complaints about them painting the burner and it burns off at first use.

Click to expand...

I just bought one of these and used it for my last batch. It did have some paint burn off, but the smell was gone after about a half hour. No damage done, however. It is a rocking burner for the price. :rockin:

looking at it, is it worth for me looking into that high pressure outdoor gas cooker and buying the pot seperatly, that way i can get a good pot for it and upgrade it as needed. The smell thing doesnt matter for paint burning, i could care less what it looks like and the smell will go away.

so with this what pot should i get, that 60 qaurt looked nice, but im afraid mayb to nice for my wallet

also thanks everybody for all the help

I have this pot and I'll never go back:
Heavy Duty Brew Kettle - With Ball Valve (32 Quart/8 Gallon) | MoreBeer

A bit pricey, but worth it. The sturdy bottom can stand up to the heat of the burner.

In my experience, the best thing you can do for the quality of your beer is to control your fermentation temperature effectively. That's easy to do with a digital thermostat and the cheap craigslist freezer of your choice. Doing full-volume boils is #2. I'll never go back either way. I added a sight glass to this pot, and stpats.com sells a digital thermometer on a 1/2" NPT fitting that you can screw in.

PLUS, the propane burner is just so much fun! We were brewing in 28 degree weather the other night and warm as could be next to our ridiculous altar o'fire. Just remember that, once you move to a full-volume boil, aeration becomes more important. Normally, you have the 2-3 gal of make-up water that you add to the fermenter, which has some dissolved oxygen for your yeast. If you boil all your water, then you've driven all of the oxygen out of your wort, so you have to add some back. I use a stir stick and a cordless drill; not the most advanced thing ever, but it gets the job done. I just got a filter and an aquarium pump in the mail, but I've yet to take it for a spin.

GO FOR IT! Propane is the best.

I just bought this same fryer/burner and trying my first AG this weekend (assuming my LHBS has Pale Chocolate Malt).

Mash Tun - 8 Gallon Heavy Duty Brew Kettle | MoreBeer

is this a good buy, or should i go for the one without the false bottom and thermom for 100 less, or is there a better place to get it?

If you are looking for a mash tun, then I would suggest BUILDING YOUR OWN - you can cut costs significantly by doing this. The bonus about that kettle/tun is you can always use it for your brew sculpture if you so choose in the future.
-Me

how would i be able to build my own? and for going to all grains would it be better for a mash tun

or better yet what do you sugjest my next step should bet to transfur over to all grain and where should i look

I'd seriously consider it.

I went from partial boils to a 30 quart turkey fryer like that one, but aluminum, and got mine for $40 or $50 at some sport equipment place. bass outfitters?
the one you list is a bit pricey, but it's 35 quart, and stainless, so that's good.

I've done extract for about 2 years, full boils for most of that and am just now collecting things for All-Grain and 10 gallon batches. I would concentrate on your process and fermentation control before worrying about stepping up. Although the full boils is a good one to go for.

You can set up a mash tun for AG with a cooler. do a search on that. Wish i had Denny's link handy.

Around Christmas I snagged 2 brand new turkey fryers. Both 30Qt, both nice. One for $25, the other for $30. There's no beating those prices... keep an eye on Craigslist in your area. That's where I got them.

no matter what i need to up grade my pot since i am going to propane, im using a 3 or 4 gallon pot thats a pain to use, so i figured instead of buying millions of pots, might as well prepare for the most and if it takes alittle longer to get there then i plan then thats alright

I just bought the Saf-T-Fryer from lowes a couple weekends ago. They're on clearance now, but different prices at different stores. We have 3 Lowes in Fort Wayne and I called around to each of them - one was still selling it for the original price, one on clearance for $85, and the last store I called had it on sale for $65. I bought the $65 one

The burner and pot are great, IMHO. A couple notes if you do get it - don't even bother with the Saf-T part of it. Just take that thermocouple and tie-wrap it to one of the legs. Second, the top rack part that holds the kettle in place will screw right off if you want so the burner can be used with any pot. And I really liked the 35qt. pot with a spigot when most come with only a 30 or 32qt. pot with no spigot.

Good luck and happy shopping!

I'm looking into a fryer as well. I'm more interested in partials myself but this is more than what I would currently need.

Bayou Classic 30-qt. Outdoor Cooking System : Target

Maybe it's already been mentioned here. But don't forget about the wort cooling side of the equation. You will probably want an immersion chiller for the full 5 gallons, if you don't already have one. If you plan on cooling in ice water, be sure the pot will fit in whatever sink or tub you have.

Jus' thinkin' out loud...

Srm277 said:

how would i be able to build my own? and for going to all grains would it be better for a mash tun

or better yet what do you sugjest my next step should bet to transfur over to all grain and where should i look

Click to expand...

Look in the DIY section for plans on this. I have an old cooler with the stainless steel braid setup.

The item you pointed out will MORE than get the job done and can be a very viable solution. But for me, its more about the satisfaction of doing it yourself and saving some coin in the process. The DIY section of this forum has some really really neat ideas.
Oh yeah, and +1 to the wort chiller. This was my second purchase (after the turkey fryer)
There is a guy on Ebay who makes them. You should be able to pick one up for around $50 shipped.

-Me

alright, heres my plan...gonna take me alittle longer to buy all this stuff....getting alittle introuble willing to spend money on this stuff instead of helping out on bills, but this will help me get out of here saving money and keeping a hobby that keeps me out of trouble..spending lots of money

anyways, here is my idea, looking into buying
Amazon.com: Bayou Classic 1060, 60-Qt. Stainless Fryer/Steamer with Vented Lid: Patio, Lawn & Garden
Amazon.com: Bayou Classic SP10 High-Pressure Outdoor Gas Cooker, Propane: Patio, Lawn & Garden
Amazon.com: Escali Primo Digital Multifunctional Scale, Black: Kitchen & Dining , this just for measuring
Amazon.com: Progressive International 11 Inch Stainless Steel Steamer Basket: Kitchen & Dining
and a fermenting bucket to poke holes into...
whenever i do this i plan on getting the steamer that fits correctly, right now did this quickly to show my point, but if i poke holes in a bucket then i might now even need that, but it might be helpful to help filter it all out and what not
so ill cook the grains in the pot, then when its done pour it into the fermenter with the steamer into another fermenting bucket so i can dertermine how much water ill need in all. then ill pour it back into my pot to finish the job.

the wort chiller i think im going to make my self, doesnt seem to hard to make, plus i have the free time to make it work while saving a dollar.

so how does this all sound and what can i do to improve this? remember money is an object. i just hope i dont end up spending tons of money on propane
i looked at the dyi and got distracted for over an hour on countless things, im afraid of that section now cuz i see all the things i want, a walk in freezer...mmmmmm
thanks

I personally find alot of equipment locally used on craigslist. Got my turkey fryer/beer brewing equip there.

reviving this, i have been looking on craigslist and have found nothing so far, is that common and what key words should i b using for it? i never really used it b4. should i just say im looking for one or do the looking myself?

I love brewing with my turkey fryer on the back patio. If there's ever a boilover - no worries, I just hose down the patio when I'm done. No messy stove cleanup apologizing to the wife for the mess.

You can get an RSS feed for your local Craigslist and add it to your Firefox browser. It will show everything that's listed with most recent at the top - no mussing about with keywords. I just do a quick looksee a couple times a day to spot any possible bargains.

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