Can I use this as a brew kettle?

Found this old thing laying around the house, it's a SS milk tank marked De Laval. I measured it out to about 5.5 gallons. I tried boiling a gallon in it and it started wobbling around a bit due to the slightly convex bottom.

http://bcnudg.com/IMG_0401.JPG

Thanks! It looks great, hope I can use it!

I don't see why not except it's a bit small eh?

Haven't used a vessel like that, but it looks like it can hold wort. Short of the volume constraints, you should be able to boil wort in there...

btighe428 said:

Found this old thing laying around the house, it's a SS milk tank marked De Laval. I measured it out to about 5.5 gallons. I tried boiling a gallon in it and it started wobbling around a bit due to the slightly convex bottom.

http://bcnudg.com/IMG_0401.JPG

Thanks! It looks great, hope I can use it!

Click to expand...

If the bottom is convex, then very little of it will be in contact with the cook top. That thing would probably work fine on a gas burner, but it'll take forever to heat up on that ceramic top in the pic.

It is a little small for a boil kettle, at least if you are contemplating five gallon batches, for a 3 gallon batch you are probably good. And with a convex bottom you will want to heat it with gas. It would make a great fermenter, if you can find or make a lid for it. Give it some thought. A 5.5 gallon stainless steel vessel is too useful not to have some role in a brewery

I wouldn't use it because of the way it's tapered at the top. That just says boil over volcano.

Haha, thanks for the replys. Yes, it's the biggest thing in the kitchen now, so I'll give it a go. Looking forward to a few small batches. Lol @ boil over volcano, hopefully not, but I see what you mean!

btighe428 said:

Found this old thing laying around the house, it's a SS milk tank marked De Laval. I measured it out to about 5.5 gallons. I tried boiling a gallon in it and it started wobbling around a bit due to the slightly convex bottom.

http://bcnudg.com/IMG_0401.JPG

Thanks! It looks great, hope I can use it!

Click to expand...

It is probably worth more as an antique. I'd sell it and buy a nice turkey fryer. And definitely, that tapered neck looks like it would be trouble. When a boil over starts, it gathers steam, and that taper is going to have a venturi effect.