Bayou Classic Stainless 15.5g Kettle

I am stepping up to 10g batches from my 7.5g kettle.

I'm looking at the Bayou 15.5g SS kettle.

I've seen a few good posts about them.

Yea OR Nay?

Too thin to boil in. OK for electric. Mine leaked thru rivets on handle. Sent it back and got a higher quality pot...

Model number 1060? I've been looking at that one. I have the 1036 (36qt) great pot, not to thin to boil, I wonder if ten gallons requires a thicker pot??? Sanke kegs are thin...

Poobah58 said:

Too thin to boil in.

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I disagree. It's a moderate quality pot at best, but I direct fire mine and haven't had any discernible problems.

My complaints are: High boil-off rate (~2gal/hr) due to the wide mouth. Handles are flimsy. I wouldn't dare try to pick it up with 10 gallons of hot liquid in it, even to just set it on the ground, but you really shouldn't be doing that anyway

I've used this pot for several batches not. Indeed it leaks through the handle rivits, but you can fill it up with 13gal before it'll reach that high. It does have a high boil-off rate, but I think it's been worst because of the dry winter air. As for scorching, I never had a problem. Sure the metal is a bit thin, but I haven't had any black spots form. For the price I don't think you can find anything better (~$120 on Amazon).

Go bigger!

I've got this exact same kettle. I've only used it for 1 batch so far, and it was a 3-gallon boil (the max my weak-ass stove will bring to a boil). I didn't notice any scorching like I did with my old enamelware pot.

I'll report back when I've popped the 4500-watt element in it, and used it as I originally intended.

Wow! As of now, 4 nays and 1 yea.

Strange that the post here don't tell the same story,
and that the reviews on Amazon (all beer related) are all pretty positive.

Looking for a new pot for electric and had my eye on this one because of price. Nothing else close that I've found.
Trying to decide if it's worth spending the extra money for something with a thicker wall?

Yeah - I found a few negative reviews about the interwebz. The pot seems too good to be true - hence my poll.

I think I might go keggle or save my pennies for a Blingmann 20. I want something tall/skinny so there is less evaporation.

It's not a bad pot, but for about the same price you could get an instawares pot which has much better quality.

scubasteve said:

it's not a bad pot, but for about the same price you could get an instawares pot which has much better quality.

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+1

Those look pretty squat & wide - lotsa evap.

a_w_taylor said:

Those look pretty squat & wide - lotsa evap.

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You’re also loosing heat through the extra surface area, so more energy is required to maintaining the same rate of boil. Personally I don't like a kettle that's wider than it is tall. But the aluminum clad bottoms are nice.

Keeping an eye on this 53 quart Vollrath from KaTom, but after shipping it's $165 compared to $120 for the Bayou 62 quart.
And it's almost 3 gallons smaller.

I have 2 of these and have no issues. Granted, they are both set up for electic but I have filled both to the top and have had no leaks at all.

I just bought the 75-qt pot: http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/shopping_cart/stockpots.html

Poobah58 said:

I just bought the 75-qt pot: http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/shopping_cart/stockpots.html

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How do you like the steamer bottom? How far does it come off the bottom? That'd be perfect for BIAB and keeping the bag off the element.

ScubaSteve said:

How do you like the steamer bottom? How far does it come off the bottom? That'd be perfect for BIAB and keeping the bag off the element.

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Just ordered it. I am hoping my heating element fits under it so I can plop my chiller in there without damaging it. Also will keep my hop bag off the element...

Poobah58 said:

I just bought the 75-qt pot: http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/shopping_cart/stockpots.html

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Kitchen Fantasy is another vendor that I've been looking at, but they hammer you on shipping. Guess it's too late for you, but HBT's Jaybird has some nice pots.

They cost a few bucks more, but $9.95 shipping gives them the overall price edge.





edit:
But no steamer.

I just upgraded to the 1060 5 months ago and have done a few batches. Unknowingly my burner was too small so I have been using a grill grate to center the pot. I haven't had any leaking or scorching issues and evap seems to be constant with my old 7.5 gal pot.

My only complaint would be that this pot takes a lot longer to acheive a nice boil, regardless of liquid volume because I have done a test 5 gal batch. Come to think of it, it could be my burner and being an extra inch above the flame prolonging the heat up.

ScubaSteve said:

It's not a bad pot, but for about the same price you could get an instawares pot which has much better quality.

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Please link to the pot you're thinking of?

I have a 10 gallon Bayou Classic kettle. I use it on my bayou classic burner. Never had a problem. No scorching and my boil off rate is about 1.25-1.5 gallons per hour. The handles on mine are fine. When I move the pot with 7-8 gallons of wort, never even strains. I got mine from home depot, great 10 gallon pot and I would suspect the 15 gallon to be the same.

If the rivets leak, you can apply some high temp food grade silicone around them and they wont leak.

Bayou 62qt Stainless Steel Pot w/ Lid.

CozyDays has it for $119
w/ free shipping

And if you use coupon code xp2010 you get 10% off.
Brings it to $107 shipped!

Thanks for all your input!

There were enough naysayers to make me think this pot not worth the investment.

I have decided to bust out some freelance work this spring and invest in a Blichmann 15g that should last me a lifetime. Eventually it can become a mashtun when I build my Brutus!

Cheers

AT

a_w_taylor said:

I have decided to bust out some freelance work this spring and invest in a Blichmann 15g that should last me a lifetime.

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USP delivered my 62 quart Stainless Bayou pot today. Just got the hardware installed and filled with water to check for leaks. Boil test tomorrow.

Seems plenty solid enough to last a lifetime.

. . . but I guess I'm older than you. :cross:

I have the 1060, and I love it. Works great for me.