outdoor cooker/kettle

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07113259000P?keyword=fryer&sid=S-on-Kx20k061224x0000001

Is this a good starter set? Should I avoid a pot with a spout/spigot?

Looks like a good start. Nothing wrong with a spigot. Many brewers install them on their kettles (I don't) as a means to drain/transfer their beer. You'd need to buid some sort of false bottom or other filter manifold though.

excuse my ignorance, but which would be the easiest/cheapest and why exactly do I need it?

shoebag22 said:

excuse my ignorance, but which would be the easiest/cheapest and why exactly do I need it?

Click to expand...

Don't worry. THat's what the forum is for.

Once you get done boiling the wort, you need to cool it and then transfer it to the fermenter. Most people start out using a simple sihpon and racking cane. THat's what I use.

A lot of people like to build a bit more elaborate systems that use pumps to move the beer from the kettle through a plate chiller and into the fermenter. Using a spigot makes more sense that tryin to hook a pump up to a siphon hose. OThers build two and three tier systems that rely on gravity to move beer around. SPigots are also useful for that.

Spend some time browing the galleries and you'll see a lot of different examplse of the spigot being used.

For beginners, the spigot is not necessary. Just use the racking cane. The spigot is not a hinderence either and you might find use for it down the road.

I was planning on grabbing an autosiphon... the fermtech auto siphon
http://pivo.northernbrewer.com/nbstore/action/search-do?searchTerm=sipho&x=0&y=0

that is used in place of the racking cane, correct?

shoebag22 said:

I was planning on grabbing an autosiphon... the fermtech auto siphon
http://pivo.northernbrewer.com/nbstore/action/search-do?searchTerm=sipho&x=0&y=0

that is used in place of the racking cane, correct?

Click to expand...

Right. THough I prefer the simple racking cane. Just a preference.

That's a good price for a pot with a spigot and a burner.
That faucet however will be somewhat limiting since it doesn't have a threaded connection that you could adapt from. You may want to eventually upgrade the regulator.