All Grain Starter Brew Kettle

Trying to assemble the proper equipment to begin my all grain brewing venture. Been looking at SS brew kettles online and they are a little pricier that I expected. Anyone know of a good place to search? Id prefer not to spend more than $100 for a pot, however this may be unavoidable due to the current price of steel.....

I got mine 3 years ago for $60 on ebay. I just searched it and here's the exact pot (obviously not the same 3 year old acution i won).

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bayou-Classic-3.../360338962235?pt=Cookware&hash=item53e5e0373b

I got my 15 gallon pot for 130. I know it's more then you want to spend, but it's worth it if you are going all-grain.

I bought one of these 42 quart pots with steamer from ebay for ~$105. (The image shows a 30 qt pot, but it's a 42 qt like the title states.)

Before purchasing, I sent a question to the seller about the dimensions and the grade of steel, here was his response:


I've only used it once so far, but brought about 8 gallons to boil straddled across two burners on my electric stove and am very happy with it.

VTBrewer said:

I got mine 3 years ago for $60 on ebay. I just searched it and here's the exact pot (obviously not the same 3 year old acution i won).

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bayou-Classic-3.../360338962235?pt=Cookware&hash=item53e5e0373b

Click to expand...

Thanks for the help. I searched Ebay for a good 45 minutes the other day and never came across this one. I may need to improve my keyword techniques.

Was the 36qt kettle sufficient for 5 gallon batches?

We do not have many home brew supply stores here (AKA zero), so it seems that online shopping is going to be best way to purchase equipment and supplies. Do yall have an online store you recommend? Preferably someone who offers free shipping.....

you might want to be careful talking about it too much. isn't brewing in alabama still illegal?

If you think you might want to up your batch size to ten gallons I recommend a keggle. SO much cheaper than buying a thin crappy pot, and it is not hard to cut the top off and clean them out. I spent a bunch of money on a ten gallon pot with a ball valve and thermometer quite a while back.....and now I realize I could have gotten an entire three vessel w/ valves and thermos and all that system for the same price or less if I'd taken the leap on the keggle route. (Do it legally, don't steal any brewery's keg.) It might sound scary to obtain and cut up a keg, but it really isn't hard and will pay off if you're serious about brewing as a hobby.

For a reference, I got my three 15.5 gallon pots for a grand total of 46 dollars from a scrap yard, plus the time it took me to cut the tops off and clean them (two were actually clean as could be!). Adding weldess fittings (or welded, if you're a welder or know one) is really easy.

I don't mean to overcomplicate things, just wish I that I had personally gone the keggle route before I did!

I just moved here not long ago and thought I heard someone mention this. Just looked it up and sure enough, its illegal. Alabama is stuck in the Bible Belt so I'm not at all surprised. I just hope that the Alabama law enforcement is more focused on the high murder rate and not my 5 gallon batches of homebrew. There is an active organization called Free The Hops that is pushing for the removal of these rediculous laws so we shall see.

mcurtis431 said:

I just moved here not long ago and thought I heard someone mention this. Just looked it up and sure enough, its illegal. Alabama is stuck in the Bible Belt so I'm not at all surprised. I just hope that the Alabama law enforcement is more focused on the high murder rate and not my 5 gallon batches of homebrew. There is an active organization called Free The Hops that is pushing for the removal of these rediculous laws so we shall see.

Click to expand...

It's illegal, but there are a couple of LHBS in business in the state. The best one by all accounts in AlaBrew in Pelham (just south of Birmingham - a 2 hr drive for you). I've been there and the folks are knowledgeable in a, well, kinda grumpy way.

Free the Hops is, in fact, doing the Lord's work in Alabama. They just finally passed a brewery modernization act that allows breweries to open in any (wet) county in Alabama. Before, the county had to have had a brewery in operation before prohibition. It also allows for taprooms - something that might have saved Huntsville's Olde Towne (although probably not - their beer was really average IMO).

I've been brewing for only 6 months or so, but I've talked to folks who've brewed considerably longer - and no hassles from the police. They only documented case I know of is a homebrewer who was also distilling (which they REALLY don't like).

Good luck!

Ell said:

It's illegal, but there are a couple of LHBS in business in the state. The best one by all accounts in AlaBrew in Pelham (just south of Birmingham - a 2 hr drive for you). I've been there and the folks are knowledgeable in a, well, kinda grumpy way.

Free the Hops is, in fact, doing the Lord's work in Alabama. They just finally passed a brewery modernization act that allows breweries to open in any (wet) county in Alabama. Before, the county had to have had a brewery in operation before prohibition. It also allows for taprooms - something that might have saved Huntsville's Olde Towne (although probably not - their beer was really average IMO).

I've been brewing for only 6 months or so, but I've talked to folks who've brewed considerably longer - and no hassles from the police. They only documented case I know of is a homebrewer who was also distilling (which they REALLY don't like).

Good luck!

Click to expand...

I know AlaBrew well! I lived in Birmingham for about a year and visited their shop several times. I agree with the knowledgeable / grumpy comment wholeheartedly. I just read the law and thought it to be odd that its illegal to own any equipment used to manfucture alcoholic beverages, but at the same time a LHBS is allow to do business in the state. I am sure there are loopholes...

In the early 90s I was prez of the homebrew club in Birmingham. We met at a LHBS in the Homewood area, maybe two blocks from the Homewood police dept. They would often come by and say "hi" when we were having meetings! Never the first hassle. IN fact, they would drive by the shop repeatedly on the evenings of the meetings to make sure no one was messing with our cars (wasn't the best neighborhood).

wailingguitar said:

In the early 90s I was prez of the homebrew club in Birmingham. We met at a LHBS in the Homewood area, maybe two blocks from the Homewood police dept. They would often come by and say "hi" when we were having meetings! Never the first hassle. IN fact, they would drive by the shop repeatedly on the evenings of the meetings to make sure no one was messing with our cars (wasn't the best neighborhood).

Click to expand...

This is what I'd expect really - they probably don't even know it's illegal.

I just picked up this one, $85 shipped.

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1044-44-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000VXHKMC

Also got a weldless ball valve kit, bazooka screen and weldless brewmometer from rebel brewer.

Ended up spending $180 for everything shipped, not bad I think.

Do you have a restaurant supply store anywhere near you? One close to me sells an 80qt for about 100$ plus the lid is another 20$ and I THINK it is SS I can't remember it's been a while.

Used sanke kegs work great as well, thats what I have.

Update Stainless Steel Stock Pot 40qt |SPS-40 | Instawares Kitchen Supplies Sale

I'd get at least a 40 qt. For longer boils sometimes I'll start with eight gallons.

Take a look here:

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0102357/economy-9-gallon-pot

Ell said:

This is what I'd expect really - they probably don't even know it's illegal.

Click to expand...

They did, or at least some of them did, it was discussed. Basically, they didn't care as long as no one was dumb enough to try to sell it!