Why Blichmann Kettles?

This is just a general question that isn't meant to stir up debate in anyway, and I picked Blichmann since they appear to be the most expensive kettles, but I was wondering what the price difference gets you. Is it much like other cooking equipment where the heat pattern is well dispersed and the materials used are more durable? Just wondering what you get for the money (besides the spigot and thermometer). What advantages are there over say a Bayou Classic SS Kettle, or a Keggle?

You get the best valve, thermometer, and sight-glass arrangement out there IMO. You have to factor those costs and all the fittings into the equation to compare apples to apples. A legally acquired keg costs around $75-100, then add all the parts onto the list and you are spending a bit less than the Blichmann's but in my opinion do not have as nice a set up.

The false bottom looks to be the best design available and the stepped bottom ensures a good seat. Basically, you are paying for a professionally designed and assembled tool that is specific for the job it is doing.

Keggles work great, that is what I currently use. But I illegally procured my kegs before I knew it was illegal and piece mealed my crapped together system for a couple years. In hind sight, I would have saved my money until I could affoard a nice kettle (Like the Blichmann) and bought what I really wanted the first time around.

Others will likely be here in a minute to tell me you can brew the best beer in the world for $0.50 and that they don't need to spend a bunch of money to make great beer. That is true, but I like having nice tools. It makes the hobby WAY more enjoyable IMO.

Quality, heavy gage SS, great thermometer, three piece valve and an included level glass. John stands by his product, is a home brewer himself and for me at least, Blichmann Engineering is somewhat local.

Well, that's like asking Kia vs. Cadillac. Both brands can get the job done, and some of the "cheaper" solutions work fine for many brewers. Many of us would love to have the Cadillac, though.

As was mentioned, heavier gauged steel, better handles, nicer hardware, etc. You can get the job done with a cheap turkey fryer pot, but it's a little easier to have the nice Bling-man (that's how I've always thought of it!) with the nice additions.

Well I will let you know once I win the Blichmann in the HBT BJCP HOmebrew competition...lol. I checked one out in person at one of the LHBS near me. They look pretty bad ass and Blichmann is a quality company. I am going to be downsizing to a smaller place in the next month or so and might not have the space to brew out doors. If that is the case I will have to part with my keggle and burner and get a 10g Blichmann instead. Oh the agony...

You can make your own WAY cheaper. I only use aluminum pots, they heat much faster than stainless, so you save a little on propane. If I ever win the lotto, maybe, until then aluminum is just fine.

I have Blichmann and B3 HD Kettles. The Blichmann is more refined but not any heavier gauge. The only 'complaint' which is more of an observation is that the Blichmann does not have a clad bottom which I feel it should for the money. The site glass and thermometer and valve are all very top quality. The B3 kettles are a little heavier duty, but much rougher, literally. The interior is almost a brushed finish and clean up takes a lot more elbow grease. The Blichmann MLT I have cleans with a wipe of the sponge, not the scrubby side either.

Derrin said:

I have Blichmann and B3 HD Kettles. The Blichmann is more refined but not any heavier gauge. The only 'complaint' which is more of an observation is that the Blichmann does not have a clad bottom which I feel it should for the money. The site glass and thermometer and valve are all very top quality. The B3 kettles are a little heavier duty, but much rougher, literally. The interior is almost a brushed finish and clean up takes a lot more elbow grease. The Blichmann MLT I have cleans with a wipe of the sponge, not the scrubby side either.

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I have a 10-gallon Blichmann, and I'm satisfied. If I had to complain about anything, it would be that for five-gallon batches in a 10-gallon pot, the thermometer is mounted a bit high.

I typically get a good amount of beer stone on the bottom of my pot; every five brews or so I take Barkeeper's Friend to it to remove it, and it's good as new.

They are a quality product. In my experience, you pay the money for the good tools or you will spend half your time fighting your equipment. Besides, they are damned sexy and they make all your brewing buddies jealous.

+1 on using Barkeep's Friend on the beer stone.

Getting the Blichman kettles IMO are a no brainer, i have disposable income every december and this year i am getting the 15/15/20 set up with the bells and whistles, the real question is the dam price on the conicals do i get two or three and if so why would i not get the others being as they are not that much cheeper i do belive i will get the blichmann but wtf why the price... why should i care, if the disposable income, because i do not like getting effed with out lube....but what the hell its the caddy as said before, just wish shipping to ak wasnt so dam pricey...anyway that my point of view...

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

You get the best valve, thermometer, and sight-glass arrangement out there IMO. You have to factor those costs and all the fittings into the equation to compare apples to apples. A legally acquired keg costs around $75-100, then add all the parts onto the list and you are spending a bit less than the Blichmann's but in my opinion do not have as nice a set up.

The false bottom looks to be the best design available and the stepped bottom ensures a good seat. Basically, you are paying for a professionally designed and assembled tool that is specific for the job it is doing.

Keggles work great, that is what I currently use. But I illegally procured my kegs before I knew it was illegal and piece mealed my crapped together system for a couple years. In hind sight, I would have saved my money until I could affoard a nice kettle (Like the Blichmann) and bought what I really wanted the first time around.

Others will likely be here in a minute to tell me you can brew the best beer in the world for $0.50 and that they don't need to spend a bunch of money to make great beer. That is true, but I like having nice tools. It makes the hobby WAY more enjoyable IMO.

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Whiskey said:

Quality, heavy gage SS, great thermometer, three piece valve and an included level glass. John stands by his product, is a home brewer himself and for me at least, Blichmann Engineering is somewhat local.

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I have no experience with the entire kettles, but I have to disagree with the rave reviews on the thermometers. I have three of them and they are all junk. They stick so badly that I have to constantly tap them with my mash paddle when doing a rest or a decoction or a mashout or anything like that. I can understand getting one that just happens to be a lemon, but all three? That tells me that they are no good.

Anyone have a comparison weight wise between a converted 15.5 gallon keg and a 15 gallon Blichmann? I have 3 converted kegs for my system and was thinking the easier cleanup and possible handling (weight) may be enough to swing over.

I also take exception with all of the rave reviews on the Blichmann kettles. Here are the reasons why I am not fond of them:

1. They are constructed of relatively thin gage SS and the bottoms are not clad or thickened
2. The fittings are not welded. They are of a weldless design instead. I think this is primarily due to #1 above.
3. The sight glass is mounted above the falve bottom. A sight glass mounted below the FB could be used to gage the strength of pump suction when doing a recirc.
4. The sight glass is not optional. You cannot order the kettle without one IIRC
5. The themometers are not of the highest quality.
6. They are overpriced.

On the plus side, the false bottom design is unique and works very well from what I have seen.

I have come to the conclusion that it is almost pointless to ask for opinions on equipment like this. The response is almost always that the owner loves whatever it is that he has purchased and believes the product to be superior no matter what. This is most noticeable regarding grain mills, propane burners and even thermometers. It's like brand loyalty or something. I guess human nature and egos enter into the mix too. It seems to be difficult to admit that one may have made the wrong choice and sometimes at a great expense, not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just the way it is.

Yambor44 said:

Anyone have a comparison weight wise between a converted 15.5 gallon keg and a 15 gallon Blichmann? I have 3 converted kegs for my system and was thinking the easier cleanup and possible handling (weight) may be enough to swing over.

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I don't know what the weights are, but I can tell you that a keggle is much heavier than most kettles, including the Blichmanns. The kegs are heavy and cumbersome in that regard.

whalenutz said:

Getting the Blichman kettles IMO are a no brainer, i have disposable income every december and this year i am getting the 15/15/20 set up with the bells and whistles, the real question is the dam price on the conicals do i get two or three and if so why would i not get the others being as they are not that much cheeper i do belive i will get the blichmann but wtf why the price... why should i care, if the disposable income, because i do not like getting effed with out lube....but what the hell its the caddy as said before, just wish shipping to ak wasnt so dam pricey...anyway that my point of view...

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Either that, or you're channeling James Joyce, what with that sentence.

For me, I'm going to have to hear an argument that goes beyond "beautifully made," or "cleans easy" to get me to lay out that kind of money. Don't say it'll never happen....I assume at some point I may replace my cheapie 30 qt. Proctor-Silex SS pot....but not there yet.

I have never had any problems with the three Blichmann Brewmometers I have. I do not have Boielrmakers yet. My research is purely performance and sex appeal based. I do not have any loyalty to Blichmann.

I just think it is the best brew kettle made for homebrewers.

I love my aluminum pots! No blingmans for me. They heat and cool faster. And i'm quite enjoying my Alzheimers. :cross:

I have 3, the 20/15/15 combo and a 14 gallon Fermenator (which is really more like 11 gallons with a bit of headspace). I agree that the thermometers are junk but most bimetal ones are. The only way to fly is thermocouples.



The false bottom is easily the best on the market which was my main impetus for getting them. I like the protected sight glass even though they don't go below the false bottom. Overall a good product but they have some shortcomings as does most everything.

Yambor44 said:

Anyone have a comparison weight wise between a converted 15.5 gallon keg and a 15 gallon Blichmann? I have 3 converted kegs for my system and was thinking the easier cleanup and possible handling (weight) may be enough to swing over.

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They are not light by any means. I can weigh one later if you like.

Irrenarzt said:

They are not light by any means. I can weigh one later if you like.

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FTW!! That would be great! I just did a crude weigh in. Grabbed a keg and held it and stepped on the scale: 210.6 no matter where I held it (chest, shoulder). Then stepped on with no keg, 184.2.. Tha'ts 26.4 pounds. The Blichmann specs I read somewhere (not sure where as I have been studying these things for a while) said they weigh 30 pounds. Hopefully you can give us some real world results. Thanks for offering.

I have a 15 gal. It is definitely less than 30lbs! Overall, I'm happy awith it and would rocommend it. The steel is a bit thin (or at elast thinner than I expected). The valve is great, and the hop strainer works great for leaf hops. I do have the sme complaint as many about the thermometer location. Its at about the 7.5 gallon mark. I know that witht he 15gal kettle, I could easily do 10 gallon batches, but i don't. Although, I've heard that the location is still at 6-7 gal mark for the 10 gal kettle. As far as the clad bottom, from what I've researched, we don't need a clad bottom for brewing. That is mostly for thicker sauces, whereas our wort is thin enough to not worry about it. Anyway, my overall opinion is that it's a great kettle, but a bit over priced.

I thought their website said the thermometer was at the 6.5 gallon mark?

While we are discussing the location of the the thermometer and site tube, I would think they are located where they are to keep the heat from the burner from getting them too hot. ???

Have the 10g boilermaker, very happy with it and would buy again. It does take soem elbow grease to clean every 5 boils or so as has been stated but **** 90% of brewing is cleaning right?
I too wish the thermometer were about 1" lower.

Overall I am happy with them. I have 3 of them, 2x15g, 1x20g. I do wish the stainless was 2 gauges thicker, thermometer a tad lower, and not all weldless fittings. But I do like how they are skinny and tall. The alternative stock pots are to squat and wide.

As for the weights, no luck. I have a 15 pound digital and the 15 gallon maxes that out, even without a lid. Sorry I tried. I don't have a bathroom scale at this time but there's some data to be learned. The 15 gallon is certainly heavier than 15 pounds.