Brew kettle size

Hey all! New to the forum and I'm excited to find such a great resource. Well...the question has been posed many a time before here but I need some opinions.

I recently bought an 8 gallon aluminum brew pot to do specifically 5 gallon batches. I really don't see myself doing anything larger anytime soon. I'm stuck whether to take it back and get the 10 gallon for when I eventually start doing all-grain (right now doing extract). Should I just spend another $10 - $15 and get the 10 gallon?

I don't want to get anything bigger than I need BUT I need to take into account the size of the wort cooler fitting in the kettle, etc. It seems everyone has a different opinion about starting BIGGER but I never plan on doing 10 gallon batches. Although, I'm a little concerned about doing 90-minute boils in the 8 gallon. What say you? Thank you so much and cheers!

I would get the 10 gallon for the following reasons:

1) Although you can certainly do a full boil of 6.5 or 7 gallons of wort 10 will give you more breathing room for boilovers

2) If you decide to eventually do 10 gallons (you just never know) your 10 BK will double as a nice HLT for your 15 gallon kettle or keggle.

If you plan to do 90 minute boils I would definitely get the 10 gallon. You can do it with the 8 gallon but it will leave you with less than one gallon of space.

I have a 15 gal sanke for 10 GAL batches and a 30qt (~7.5 gal) for 5 gal (though I use my 15 < 10 gal batches) but very much wish I had a 10 or 11 gal kettle so 10 at a minimum.

And welcome from Roswell!

i'll vote bigger is better...

I recently bought a 32 qt.... I already wish it was larger.

pot volumes are to the rim, hate to say it but go with 10gallon. I have 3 pots I've aquired over the years 3, 5, & 10. still use my 3 & 5 to heat sparge water while mashing.

I would highly suggest getting a kettle valve kit and installing a drain valve. makes life so easy. just added an extension to my elbow in my drain now it could drain just about completely dry if I needed it to.

Get the bigger one!