Ready to Upgrade: Money Saving Options

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

FensterBos

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
495
Reaction score
11
Location
Waltham
I'm looking to upgrade my mash capabilities and I'd love to purchase an all-grain kit similar to the Blichmann kits on Midwestsupplies.com, but I just can't bring myself to pay $850. Austin Supplies has some less expensive pots with fittings for $229; still a little more than what I want to spend on my hobby.
What are some of the ways you've saved money on upgrading your boiling pots without breaking the bank? Restaurant supply stores? Ebay? Stealing from the culinary arts school?
 
That is definitely more in my range of affordable equipment. Are there any significant cost savings of finding a non-drilled pot similar to that one and just buying and installing everything separately (such as this guy)? I know that cheaper pots do not heat as well as nicer Blichmann pots, but overall would there be a significant difference in the end product?
 
That ebay kettle is only about 10.5 gallons. It depends on how you build the kettles, but by the time you factor in shipping, bits, labor, and weldless fittings, the cost will be about the same. There is no real difference in heating. I have had both and now use a Blichmann as my boil kettle. The morebeer kettle is a great value.
 
Depending on your batch size, and how you heat/boil, consider making keggles. You only need a decent drill and a right angle grinder to convert a 1/2 bbl keg into a keggle/mash tun. You don't even need to have those tools, if you know someone with them. DO get a decent step bit to drill the holes for the 1/2" NPT fittings (needs to go to 7/8" hole size) though. The main item there is simply locating decent kegs at a fair rate. There's actually a guy in Chelmsford, MA that sells 100% legal kegs at a decent rate. I even have a couple of 'spare' kegs from him in my basement right now.

If you want to check out how I've set mine up sometime, shoot me a message. I'm in Nashua, NH now (even though it shows me still in Natick, MA).
 
Thanks for the info, Golddiggie. I've definitely considered going the keggle route; I have most equipment to get it done but I'll need to get my hands on a decent step bit and cutter to take off the top of the keg.
 
I have both the step bit and grinder to cut the top. If you don't mind driving from Waltham to Nashua, we could do it up here. That way you don't need to purchase, or hunt for someone else with, those items. I can also show you my sight tube design that's all stainless steel and borosilicate glass.

I might be polishing up a keg this Saturday, if you want to head up this way.
 
You want to do HERMS or direct fired mashes? If not, consider going the DIY cooler route. The coolers themselves are usually $40 (the 10G round rubbermaid and 70qt coleman xtreme are both $40). You would heat the strike water in a different pot, add to cooler and then add grain.

For a kettle, you can't go wrong with keggles for the price.
 
Also check out forum vendor Spike Brewing:

http://spikebrewing.com/collections/15-gallon-stainless-kettles

Couplers matter, personally. You'll want a sight gauge and possibly a thermometer in addition to your valve. I have weldless fittings but it's not the easiest thing to drill the holes and file them down. Depends on your level of comfort with DIY stuff. If I had the money, I'd get the 3 coupler kettle every time. As it was though I got a 8g aluminum pot and put in elements and a valve (HLT) and a 12.25G euro keg that I made into an eBK. All very cheap, but required some work.
 
Anytime I need a Keg...I just put a post on CL that I'm looking for a keg and willing to pay $25.....I always have lots of responses. Can't get much cheaper.
 
Also check out forum vendor Spike Brewing:

http://spikebrewing.com/collections/15-gallon-stainless-kettles

Couplers matter, personally. You'll want a sight gauge and possibly a thermometer in addition to your valve. I have weldless fittings but it's not the easiest thing to drill the holes and file them down. Depends on your level of comfort with DIY stuff. If I had the money, I'd get the 3 coupler kettle every time. As it was though I got a 8g aluminum pot and put in elements and a valve (HLT) and a 12.25G euro keg that I made into an eBK. All very cheap, but required some work.

What about having the ability to design a kettle yourself and then have it built for you and shipped ready to brew? I bought my 15 gallon kettle from Brew Toys, they are a vendor here too. I have no time, as my daughter is a handful, it took 5 minutes to design, and Orion was really helpful with questions I had about the build. Couldn't be happier with it!
 
What about having the ability to design a kettle yourself and then have it built for you and shipped ready to brew? I bought my 15 gallon kettle from Brew Toys, they are a vendor here too. I have no time, as my daughter is a handful, it took 5 minutes to design, and Orion was really helpful with questions I had about the build. Couldn't be happier with it!

I looked at that option (just now)... In order to get the same size kettle (I use 1/2 bbl kegs) would be both more expensive and NOT really be my own design. I have designed (and build) my own sight glass/tube assembly (all stainless and borosilicate glass) that has the ability to recirculate back into the kettle/keggle. I also prefer to have options for hole placements and such. IF I didn't polish up the keg first, total time to cut the top and drill the holes, is probably no more than about 20 minutes. IMO, worth every second spent. IF I do polish the keg up, then it's just a matter of how long that takes (depends on the condition of the keg and how I want the finished product to be).
 
What about having the ability to design a kettle yourself and then have it built for you and shipped ready to brew? I bought my 15 gallon kettle from Brew Toys, they are a vendor here too. I have no time, as my daughter is a handful, it took 5 minutes to design, and Orion was really helpful with questions I had about the build. Couldn't be happier with it!

Cool! I believe Spike will also do that for you, to a degree. Not sure if they will install the ball valve and sight-glass, etc, as well but they will weld you whatever you need.
 
Back
Top