New Pot Size

Looking into new brew kettle to go from partial mash/partial boil to go to full boil all-grain. I found a 11 gallon for 85 or a 9 gal for 72. I have no plans of upgrading to batches larger than 5 gallons, but would like to do high gravity beers. So which one should i buy. If 9 gal is all ill need then i would like to save the 13 dollars towards other equipment.

FWIW, I would recommend the 11g. I only do 5g batches, but in my system I start off with 7.5 to 8g in the kettle. I never have a problem, but starting a boil of 8g in a 9g pot would have me concerned about boil overs. Bigger is better. Also now that I have 20 or so batches under my belt, I'm really starting to think about doing 10g batches. Should have bought a bigger pot.

I use a 9gal pot because it makes full boils easier on the stovetop. I have no problem with 7.5gal preboil but i wouldn't go much higher. If you have the space for it, the 11gal pot is the best choice. I'll probably upgrade again when i move off the stove.

In my experience, bigger is better. One boil over from a lack of attention to when the boil first breaks and you (or someone else in your house) will be kicking you! If you do decide that you're going the 9 gallon route here's a pretty good deal on a SS version. I have this in 15 gallon as my HLT, and have used it as a brew kettle on occasion. http://www.homebrewing.org/2-Weld-9-Gallon-Stainless-Steel-Brew-Pot-_p_1684.html

ButcherBoy said:

FWIW, I would recommend the 11g. I only do 5g batches, but in my system I start off with 7.5 to 8g in the kettle. I never have a problem, but starting a boil of 8g in a 9g pot would have me concerned about boil overs. Bigger is better. Also now that I have 20 or so batches under my belt, I'm really starting to think about doing 10g batches. Should have bought a bigger pot.

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This.

I can ALMOST boil over my 15g converted keg on 5 gallon batches (but because it's 15g and I know it won't boil over, I don't even really pay any attention to it anymore).

Bigger is better.

darth5aint said:

I have no plans of upgrading to batches larger than 5 gallons.

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In my 19 years of brewing I can't count how many times I've heard people say this. Not many of those people stayed with 5 gallon batches because 10 gallons is the same amount of work and you get twice the beer.

Monster Mash said:

In my 19 years of brewing I can't count how many times I've heard people say this. Not many of those people stayed with 5 gallon batches because 10 gallons is the same amount of work and you get twice the beer.

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True. I have the 9 gallon pot referenced in this thread. I basically have to use fermcap to prevent boilovers for 5 gallon batches. I just bought the 15 gallon 2 weld pot from homebrewing.com to go to 10 gallon batches. It's only $109.

I have a keggle setup too, but for this one I wanted to try a pot, less mass to cool.

I would go bigger as well. I shoot for 5.5 gal into the fermenter and I have a 10 gallon pot. If I brew a beer with a 90 min boil I'll start with about 8.5 so It's pretty close. So yeah for a couple extra bucks I'd have to agree with everyone else

Oh yeah and I'm looking at getting a 15-16 gal kettle so I can have twice the beer for my efforts! :rockin:

dbrewski said:

True. I have the 9 gallon pot referenced in this thread. I basically have to use fermcap to prevent boilovers for 5 gallon batches. I just bought the 15 gallon 2 weld pot from homebrewing.com to go to 10 gallon batches. It's only $109.

I have a keggle setup too, but for this one I wanted to try a pot, less mass to cool.

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I have been looking at those (amongst many others). How do you like it? It seems like a great deal

I just bought that 2 weld 9 gallon pot. Havnt received it yet. I currently use a 9 gallon aluminum pot. Ive only had one boil over and it was right at the exact moment when i was taking a pic of brewing my beer with the snow in the background. See my profile pic. Lol. I waa thinking of going with the 15 gallon pot but wheres the fun in that?

As someone hoping to purchase their first dedicated brew kettle, I have been following many of the threads related to kettle size/type. I was initially going to go for a Winware10 gallon kettle one from
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CHKL68/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 given the low cost of $38. I can’t believe I’m passing on this kettle.

I’m now leaning towards a 15 gallon ss kettle from Concord http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONCORD-60-.../140698094037?pt=Cookware&hash=item20c24289d5. It’s more than I hoped to spend but it seemed to have more favorable reviews in HBF (compared to the BC equivalent) and the larger than desired size will give me some upside, and hopefully minimize chances for boilovers (while I’m making 5g batches). I plan to add the fittings myself. This may not be sound wisdom but I figure I may be eventually on the hook for another $100 in fittings and so forth, so I might as well be putting them on a nicer kettle. Having said all that I think the $38 (shipped) 10g Winware kettle is the wisest choice.

I would choose that 15 gallon ss one in a heartbeat. My aluminum kettle is warping on the bottom from the burner and has oxidised pretty badly around the top where the beer doesnt touch. Im planning on using it for mash and sparge water

thebeers54 said:

I have been looking at those (amongst many others). How do you like it? It seems like a great deal

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It is a good deal. I have used that 9 gallon for 60+ batches, the new one is the same quality. Not perfect, some blemishes inside, but solid if you ask me. For two welds at the price you can't beat it. Lid is crappy as they admit.

That's its little brother behind it to the right.

Looks good, thanks for posting that!

Eamon said:

I was initially going to go for a Winware10 gallon kettle one from
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CHKL68/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 given the low cost of $38. I can’t believe I’m passing on this kettle.

I’m now leaning towards a 15 gallon ss kettle from Concord http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONCORD-60-.../140698094037?pt=Cookware&hash=item20c24289d5. I plan to add the fittings myself. This may not be sound wisdom

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I'd pass on the little aluminum pot - two reasons, it's little and it's aluminum. 15 gallon and SS is a wiser choice. I would skip the plan to install your own fittings unless you're a skilled SS welder and polisher - leaks and sanitation are concerns. The 15 gallon shown by dbrewski is a good value with welded fittings.

Thanks for the advice. I think I will go with a 15 g kettle now. I am not a skilled welder but I was thinking of going with weldless fittings. I hope that this is not a bad idea. I will also look at the brew kettle noted above. I wish I knew how the kettle itself compared in quality to the Concord 15 g.

I debated between 10 and 15 gal and ended up going with 10. I didn't like the depth of 5-6 gal in most 15 gal pots for purposes of measuring pre and post boil volumes (each gallon is about 1.5" in my pot, so I'm confident in my volumes to a 0.1 gal. I also didn't like where that put the thermometer in most of my applications. With my 10 gal pot my thermometer is 6" off the bottom, just about 4 gal.

Here is a pic so you can see what I mean re fitting placement. Also note the gal marks on the site glass.