Best Boiling Pot?

[kooklife]

I just bought a Brewers Best Homebrew Equipment Kit and it comes with everything but a boiling pot and bottles. I have heard you should buy one at least twice the size of the batch you are wanting to brew? I'm also on a budget so any cheap recommendations would be gladly appreciated

 

[TyTanium]

My first one was a 4 gallon stainless pot from HomeGoods, think it was $40. You can find aluminum pots for even cheaper. Worked great for partial boils (~2.5-3 gallons) and now serves as my HLT.

 

[kooklife]

are their any cons to using an aluminum pot? If I'm brewing a 5 gallon batch what size would be my best option?

 

[eastoak]

are their any cons to using an aluminum pot? If I'm brewing a 5 gallon batch what size would be my best option?

no drawbacks. i started with a 7.9 gallon turkey fryer then a 10 gallon pot then a keggle. all of those work fine.

 

[TyTanium]

Do a forum search for aluminum vs stainless. Stainless is more expensive and has some advantages over aluminum. Up to you to decide if the benefits outweight the cost. A lot of people brew great beer using aluminum.

 

[unionrdr]

I bought a set of 4 nested SS stock pots on sale at Giant Eagle with lids & steamer trays. Purty polished stainless,all for about $25. Those other stock pots come in handy occasionally as well. I can easily do a 3 gallon boil in the 5G one. Also plenty of room for PM when I get to it.
& I bought beer with pop top bottles only a few months in a row,starting before I actually got my 1st brewing kit. I used the cooper's pet bottles till I saved enough to do a couple batches. I placed the recycled bottles in any sturdy boxes we had or got from shipments coming in.
I had some 7 or 8 batches worth all over the house piled in big boxes. Wife got hacked,so I cleaned out the den. Spent some 5 to 7 weeks with PBW & a homer cheapo bucket soaking them.
I then started buying 12 packs of Lienenkugel's to get those nice sturdy boxes with separators. Also,Magic Hat,Great Lakes,Dundee,& a special Labatt's seasonal case box. My older son also saved me some of them,since we like many of the same beers. Boy,is that stack of bottles more compact now! These new age sturdier 12 pack boxes are way better. Some,like lienie's have tabs to keep'em closed.

 

[kooklife]

thanks guys I appreciate all the help!

 

[TyTanium]

Great idea on the cases. It's worth thinking through empty bottle management, otherwise you'll have random bottles everywhere. I uses bottle boxes that breweries use for shipping sixpacks - I can fit 26 standard bottles per box, so an entire batch fits into two stackable, easy-to-move boxes. I also store my empties in these things, so it's really easy to know when I have enough (and to store out of the way)

 

[unionrdr]

My thoughts precisely. Had to make the bottles use the smallest footprint possible so my corner of the study/den takes up only one corner of said room. Plus the boxes are pretty sturdy & hold 12 apiece,so a five gallon batch would be 4 boxes on average. Also great for keeping clean,recycled empties ready to go with no dust,etc.

 

[kooklife]

ok I was able to find a aluminum seafood steamer. Will this work?

 

[brewbabe22]

When we started brewing we looked at used restaurant stores for the pot.
We have also seen them at Meijer, they had pots for sale too.

 

[neovox]

If you want an aluminum pot foodservicewarehouse has some of the best prices online. If you're looking for a SS pot, adventures in homebrewing has some nice ones are great prices (with welds)

9 Gal 1 weld $69.99
9 Gal 2 welds $79.99
9 Gal no weld $59.99

 

[TyTanium]

If you're looking for a SS pot, adventures in homebrewing has some nice ones are great prices (with welds)

9 Gal 1 weld $69.99
9 Gal 2 welds $79.99
9 Gal no weld $59.99

+1 I use their 2 weld pot and have been very pleased.

 

[NCGrayson]

+1 I use their 2 weld pot and have been very pleased.

Did you pair that with their valves and thermometer or piece those elsewhere?

 

[TyTanium]

Went with their stuff. The price for the ball valve assembly is comparable to Home Depot, so I figured I'd save the trip. I went with their $15 thermometer. No issues thus far.

 

[NCGrayson]

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

[Jamming]

I bought the keggles great deal.

 

[Jcmccoy]

Check this place out super cheap

Instawares Restaurant Supply - Aluminum Stock Pots,

 

[Jcmccoy]

100 qt pot $75 Win-Ware 100qt Aluminum Stock Pot | Instawares Kitchen Supplies Sale

 

[ajf]

When I started AG, I got a 7.5g enamel coated steel preserving pan. It cost me about $10.00 and lasted about 12 years before it got chipped. Well worth the cost, but I haven't seen them around for a while.

-a.