If you're going to go, go BIG?

[solbergg]

Hey all,

Well, between a tax refund, birthday, work bonus, and the "economy stimulator" cash coming next month, I am sitting with a fat wallet right now. I've been wanting to do some equipment upgrades to prepare myself for all grain brewing, but I have been holding off due to limited storage space. But, that will be resolved as I will be getting a nice, 75 sq ft shed this weekend. So, needless to say, I am now very seriously looking into my next upgrades. So far I have been doing partial boil extract brewing with specialty grains. My first incremental step will be to start doing full boils. Basically what I need for this is a larger brew kettle (stuck with a 4 gallon one right now) and a burner. I have been told that the bayou classics at home depot are all that I need for a burner, so that leaves me with kettle choices. Here are my basic decisions to make:

1. What size? I plan on doing 5 gallon batches only. I rather do two different styles of 5 gallons rather than one 10 gallon batch.

2. Do I need a valve? If not "needed", is it at least highly beneficial once I get into all grain? How about the built in thermometers - awesome or not really worth the expense?

3. Tall and narrow or wide and short? The two big comparisons would be Northern Brewer's wide Megapots versus the narrow Polarware varieties.

4. Tradional kettle or go for the keggle? I noticed on sabco's website that they will sell a keggle that has it's top cut open, deburred and ready to fit their lids for $99 (no drilled holes for valves or thermometers though). In comparison, the 15 Megapot costs $160 and the 15 gal Polarware $276 (albeit with a ball valve). Sabco also sells a burner that is built to specifically hold their keggle, which is cool, but also costs $73.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[knowltonm]

Well, things to consider are:

1. At the VERY least, 30 or 32 qt pot that comes with the fryer...We use a 30qt aluminum pot that came with the fryer. If you wish to avoid boil overs from hot break, you will probably need 40qt. Aluminum vs SS has been discussed in various other threads.

2. In a boil kettle for a 5 gal batch, a valve is not necessary. We have a basic pot we dump out into the fermenter which also helps with aeration. Built in thermometers could be nice, but by no means a necessity, especially in a boil kettle. It's most important in the mash tun, which you probably have a cooler? If you've got all that money to throw around, a cooler mash tun can be made for $60 or so.

3. Pot dimensions may be limited by your burner stand...if it has anything coming up on the edges, that's your limit. Wider pots will evaporate quicker due to the surface area.

4. Keggles may be overkill for 5 gallons. If you think you might want to go to 10 gal batches, they'd be great for mashing and boiling. A 10 gal cooler converted to a mash tun will be more than you'd ever need for a 5 gal batch, and would be enough for most 10 gal batches as well. I just converted a 10 gal cooler that I will be putting into use this summer...I also want to stick to 5 gal batches.

What were your plans for the MLT? HLT?

 

[solbergg]

Probably going to go the cooler route for the all grain setup. First I need to figure out exactly what's involved with all grain brewing, and knowing that will hopefully help me figure out what I need for lauter tuns.

 

[Yunus]

I just purchased a 60qt cooler that I am going to use for my first All-grain. Rather than spend $50 for a round cooler I got a square Igloo cooler from my local Wal-mart for $25. It's tall rather than long like the rectangular coolers so I figure it will easily allow me to do both 5 and 10 gallon batches. It also has wheels and a handle for easy mobility. I have read that a shallow grain bed is fine but everyone seems to like the cylinder coolers better but this seems like a good compromise for the price.

 

[Ice9]

If you're going to go big, you might as well take a look at the Blichmann Boilermaker kettles. Bling Bling

 

[knowltonm]

Do you want to convert a cooler yourself or buy the kits? If you enjoy DIY stuff, there's a lot you can do with a cooler. This is pretty much exactly what I did: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23008. I used a hard plastic plate and drilled holes all over it for my false bottom instead of the SS braid...I like fly sparging.

Also remember that if you only have one burner, you'll need another holding tank for sparge water. I don't know where you plan to brew, how close that is to your stove, but you can use your 4 gal boil pot to heat your sparge water. Other options are a 5 gal cooler or 2nd turkey fryer.

 

[EdWort]

If you are going 10 gallons, you surely will want a 15 gallon kettle. I happen to know one is available.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=62907

 

[CBBaron]

1. What size? I plan on doing 5 gallon batches only. I rather do two different styles of 5 gallons rather than one 10 gallon batch.

2. Do I need a valve? If not "needed", is it at least highly beneficial once I get into all grain? How about the built in thermometers - awesome or not really worth the expense?

3. Tall and narrow or wide and short? The two big comparisons would be Northern Brewer's wide Megapots versus the narrow Polarware varieties.

4. Tradional kettle or go for the keggle? I noticed on sabco's website that they will sell a keggle that has it's top cut open, deburred and ready to fit their lids for $99 (no drilled holes for valves or thermometers though). In comparison, the 15 Megapot costs $160 and the 15 gal Polarware $276 (albeit with a ball valve). Sabco also sells a burner that is built to specifically hold their keggle, which is cool, but also costs $73.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

1) If you are going to stick with 5gal batches the boil kettle that comes with your burner (usually 30qt) is sufficient if a little tight. Anything bigger than 40qt is overkill for 5gal but should work.
2) For a 5gal boil kettle you don't really need any extras. A sight tube or some way to measure the volume is the only thing I might like on a boil kettle. On a HLT you will want a thermometer and a valve. On a MLT a valve and false bottom is needed, a thermometer is nice.
3) Not sure it matters, I'm using the turkey fryer pot which is tall and narrow.
4) Keggles are oversized for 5gal batches but perfect for 10gal.

Get the turkey fryer, build yourself a 10gal cooler MLT using a Kewler Kits and SS braid and start doing AG. Your current pot can serve as the HLT until or if you build a brew stand. Oh and you need to get a wort chiller if you don't have one yet. That total will be less than the boil kettles you are looking at. If you want to upgrade the kettle in the future you can with no problem.

I've done about a dozen 5gal batches with a turkey fryer, 5gal cooler MLT and a large canner.
Craig

 

[jds]

I recognize that this thread is about boil kettles, but Solbergg did not mention a chiller of any kind. If you're going to 5 gallon boil volumes, you really should consider buying or making a chiller of some kind.

 

[solbergg]

I recognize that this thread is about boil kettles, but Solbergg did not mention a chiller of any kind. If you're going to 5 gallon boil volumes, you really should consider buying or making a chiller of some kind.

Yeah, definitely a good point. I actually have an immersion chiller arriving next week. I'm excited to test it out, but am worried that the tap water in Florida isn't going to be cool enough.

 

[solbergg]

After reading all of the responses, I think it actually makes sense to go as cheap as possible at first (unless Ed wants to sell his kettle for really CHEAP, hehe). I really liked the idea of getting a great brew kettle now that I could use in a brew stand later, but $50 for my burner and kettle (7.5 gallon kettle, but I will do full boil with fermtap) isn't a painful loss if I end up buying better equipment later on. And who knows, maybe my beer will get popular enough that I will need to make 10 gallon batches, so I wouldn't want to have a ton of money invested into 5 gallon gear. Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

Oh yeah, and I'm totally salivating over those blichmann kettles, wow!

 

[solbergg]

Alright, so I was looking for the kewler kits and noticed that Northern Brewer actually sells an all-grain cooler kit link. Is there any cost savings doing it myself or should I just go with this?

 

[Tonedef131]

Alright, so I was looking for the kewler kits and noticed that Northern Brewer actually sells an all-grain cooler kit link. Is there any cost savings doing it myself or should I just go with this?

I have that kit and it is very nice, but I got it back when it was about $50 cheaper than that. Since the price increase at NB the one at Midwest is cheaper, plus it comes with a sparge arm.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=5419

 

[knowltonm]

$230 seems a bit high to me. After purchasing a $40 round 10 gal cooler from home depot, the ball valve, random fittings, a plate with holes drilled in it, and I'm done...took a little bit of playing around trying to find the parts, but if you really want I can give you a complete list of what I bought, total price (cooler included) was around $60 or $65. In my opinion it's worth it to save $170+shipping. (Sparge arm not included...still thinking about how I want to do that if at all)

 

[knowltonm]

Here's my mash tun...the only thing left to do is cut the copper fitting under the plate so the plate lies flat. http://45thparallelbrewing.googlepages.com/Equipment.htm

The plate false bottom could be replaced with a SS braid for batch sparging.

 

[solbergg]

Well, I visited home depot today and picked up my burner. Unfortunately they don't have the turkey fryer for sale at this time of the year. So, I am back to looking for a stockpot. Ed, do you still have yours for sale? If not, should I get one with a spigot and thermometer, or are those just bling?

 

[BrewBeemer]

If it were me just starting out by all means go AG. (yes my new equipment design is still on paper in the dream stages as medical and family bills come first the last 5 years. Were not here for the soaps just suds, sorry just bitter with back injury pain.

I would not limit myself in thinking 5 gallon batches only as you may wish you started with a 10 gallon system. You can brew 5 gallon batches with a 10 gallon capacity system. On big beirs that take a lot of grain even a 15.5 gallon converted keg system can become too small. Hell do it right and cheaper once than twice, the WAR DEPARTMENT aka wife would shoot me if I said oops need a larger system after scratching enough money up for another system. My thinking, there is a reason why many companies have a "complete ready to brew system", this is a money making business. If your handy, mechanical and know how to weld, have the equipment TIG or have connections with friends with a Tig welder shop around then build your own custom system that will cost less. With this I mean have everything made up so only welding is required to save on the labor costs.
There are some great equipment designers and brewers on this forum.
Some need only the best wayover the the top while others make great bier with basic equipment. Done ranting.