What should I do with this 80 gallon steam kettle?

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HappyValley

HappyValley

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Hi all,

I just scored a stainless-lined steam kettle on CL for $30, and am wondering what I should do with it... There are some holes in the kettle about an inch above the top of the jacket, so I was thinking I would trim off the upper part of the kettle (which would still give me more than adequate capacity for anything I could imagine doing).

Steam heated MLT seems ideal, but how to generate steam inexpensively? The other good option seems like a glycol-cooled fermenter, although the weld to the discharge port at the bottom would need to be cleaned up...

Thoughts?

kettle.jpg
 
Unless you're going to fully utilize that much space (I couldn't ever fathom using a kettle that big for anything!) I'd probably just list it in the classifieds here.
 
wyzazz said:
Unless you're going to fully utilize that much space (I couldn't ever fathom using a kettle that big for anything!) I'd probably just list it in the classifieds here.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I bet there is a brew club who would love to have one for those for a group brew. 80 Gallons would be enough for my whole year.
 
I would agree, except the holes in the side above the jacket look like they'd be extremely hard to weld up. With the straight sides cut off, I calculate the jacketed semi-sphere would hold 30 gallons. Seems like an reasonable volume for a MLT given 15 gallon batches. You're not just trying to get me to put it up for sale cheap, are you? ;)
 
Make a RIMS or HERMS out of a 15gal container and pump it in and out. Would make a great huge MLT.
 
nickfogler said:
Not sure I follow what you mean here. Pump hot water in and out of the jacket?
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Ignore the fact that it is a steam kettle for the time being and pretend it is a regular kettle.

Drill a hole in the bottom (or use the discharge) and drain some wort into a pump that brings the water through an immersion chiller inside a 15gal pot full of water with a burner underneath it. Then route the wort back into the big pot on top.

This is called HERMS and should work well for a giant batch using this as a MLT. RIMS would be the same thing except directly heating the wort in the 2nd container.
 
nickfogler said:
I would agree, except the holes in the side above the jacket look like they'd be extremely hard to weld up. With the straight sides cut off, I calculate the jacketed semi-sphere would hold 30 gallons. Seems like an reasonable volume for a MLT given 15 gallon batches. You're not just trying to get me to put it up for sale cheap, are you? ;)
Click to expand...

I doubt they would be very difficult for anyone used to working with metal, like a body shop person, or machinist. I'm a hack and you should see the work I did on my mower deck last night.

And, no, I don't want it. I'm perfectly happy with my current setup and my future plans to go RIMS for 5 gallons. Plus I have a BUNCH of other things to take up my time. But I know that many clubs would probably like to have a large system for group brews. It seems well suited for that.
 
Homercidal said:
I doubt they would be very difficult for anyone used to working with metal, like a body shop person, or machinist.
Click to expand...

The issue is that the kettle appears to be mild steel lined with stainless. I'm not sure what would happen if you weld stainless to a mild steel/stainless sandwich. I'd guess you'd mix the metals, and your weld would rust.
 
I have a 70G one in my shop somebody banged out of round and plasma cut the fittings off. Picked it up in the yard for $50. I will not be using steam for this since without the history and dubious to start history of it I really do not want a vessel trying to hold PSI that I can not test nor am willing to spend cash on to have tested. I am also not willing to spend money on a system that could generate steam for it since it will turn a good find into a money pit.

I am planning to simply have some fittings welded on and install electric heating elements and make it a recirculating MLT. This will give me some huge volume for a budget price. My only concern so far is fear of buckling on the double wall when using weld-less elements (I want the ability to replace/service/repair). I am toying with the idea of a false bottom with an appropriate silicone material on the outside rim shaped like a giant gasket fitted on for a seal. Just food for thought.
 

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