Looking for recommendations on new brew kettle

I just started getting back into AG brewing after taking a break for ~ 5 years. Already have a few batches in primary. I do 5 gallon batches, brew outside with gas, recently started batch sparging (previously fly), and keg my beer.

My brew kettle isn't the greatest. I got it off of ebay many years ago and while SS, it has a lot of sharp edges. I'm tired of slicing my fingers, so I want to upgrade. I've read through a lot of the comparison posts (such as 4 Popular Brew Kettles Compared); they were very helpful. What I'd like is:

• 10 gallon capacity. I have been boiling from 7 1/2 gal down to 5 1/2.
• Thermo so that I can stop abusing my original glass thermometer (for when chilling wort). Damn things bangs around and sooner or later I am going to break it.
• Sight glass (I want to get a little more precise so that I can better calculate boil off and efficiency).
• Do a better job with not collecting trub if possible.

My local HBS had this: Bayou Classic 10 gallon Brew Kettle which would be nearly perfect except that it didn't have the sight glass. This kettle appears to be relatively new or at least I didn't see a lot of people talking about it. It has a pretty nifty bottom that is included--the SS bottom plus a SS mesh. I am a bit worried about the dead space. It doesn't look too bad, but I would probably want to install the sight glass myself... something that I am trying to avoid. If anyone has this kettle, please chime in. This would be about $220 plus say another $30 for weldless sight glass kit plus say brush and heat shield. Might cost me a little more because I think I ruined my step bit a while back. Figure we're under $300.

The alternative is probably either this Polar Ware pot which is at $330, plus I'd have to add in the thermo (~$25) plus anything I want to add in for the filtering... false bottom or otherwise.

OR I could go with the blingman... but it looks like any additional kettle bottom would be extra... to the tune of about another $75. To get a equivalent set up we'd be looking at nearly $400.

So I guess I'm looking anyone who might have had experience with this particular Bayou, especially if they've modified it. I am pretty sure this is the way that I want to go, but since we're talking more than a couple of hundred bucks (and since I might have to drill it as well), I'd like to be really sure.

TIA.

JB

 

After too many DIY projects I decided to pay upfront. Ordered a 20 gallon Stout Kettle today with sight glass, tangential port, out port and thermowell. Comes with valves, fittings, thermometer and has a conical bottom to collect trub....It's pricey though....even the 15 gallon with all that is over $500. I didn't price the 10 gallon because I wanted to go 20 even though I'm doing 5-6 gallon batches now.

 

Www.homebrewstuff.com


http://www.homebrewstuff.com/10-gallon-kettle-w-valve-thermometer.html

I have their heavy duty 25 gallon 3 pot setup. Great price and excellent equipment.

I highly recommend them!

 

They have it in bare setup, MLT with false bottom, brew kettle or HLT with sight glass.

 

I have this pot. It's 20 gal, but if you check his other offerings he has smaller (and larger) ones. A very good price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-80-QT-Quart-Polished-Stainless-Steel-Stock-Pot-Brewing-Kettle-Large-w-Lid-/190775614493?pt=Cookware&hash=item2c6b1cdc1d

Then you get a weldless kit for your ball valve and a sight glass. That will be another $60 or $70 depending on where you get it. Then you need to punch the holes with a step punch and seal it all up with Rector Seal. You can have a good 20 gal pot for about $120 or so and some elbow grease.

 

From here I'm assuming? This wasn't an option that I'd seen before. I'll also check it out too.

JB

 

Instawares.com. Update international stainless stockpots are the same as mdgapots sold everyehere. A step bit , weldless fitting and you are there. PM me with questions. They have pots of all sizes.

 

I have several friends that homebrew and have different types of store bought kettles. No matter how fancy or expensive they are, everyone prefers the converted kegs that I use with sight tubes and thermo's. They're very functional and way cheaper to make as long as you can acquire a keg. Bobby at Brewhardware.com has every piece of hardware you would need to do this weather you weld fittings or go weldless. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Take a look at the stainless kettles from www.spikebrewing.com. I have the 15 gallon with two welded fittings (horizontal) and I use it for both 5 and 10 gallon batches. I have been very impressed with this pot.

If you are interested in his pots, check the vendor section of hbt as he sometimes runs specials for members.

 

Here is another option. These kettles are nice and cheap.

 

Keggle all the way. Find someone who has a kegerator, give them the $40 deposit they get for returning the empty keg and order all of your weldless stuff from brewhardware (Bobby's place).

BAM.

 

I have the same sized Bayou Classic you linked, but mine is this one:





link


I do BIAB, so I like the basket for support.

 

I use a 15 gallon boil kettle and am happy I have the extra head space. 10 gallon would make me nervous.

Anyways, the blichmann has everything you want. You'll pay for it but I think it's worth it.

 

15 kettle for 5 gal batches?

 

Absolutely. When you account for evaporation, loss to trub in the kettle and the carboy, etc. I often start a 60 minute boil with around 7 gallons of liquid. And some batches are 90 minute or more so then you're looking at around 8 gallons of wort. Having only 2 gallons of head space would make me quite nervous.

I've had that hot break come up quite high. High enough to have gone over a 10 gallon kettle.

I like to play it safe. And you could then have the room for any future 10 gallon batches.

 

Yeah, that's about my starting boil: 7 gallons which is real tight for my current brew kettle which is optimistically 32 - 35 qts. I definitely have to keep an eye on it during hot break.

I am going to go with the Bayout 40 qt and install my own sight gauge. If I ever decide to do 10 gallon batches I'd probably convert to a whole new setup.

JB

 

I have the 10 gallon version and I've been very happy with it. I originally wanted the 15 gallon but they were out of stock (contrary to Web Site) and I was too impatient to wait so I changed my order to the 10 gal instead. the owner seemed reasonable, quality is good, and the price really can't be beat for a pot with wellness fittings. I'd definitely take a look a spikes kettles

 

I like what I have, but that's a pretty good price on a kettle that includes a brewometer, false bottom, and bazooka filter.

 

I bought the 10 gal bayou classic pot with lid only from amazon. $77 right now... Free shipping amazon prime ftw...

Added weldless sight glass, bulkhead and 3 piece valve with a hose nipple, and a 3" brew thermometer from brewhardware.com. Used a 90 degree elbow as a pickup tube. Also bought the small step bit there. That was about $100 with shipping.

Assembly took about 2-3 hours taking my time on the holes.

Any luck with this app and air will be pasted below. I've brewed on it twice now, no complaints. Needs a heat shield...using a piece of aluminum foil for now...as for trub pickup, let's just say I'm still working on my whirlpool technique.

Eric

 

^^^^

That might be the route to go, if buying the false bottom from BC is going to be cheaper.

 

THANKS for the photo. This will be very similar to what I'm going to end up with. Really great kettle price.

JB

 

I would second this thought. I love my 15 gallon kettle.

 

I routinely have near boil overs with 6-6.5 gallon batches (8+ gallon preboil) in my 15 boilermaker. Glad i opted for the 15...but kinda wish i would have went 20

 

I really debated the 10 vs 15 gal pot before buying the 10. Actually fwiw the bayou classic is 10.5 gal so maybe that will save me from a boil over, maybe not.

For me I was concerned about the placement of the thermometer in a 15 gal Pot. Mine is 6" off the bottom of the kettle and 4 gallons just reaches the probe.

Was thinking about opportunity to go to 10 gal batches but I just got the bug and bottled 10 batches since September... Kinda swimming in beer for now, giving it away helps but that hits my bottle inventory. Was thinking that I could pull off 9+ gallon batch in this kettle by boiling a portion of the wort in my 5 gallon pot on the stove, then combining worts right before chilling.

Eric