Best Kettles for an Electric Brewery

[bierdeblanche]

What should I be looking for in kettles for an all-electric brewery?

Does anyone make them with the fittings necessary for pumps, or is that a purely DIY/hire a welder sort of thing?

 

[rossi46]

Spike will build them any way you want, check them out, they are a sponsor. http://spikebrewing.com/

 

[bierdeblanche]

Spike will build them any way you want, check them out, they are a sponsor. http://spikebrewing.com/

Oh man, those are pretty. Almost half the price of Blichmann to boot!

 

[iijakii]

Also check out colorado brew supply. That was the cheaper place to get a kettle with TC ports when I ordered a yearish ago.

 

[dmcman73]

I second using Spike. I had them weld 2 inch TriClover ports at the bottom side of my kettles to insert the heating elements. I chose 2 inches because it makes it much easier to install and remove the wavey heating element i use.

All you would need then is a 2 inch triclover element housing, 2 inch TC clamp, wire and plug and you're all set.

 

[joebob296]

I second using Spike. I had them weld 2 inch TriClover ports at the bottom side of my kettles to insert the heating elements. I chose 2 inches because it makes it much easier to install and remove the wavey heating element i use.

All you would need then is a 2 inch triclover element housing, 2 inch TC clamp, wire and plug and you're all set.

+1. I have the exact same setup

 

[cod3ck]

If I didn't already have my DIY e-keggles. I'd go Spike.

 

[jwalkermed]

I have a 10gal blichmanm g2 with a boilcoil. The reason I went with it is the boil coil is along the periphery of the kettle not in the bottom and I do BIAB. Didn't want the grain bag to rest on the element.

 

[Yeastieboy]

I modified a Bayou Classic 1160 62-Quart and integrated a 220V BoilCoil. Very happy with it. The 1160 comes with a stainless basket which can be adjusted to sit above a BoilCoil mounted at the very bottom of the kettle.

 

[TexasWine]

I'd just buy a Bayou Classic of whatever size I want, use weldless fittings and punch the holes myself. Just bought a Bayou Classic 1060 and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

 

[mabrungard]

Back when I was brewing on a gas burner, I found that an aluminum stock pot was perfect for a brewing kettle. I subsequently converted that kettle into an electric kettle and it works great. However, I recognize that the excellent heat transfer properties of aluminum where actually less than ideal for an electric kettle. You lose more heat energy through the sides of the kettle with aluminum than with SST. Its not a big deal, but it probably means that I have to turn up my heater controller an extra percent or two to compensate.

So for electric kettles, aluminum will work, but its less ideal than SST. But I can assure you that a nice thick aluminum stock pot is still well-suited for brewing. Using weldless fittings should be on your consideration list.

 

[303Dan]

Oh man, those are pretty. Almost half the price of Blichmann to boot!

If you look a little closer, the prices are actually close. In fact, if you take the 15 gallon kettle as an example, the Blichmann is $375.

If you buy the 15gal from Spike with a sight glass (the Blichmanns come with a sight glass), your base price is $330. But then it doesn't come with the valve or thermometer. Add an adjustable thermometer and a 3 piece SS ball valve (to keep the feature set comparable), and now you're up to $405. So, the Spike is actually $30 more expensive for the same features.

Edit: I forgot about the dip tube, which is also sold separately, so add another $28 on top of that $405 for the Spike kettle.

 

[bierdeblanche]

If you look a little closer, the prices are actually close. In fact, if you take the 15 gallon kettle as an example, the Blichmann is $375.

If you buy the 15gal from Spike with a sight glass (the Blichmanns come with a sight glass), your base price is $330. But then it doesn't come with the valve or thermometer. Add an adjustable thermometer and a 3 piece SS ball valve (to keep the feature set comparable), and now you're up to $405. So, the Spike is actually $30 more expensive for the same features.

Edit: I forgot about the dip tube, which is also sold separately, so add another $28 on top of that $405 for the Spike kettle.

I thought I had seen the Blichmanns at 500+ for those kettles, then realized that's the ones that are modified: https://www.morebeer.com/products/b...5-gal-240-brew-pot-blichmann-engineering.html

 

[sensortech]

I have 3 -15 gallon tall boys from northern brewer and I silver soldered the triclover flanges from brewhardware.com.

 

[itsnotrequired]

If you look a little closer, the prices are actually close. In fact, if you take the 15 gallon kettle as an example, the Blichmann is $375.

If you buy the 15gal from Spike with a sight glass (the Blichmanns come with a sight glass), your base price is $330. But then it doesn't come with the valve or thermometer. Add an adjustable thermometer and a 3 piece SS ball valve (to keep the feature set comparable), and now you're up to $405. So, the Spike is actually $30 more expensive for the same features.

Edit: I forgot about the dip tube, which is also sold separately, so add another $28 on top of that $405 for the Spike kettle.

the reason i chose spike over blichmann is because i didn't need all the extra features that come standard on the blichmann. blichmann 'forces' you to buy the stuff even if you don't want it (e.g thermometer, sight glass, linear valve, etc.) spike allows a la cart pricing.

 

[303Dan]

the reason i chose spike over blichmann is because i didn't need all the extra features that come standard on the blichmann. blichmann 'forces' you to buy the stuff even if you don't want it (e.g thermometer, sight glass, linear valve, etc.) spike allows a la cart pricing.

Yep, no argument there. Just pointing out that when you compare as closely as you can apples to apples as far as features go, the prices are similar if not a little in the Blichmann's favor. Of course with the Spike you get welded fittings while the Blichmann is all weldless.

 

[jimyson]

I enjoy my kettle from Brewers Hardware.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1460335393.913555.jpg

 

[Rockn_M]

I'd just buy a Bayou Classic of whatever size I want, use weldless fittings and punch the holes myself. Just bought a Bayou Classic 1060 and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

This is what I did. Probably saved a few hundred on each of the 3 pots.

 

[SDBob]

I'm with the other DIY members. There's easy instructions online how to solder in fittings, so your design is limited only by your imagination. Here's mine.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BECR0U_BepY/