Boil equipment for 5 gallon batches

[markag]

Looking for some general guidance here.

I was gifted a 6.5 gallon carboy for my birthday. My current brew equipment is really sized for 3 gallon batches or less. I'm asking for suggestions and input on equipment for boiling the wort.

My current method is a 16 quart pot on an electric stovetop range. I'm assuming that won't scale up to a 5 gallon batch size.

I'm looking for cost effective solutions and potential advantages or drawbacks for those options.

Thanks!

 

[govner1]

Based on your minimal description of your methods I can only presume you're currently doing extract and or partial mash brews.
Based on that if you plan to begin doing larger (5g) batches with the same brewing method you'll definitely need a larger kettle. With that in mind and an eye to the future I'd recommend at least an 8g kettle but a 10g will give you more flexibility to expand.
I started w/ an 8g for 3g AG batches and have expanded from there. A good brand I've used is Update International. Good quality SS w/ a tri-clad bottom.

 

[kh54s10]

If you are in fact doing extract batches and want an inexpensive transition. Use kits or recipes designed for five gallons and get a 20 quart stock pot for about $20 at the grocery store. If you grow out of it for brewing you can use it for cooking.

 

[mongoose33]

I had an 8-gallon kettle for 5-gallon batches. I think that's about as small as you'd want to go for 5 gallons--you'll start with 6.5 to 7 gallons and boil down. Even that doesn't leave a lot of room for boilover error.

If you want to do brew-in-a-bag, you'll want a 10-gallon kettle.

If you can brew outside, a good propane burner will work. I had one of these https://www.walmart.com/ip/King-Koo...gle-Burner-Outdoor-Cooker-Camp-Stove/10661038 and it worked very well. It's tall, which is a good thing (I can't imagine using a Turkey burner), and has decent heat production. There are better ones, but for the price and height and heat capacity, it's pretty good.

I upgraded to a Blichmann Hellfire, which has 140,000 btus versus the 54,000 btus of the King Kooker. I upgraded in part in anticipation of perhaps doing 10-gallon batches, but also for the increased heating efficiency. But there's a price to pay for that. Instead of $60 for the King Kooker, I have about $190 into the Hellfire.

I sold mine for $50 to a friend who got into brewing; that's one nice thing about it, it's built like a tank, and can be moved when and if you upgrade.

 

[markag]

Sorry for the lack of information on the method. I'm doing all grain batches using an igloo cooler mash tun and batch starting. My mash tun should should be adequate enough for a 5 gallon batch. I'm just short on the boil side of the process.

Are there particular materials that should be avoided? For instance, are aluminium pots acceptable, or should I stick with stainless?

 

[mongoose33]

Stick with stainless.

 

[govner1]

Couldn't agree more w/ @markag re SS.
Again, a bit more detail would be helpful, i.e., how big is your tun? Also, how are you heating your strike water & sparse water?
If you move to 5g AG you need to consider these. You could get away w/ one kettle but you will need a means of holding your sparge water during the mash. Perhaps another cooler (5-10g) or of course another kettle. I'm afraid your current 4g pot isn't going to be large enough.
Also, how are you going to handle transfer of hot water & wort?
As mongoose33 suggested, an outdoor burner would be much more efficient than trying to boil 6.5-7g on a stovetop.
Also, how are you going to chill your wort?

 

[markag]

I've got a 5 gallon igloo cooler for my mash tun. In my previous batches, I've used my a secondary kitchen pot (or two sometimes) to heat my sparge water. I drain the mash tun into the boil kettle, then did a batch sparge with my heated water. I generally just pour it over the grains, and then let it drain out.

I haven't looked at 5 gallon ask grain recipes, what is the typical range fur sparge volume on a 5 gallon batch? Would my existing 4 gallon pot be sufficiuent for sparge water?

I'm leaning towards a propane burner and a 10 gallon stainless steel kettle for the boil. Woukd it be worth it to try and source a used Keg? Looks like I can get stainless steel 10 gallon pots for less than $50 on Amazon.

I've got an existing immersion wort chiller that I made myself. I will probably need to make a bigger one for 5 gallon batch size, but that shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[applescrap]

I like my aluminum kettle. My next kettle will be 20 or 25 gallon. Ss is expensive in that size.

 

[Incubus2112]

Regarding batch size, I am sure many brewers have advised you to get BIGGER than a 5 gallon kettle.
In your head this would honestly make sense to get 5 gallons, since that's what you're going to be doing, but you couldn't be more wrong in that 5 gallons is what that sized kettle would hold when the water is up to the lip of the thing.

I find 10 gallon kettles are perfect for my 5 gallon boils. I would use a rule of thumb to go over 5 gallons when purchasing your kettles for brewing.

5 gallon batch = 10 gallon kettle
10 gallon batch = 15 gallon kettle
etc

 

[hvjackson]

I started with an 8 gallon kettle for my 5g batches and I would definitely recommend something bigger. If you already have an 8g lying around you could try it but if you are buying new I would STRONGLY suggest 10 gallons.

 

[seatazzz]

Before I got my keggle I used (and still do for some batches) a heavy 12 gallon aluminum kettle from Costco. I think it was about $55-60. I never got around to drilling it out for a bulkhead & ball valve, but with an autosiphon didn't really need it to be. You'll find many debates on this forum as to aluminum vs. stainless, but if you're on a budget aluminum is just fine. I've never had any issues with mine and have been using it for over 8 months now.

 

[govner1]

My personal preference is for good SS. Beware of the cheap $50 pots. Particularly the "shiny" Chinese crap. They're thin & generally poor quality. The Old saying "you get what you pay for" is really true in this case.
Also, buying better kettles & equipment now will let you "grow" your system as needed because you can sell more easily if needed.
In any case, the quality ware will last much longer.
I'd add another cooler/tun, preferably a 10 gal. Use yo current 5 gal as an HLT. Use your new 10g BK to heat your strike water then your current pot to heat sparse water & hold in your 5g cooler.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Since you already have a mashtun, I will comment that AiH has a sale today for $10 off $50 purchases, and a 8 gal stainless kettle with 1 welded valve for $49.99. Add a ball valve and you're good to go for a durable kettle that'll make transfering to fermenter easy.

 

[govner1]

I would encourage you to get a 10g mash tun for 5g batches. Just as you'll need more than a 5g BK you'll need more than a 5g MLT for 5g AG batches.
Also, I'd encourage you to get a 10g BK.