Brew Kettle Size and Outfitting

[Brian Dempsey]

I have been brewing with a NB kit (5 gallon kettle) for about a year now, doing all extract beers on my kitchen stove. I have completely out grown this, as I want to get into larger batches and all grain brewing. I was looking at getting a 15/16 gallon kettle with level marking inside to handle this (not looking to go any larger then 10 gallons right now). And i have a delma:

1. Get a plan kettle and drill out the holes that i need to a ball valve, temp prob, ect myself?
2. Get a kettle with ports on it (welded on) and thread on the ball valve, prob, ect myself?
3. Get a kettle with ports on it (welded on) with the ball valve. add the prob, etc myself?

Everything will be stainless steel. looking forward to the opinions, cheers!

Gimp

 

[mongoose33]

You can get some really good weldless fittings from brewhardware.com. I got a kettle from a friend that had a couple holes already drilled; I'm not generally a weldless fan because, well, my former NB kettle had them, but these weldless bulkheads are stout.

https://www.brewhardware.com/category_s/1838.htm

If resources are tight, then buying a good kettle, drilling the holes yourself and using these weldless bulkheads would be reasonable.

I personally like welded fittings better. If you're willing to assemble things, then it sometimes can be cheaper to do it that way. If you want something high quality where all the parts are designed to fit from the get-go, then getting a turnkey kettle makes more sense.

The saying is buy once, cry once. Assuming you have the resources available, I'd suggest getting the best quality that you reasonably can.

I have a Spike kettle. High quality. I'd buy it again--in fact, I bought their 10-gallon conical.

My 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[neverfadeaway86]

I picked up a 16 gallon kettle on amazon last year and love it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0082X3D06/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[4of7]

I have been brewing with a NB kit (5 gallon kettle) for about a year now, doing all extract beers on my kitchen stove. I have completely out grown this, as I want to get into larger batches and all grain brewing. I was looking at getting a 15/16 gallon kettle with level marking inside to handle this (not looking to go any larger then 10 gallons right now). And i have a delma:

1. Get a plan kettle and drill out the holes that i need to a ball valve, temp prob, ect myself?
2. Get a kettle with ports on it (welded on) and thread on the ball valve, prob, ect myself?
3. Get a kettle with ports on it (welded on) with the ball valve. add the prob, etc myself?

Everything will be stainless steel. looking forward to the opinions, cheers!

Gimp

Talk to Bobby m at Brew hardware.. will take care of your brewing needs , great service..

 

[4of7]

I have been brewing with a NB kit (5 gallon kettle) for about a year now, doing all extract beers on my kitchen stove. I have completely out grown this, as I want to get into larger batches and all grain brewing. I was looking at getting a 15/16 gallon kettle with level marking inside to handle this (not looking to go any larger then 10 gallons right now). And i have a delma:

1. Get a plan kettle and drill out the holes that i need to a ball valve, temp prob, ect myself?
2. Get a kettle with ports on it (welded on) and thread on the ball valve, prob, ect myself?
3. Get a kettle with ports on it (welded on) with the ball valve. add the prob, etc myself?

Everything will be stainless steel. looking forward to the opinions, cheers!

Gimp

My first year I did 20 batches of 5gallon all with a five gallon kettle . I was interested in kits and partial mash..