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bmathews

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Hi guys I'm looking to buy a new kettle and looking for suggestions. As of now I do extract brewing but will prob grow into all grain some day. I like the ball valve option and welded if possible. I was also wondering if anyone haf hear of spije brewing they make kettles and fermenters
 
I see Spike brewing all of the time on Craigslist. I was always worried about the quality of the kettles, but their work looks solid. Amazon has a lot of reasonably priced kettles. There are quite a few aluminum kettles that are pretty good size for a reasonable price. I am planning on buying this one in a few weeks.
I have a bayou classic 15.5 gallon SS and it has worked pretty well.

You can definitely install your own ball valve if you are ok with non-welded fittings.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Spike brewing pushes their products on this forum quite a bit. I use the same kettles that they offer but I installed my own weldless fittings. They are good quality economy kettles. If you want a welded economy kettle I think spike is a fine choice. You can find the same kettles on amazon and they are sold by other home-brew equipment suppliers but spike is the only one I've seen offering the welded option as the steel is fairly thin. I guess that makes it more difficult to weld (I know next to nothing about welding).

What size were you looking for?
 
Im not sure either a 10 or 15. Im only soing 5 gallon batches now but I may do 10s in the future
 
KaTom Restaurant Supply has the Polar Ware 361BP kettle for $174.87 + shipping (http://www.katom.com/002-361BP.html). The 361BP is made in the U.S. and sports a U.S.-made ball valve, which is a killer deal at $174.87 because everything else in this price range is made in China. The optional Howe-manufactured Polar Ware 5015 thermometer can be had for $17.78 (http://www.katom.com/002-5015.html). Howe charges $50.00 for a non-OEM version of this thermometer on their website.

I owned an older incarnation of the 361BP kettle back before I took an eleven-year hiatus from brewing; therefore, I naturally migrated to the 361BP when I recently decided to re-enter the hobby. Unlike a fuel wasting keggle, the 361BP will pay for itself over time in fuel savings because it has an efficient one-to-one height to diameter ratio (i.e. it was designed to boil liquid, not serve beer). The latest incarnation is even nicer than the old version of the brew kettle in that the 1/2" ball valve nipple on the bottom has 1/2" NPT female threads on the inside of the kettle, which allows one to install a boil screen. One had to use a false bottom that sat above the outlet on the older version of the kettle if one wanted a boil screen (I use whole hops).

With that said, I believe that the 361BP is not long for this world; therefore, if you think that one may want one of Polar Ware's American-made kettles, now is the time to place one's order. Polar Ware was recently acquired by Vollrath. It looks like Vollrath is planning to use the Polar Ware brand name to sell import restaurant kitchenware, stock pots, and brew kettles (the economy Polar Ware kettles that are in most homebrew shops today are imports). I owned a Vollrath 10-gallon kettle as well, but I had to pay someone to weld a nipple onto that kettle. Polar Ware was the first commercial-grade stainless steel stockpot manufacturer to offer pre-built brewing kettles. Unless one moves to brewing bigger batches or takes a break for the hobby and sells all of one's gear like I did, the 361BP will be the last kettle that one will need to buy; therefore, heed the old adage and buy once, cry once!

By the way, never purchase a high-quality stockpot from your local homebrew store. Restaurant supply houses are a much better source for commercial-grade stockpots. The 361BP sells for $300.00 in my local homebrew store. KaTom is selling the same product for $174.87. That price delta represents a $125.00 middleman markup.
 
DoWBrewer said:
This is a great deal:

http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2013/08/16-gallon-bayou-classic-kettle_29.html
Click to expand...

The OP wants a kettle with welded fittings. The Bayou kettle uses bolt-on bulkhead fittings. Bayou's brew kettles and fittings are on pages 13 and 14 of their catalog (http://www.thebayou.com/Pages/Print_files/Catalog(2013) Email.pdf). Most of Bayou's stuff is made in China.

KaTom sells the American-made Polar Ware 601BP 15-gallon kettle for $214.47 + shipping (http://www.katom.com/002-601BP.html). It uses the same optional Howe-manufactured OEM thermometer as the 10-gallon 361BP. The thermometer fitting and the ball valve nipple are factory welded to the kettle on the 361BP and the 601BP.
 
EarlyAmateurZymurgist said:
The OP wants a kettle with welded fittings. The Bayou kettle uses bolt-on bulkhead fittings. Bayou's brew kettles and fittings are on pages 13 and 14 of their catalog (http://www.thebayou.com/Pages/Print_files/Catalog%282013%29%20Email.pdf). Most of Bayou's stuff is made in China.

KaTom sells the American-made Polar Ware 601BP 15-gallon kettle for $214.47 + shipping (http://www.katom.com/002-601BP.html). It uses the same optional Howe-manufactured OEM thermometer as the 10-gallon 361BP. The thermometer fitting and the ball valve nipple are factory welded to the kettle on the 361BP and the 601BP.
Click to expand...

Thanks for link. I am in the market for a kettle myself. I always prefer American made. It is so rare these days that I almost stopped looking.
 
The new northern brewer mega pots look interesting, haven't seen it on the website yet though. Catalog said something like $170 for a 10gal w/ ball valve. Might be a good deal but I'll wait for some reviews to come, no hurry.
 
How come some sites show the 601bp as a tall thin pot and other short and wide
 
ChocolateMaltyBalls said:
The new northern brewer mega pots look interesting, haven't seen it on the website yet though. Catalog said something like $170 for a 10gal w/ ball valve. Might be a good deal but I'll wait for some reviews to come, no hurry.
Click to expand...

Mega Pots are yet another bolt-on bulkhead fitting made in China kettle. To the best of my knowledge, the only kettles with welded fittings are Polar Ware's made in U.S.A. line (i.e., 601BP, 361BP, and 321BP) and the kettles from Spike Brewing that appear to be modified Chinese stockpots.

People confuse the 601BP, 361BP, and 321BP kettles with the imported economy Polar Ware-branded kettles that are sold in most homebrew shops. Most homebrew shops do not carry the 601BP, 361BP, and 321BP because they cannot compete with the restaurant supply houses on these items.
 
bmathews said:
How come some sites show the 601bp as a tall thin pot and other short and wide
Click to expand...

Some sites are displaying the wrong kettle. The dimensions for the 321BP, 361BP, and 601BP are on Polar Ware's website.

http://www.polarware.com/home-brewing/brew-pots-covers.php

The first dimension is the diameter of the pot (the 321BP and the 361BP share the same lid). As one can clearly see, with a diameter of 18-3/4" and a height of 13-3/4", the 601BP has less than a one-to-one diameter to height ratio, which makes it a very efficient 10-gallon batch boiler. People used to boil 10-gallon batches in model 600 60-quart Polar Ware stockpots with Superb PC-100 35,000 BTU burners. Try doing that with a keggle!

Polar Ware also has an economy line that many homebrew shops carry. The 321BP, 361BP, and 601BP are Polar Ware's top of the line kettles. They are built on Polar Ware's American-made 320, 360, and 600 stockpots. Model 320, 360, and 600 stockpots have been in commercial use for a long time. In my humble opinion, the Polar Ware kettles are a lot nicer than the Blichmann equivalent-size kettles and everything is made in the United States. Blichmann kettles are made in China. There only two major sources of American-made large capacity stock pots; namely, Polar Ware and Vollrath. Vollrath recently acquired Polar Ware.

Finally, Polar Ware offers the 361BP and 601BP kettles with sight gauges. The model numbers are 362BPSG and 602BPSG respectively.

http://www.polarware.com/home-brewing/brew-pot-with-site-gauge.php
 
I have to say the polar wear pots are a good looking pot with everything. I was looking for a tall narrow pot. Is there any real advantage to these stile pots. They seem like they would be nice to brew in.
 
bmathews said:
I have to say the polar wear pots are a good looking pot with everything. I was looking for a tall narrow pot. Is there any real advantage to these stile pots. They seem like they would be nice to brew in.
Click to expand...

I have this kettle: http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/update-international/apt-32/p4854.aspx for a few years. Its a good pot, but I don't really care for it being wider than tall, I loose nearly two gallons during a 60min boil compared with about a gallon for my old kettle (now my HLT). That's mostly why I'm considering upgrading.

As far as welded vs. bulkhead fittings, that seems like a personal preference, but bulkhead fittings seem to work just fine for lots of folks (like Kal: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/). I certainly will use bulkheads. Also buying Made in USA would be nice, but I mostly want a good kettle at a decent price, so whatever I get will probably have spent some part of its life in China.
 
bmathews said:
I have to say the polar wear pots are a good looking pot with everything. I was looking for a tall narrow pot. Is there any real advantage to these stile pots. They seem like they would be nice to brew in.
Click to expand...

I have found that a kettle with a 1:1 or less diameter-to-height ratio is more efficient than a narrow and tall kettle fuel-wise. One's wort will reach boiling temperature faster in a 1:1 or less diameter-to-height ratio kettle than in a kettle that is narrow and tall because more surface area is in contact with the heat source. The advantage of a tall and narrow kettle is that there is less surface area at the top of the column, which slows evaporation. John Blichmann states that 1:2 diameter-to-height ratio is better. However, most commercial breweries have kettles that are closer to 1:1. A ratio of 1:1 is the standard in commercial brew kettles that have built-in whirlpools.
 
ChocolateMaltyBalls said:
I have this kettle: http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/update-international/apt-32/p4854.aspx for a few years. Its a good pot, but I don't really care for it being wider than tall, I loose nearly two gallons during a 60min boil compared with about a gallon for my old kettle (now my HLT). That's mostly why I'm considering upgrading.
Click to expand...

Have you considered turning down your heat source or adding additional water during the boil?

Also buying Made in USA would be nice, but I mostly want a good kettle at a decent price, so whatever I get will probably have spent some part of its life in China.
Click to expand...

What do for a living? I used to believe that my job was untouchable. I no longer believe that fairytale. I watched in horror as the work of my entire engineering department was shipped off to India in 2001. I buy American when it is available. If I cannot afford to buy American, I save until I can afford buy American. The only time that I purchase non-American goods is when I cannot find an American-made product that is up to my standards. I avoid Chinese-made products if at all possible. For example, I wanted to purchase another Superb PC-100 propane stove like I used to own; however, sadly, they are no longer being manufactured. In fact, it is almost impossible to find an American-made propane stove that contains all American-made content these days. All of the propane stoves on the market contain Chinese content.

As a hobby, it doesn't get much cheaper than homebrewing. One can brew $60.00 to $80.00 worth of craft beer for $10.00 after one becomes a proficient all-grain brewer and masters basic yeast management. If one brews ten five-gallon batches of all-grain beer a year, one can save up to $700.00 in beer costs (more than $700.00 if one brews exotic beers). In the ten years that I brewed before taking an eleven-year hiatus, I saved enough money to pay for my all-grain brewery, kegging system, beer refrigerator, and a fully-equipped home yeast management laboratory several times over, and I recouped over 50% of what I spent on my gear when I sold it.
 
I try to keep the burner just high enough to keep a rolling boil, but I still get a lot of loss. I usually have to add a gallon of water partway thru to make sure I hit my gravity and volume target.

I really should have gotten a bigger pot in the beginning so I could have enough pre-boil volume. Based on my experience get a bigger kettle than you think you need.

We live in a global market, I've seen first hand with my parents the personal cost of globalization. But I still believe in a competitive market place, and my priorities are quality and cost. In the end it's a up to the consumer to decide how much they value origin, cost, quality, etc.
 
ChocolateMaltyBalls said:
We live in a global market, I've seen first hand with my parents the personal cost of globalization. But I still believe in a competitive market place, and my priorities are quality and cost. In the end it's a up to the consumer to decide how much they value origin, cost, quality, etc.
Click to expand...

The reason why American goods are more expensive is because it costs more to live in America than it does China. Companies that outsource production engage in cost of living arbitrage. Sooner or later, global labor arbitrage bites everyone who has to earn a living in a first world nation. It took twenty years for global labor arbitrage to affect me. If global labor arbitrage can affect an advanced degree holding R&D engineer, then it can affect anyone. Luckily, I had the skills and determination to recover from the blow, but the experience forever changed me. It was like being beaten about the head and shoulders with a 2x4.
 
I hear ya brother im a firm believer in keeping jobs in this country. I have a degree and yet am working as a plumber cause I cant get something in my field.
 
For $174.00 and change plus shipping from KaTom, the Polar Ware 361BP 40 Quart brew kettle is a lot of kettle for the money, especially considering that it is an American-made kettle that comes standard with an American-made 2-piece Flow Line 1/2" stainless steel ball valve (the 361BP is slightly taller than it is wide). I installed a 3-piece Sharpe ball valve on my kettle because I had one on hand. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the stock ball valve. I also purchased the optional Howe-manufactured OEM Polar Ware 5015 Thermometer for $17.00 and change from KaTom.

Here are few shots of my kettle:

361BP2_zps904f1178.jpg



361BPfront_zps6aa97a3c.jpg



361BPwelds_zpsaf101cae.jpg



Internal 1/2" Female NPT Fitting for Boil Screen or Pickup Tube

361BPInside_zps9fd98177.jpg



Stock Flow Line Ball Valve

361BPStockValve_zps2ec57ad0.jpg
 
Very good. Im planning on cooking with an induction burner cause I cant use gas. Would these be induction compatible.
 
EarlyAmateurZymurgist said:
The reason why American goods are more expensive is because it costs more to live in America than it does China. Companies that outsource production engage in cost of living arbitrage. Sooner or later, global labor arbitrage bites everyone who has to earn a living in a first world nation. It took twenty years for global labor arbitrage to affect me. If global labor arbitrage can affect an advanced degree holding R&D engineer, then it can affect anyone. Luckily, I had the skills and determination to recover from the blow, but the experience forever changed me. It was like being beaten about the head and shoulders with a 2x4.
Click to expand...

What you are saying is partly true. Labor in China is cheaper, but that is not necessarily the whole story. China has been dumping steel and aluminum products on the world market at below cost for a longtime. These are subsidized state interests with the goal of eliminating competition and consolidating market share in China. I wish the US was a little more aggressive about protecting it own interests.

Of course, I didn't think about that when I purchased my kettle. I was just thinking about how cool it would be to make 10-gallon batches.

BTW -- For the other folks wanting us to buy American, many of the "American" made steel products are only fabricated in the US. The raw steel still comes from China.

With that depressing thought, I think I will relax and have a home brew...
 
I see that the brewrite kettles on the polar wear site are induction compatible are they the same pots
 
DoWBrewer said:
Of course, I didn't think about that when I purchased my kettle. I was just thinking about how cool it would be to make 10-gallon batches.
Click to expand...

I hear you on that one!

The crazy thing is that homebrewing, even all-grain homebrewing is a cheap hobby if one drinks expensive beer and serves expensive beer to one's guests at parties. The initial outlay can be a little on the painful side (especially if one doesn't adopt a buy once, cry once strategy), but one's gear will pay for itself several times over if one continues to brew for more than a year or two. I calculated that saved over $7K in beer and wine costs in the ten years that I brewed and vinted before taking an eleven-year hiatus from the hobby. I purchased my base malt and hops in bulk and maintained my own yeast bank on slant. All of my recipes were formulated for 5.75 gallons to accommodate losses from kettle to corny. My average batch cost was between $8.00 and $10.00.
 
bmathews said:
I see that the brewrite kettles on the polar wear site are induction compatible are they the same pots
Click to expand...

No, they are different pots. I am sure if they are made in the United States or if they are an import. There have been several changes in the lineup since Vollrath acquired Polar Ware. Most of the American-made Vollrath and Polar Ware stockpots have welded handles.
 
bmathews said:
I see that the brewrite kettles on the polar wear site are induction compatible are they the same pots
Click to expand...

The induction ready version of the 360 (the stockpot that is the basis for the the 361BP Brewing Kettle) is the 363. It has a tri-ply bottom that contains a carbon steel layer sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel.

http://www.polarware.com/food-service/cookware-bakeware/tri-ply-stock-pots.php

KaTom Restuarant Supply sells the 363 for $166.51 (http://www.katom.com/002-363.html). You need to keep in mind the the 363 is a standard stock pot that lacks a ball valve nipple and thermometer port.

What are you planning to use to heat your kettle? All of the induction stoves that I have seen that are capable of heating ten gallon stockpots require a single-phase 240VAC voltage source or 3-phase 208 VAC source.
 
I was looking at the burton 6530 its a 3000 watt unit that needs 240. From what I can tell this should have no problem with 5 gallon batches. Prob will take some time for a 10 gallon batch but with the induction burner I can insulate the pot which I have heard makes a pretty big difference.
 
Rehashing an old thread....
Do you know if Polar Ware has any other homebrew kettle models besides the ones in the catalog? I just ordered a 10 gallon Polar Ware kettle with valve and sight gauge from Midwest supplies for a good price and they don't list the polar ware model on their website. I was wondering if it's the 362BPSG 42 Qt. Strange, because Midwest took the kettle off their website after I placed my order. Also, is 42 qts large enough for 5 gallon batches (6-7 gallon pre-boil)? How about using another 42 qt for my MLT?

Thx.
 
I think they do but I'm not really sure I think more beer kettles are polarware kettles. I have one of them and it's great. 42 qts will be plenty big enough I do full boils in my 32 qt kettle no problem

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Home Brew mobile app
 
No I don't think your missing anything. They look like a decent cheap pot. Like it says don't expect it to be as good as a polar ware. Also it's probably not a triclad bottom which I like because I use an induction cook top. I also hear it's good for gas because it helps distribute the heat evenly and helps to prevent scorching.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Home Brew mobile app
 

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