Brew pot suggestions

[rguedr3]

After brewing my first batch (extract) I have become quite obsessed with home brewing. I have decided to jump into all grain. I need a brew pot for heating my sparge water and boiling my wort. Should I go all in on a $190, 16 gal stainless stock pot with spigot or stick with the $70 stainless turkey fryer pot? I am from Louisiana, so a large stainless crawfish pot would be nice.

 

[tally350z]

Depends on what size batches you plan on doing. I use a 10gallon SS pot and it works great. If you plan on making larger batches with the 16 g, then I say do it right the first time and get the proper equipment.

 

[jstewartgt]

Spikebrewing is selling 15gal SS with two couplers welded for $150. See the Vendor Showcase forum. I ordered one on the last buy and should be getting it in the next few days.

 

[wilserbrewer]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0072NG0JI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This seems like a decent aluminum pot at a bargain price of $36.98 to your front door IMHO.

 

[Kingfish]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0072NG0JI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This seems like a decent aluminum pot at a bargain price of $36.98 to your front door IMHO.

Very similar to what I am using. A little small for 10 gallon batches (52q=13g). I bought a 60q(15g) for only a few bucks more at a local international market.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I decided on a 15 gallon boilermaker for 5 gallon AG batches BIAB because it gives me a bit more flexibility in how much grain I can mash. I have a 7.5 gallon SS turkey fryer that up until now I have been using for extract part boil batches. I do 4.5 gallon boils that reduce to 4 after boil, and I have had a couple unscheduled boil overs. Plus, the 10 gallon boilermaker didn't look like much of an upgrade from my present pot.

 

[DonMagee]

I ordered a 15 gallon pot with a welded ball valve from morebeer. I should be getting it next week and brewing with it that weekend. I decided to go with morebeer because it was a little wider and less deep than the other welded kettles I looked at so it would fit my setup a little better, also it came with a lid if I decided to try BIAB.

My research showed they all ended up almost the exact same price. I'm planning on mostly 5 gal batches, but I do want to do a few 10 gal before winter so I'm stocked up.

 

[ChemE]

I went with a 7.5 gallon thick-walled aluminum pot with lid and have been very happy thus far. Most folks will advise you to get a larger 10 gallon pot so that boil overs are less of a possibility. I've had one in 20+ batches so I'm happy with my boil kettle and don't feel compelled to upgrade. I did add a stainless steel thermometer and sight glass which doubled the price of the boil kettle but makes it MUCH nicer to use. Aluminum also conducts heat much more readily than does stainless steel and has a higher emissivity meaning it is easier to heat to a boil and takes less heat/gas/energy to keep it there.

 

[bethebrew]

After brewing my first batch (extract) I have become quite obsessed with home brewing. I have decided to jump into all grain. I need a brew pot for heating my sparge water and boiling my wort. Should I go all in on a $190, 16 gal stainless stock pot with spigot or stick with the $70 stainless turkey fryer pot? I am from Louisiana, so a large stainless crawfish pot would be nice.

Go all in with the $219 15 gallon stainless steel one with nice stainless ball valve AND a thermometer which really comes in handy for cooling. That's the ones I bought they are super heavy with a thick bottom. 304 SS not some garbage thin pot that will burn. homebrewstuff.com

 

[Butter]

+1 on homebrewstuff.com. Got a 10 gal pot w/ball valve and thermometer for $197 shipped.

 

[jstofer]

I'm using a 15 gal SS pot from Spike Brewing...works great. It came with a steamer bottom. I added to this by ordering a sheet of food grade plastic with 3/32" holes in it. I traced the steamer bottom on it and then utilized it on top of the steamer as a false bottom....worked like a champ. Didn't even need my bazooka screen. The only bad thing is I had to order a 3'x4' sheet of the platic...so if anybody is interested, I could make a few more I just read above and I misread the original post....I use a 15 gal aluminum pot from cabelas and for my boil, I use a 15 gal stainless from cabelas (~$140 i think). I get my fittings from bargainfittings

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

what's the point of these expensive pots? i understand a sight glass and built in thermometer are nice, but you can get the $36 10gal aluminum pot on amazon and add a spigot for like $30, assuming i can drill the hole.

do you need the spigot welded on instead of a tight screw+ high temp o ring? I could also add a thermometer pretty cheaply once a hole is drilled.

 

[Spunkmeyer]

what's the point of these expensive pots? i understand a sight glass and built in thermometer are nice, but you can get the $36 10gal aluminum pot on amazon and add a spigot for like $30, assuming i can drill the hole.

Pots designed for brewing generally have a heavier bottom. You're less likely to have scorching/caramelization issues.

 

[ChemE]

what's the point of these expensive pots? i understand a sight glass and built in thermometer are nice, but you can get the $36 10gal aluminum pot on amazon and add a spigot for like $30, assuming i can drill the hole.

do you need the spigot welded on instead of a tight screw+ high temp o ring? I could also add a thermometer pretty cheaply once a hole is drilled.

I agree which is why I went that route. I'm happy to spend $300 on Le Creuset and All Clad cookware for my kitchen where scorching and uniformity of heat distribution do matter. I have around $90 into my brew kettle and for me it does everything I need it to do. I don't fault anyone for spending more but one can be quite content with a modest investment too.

 

[ron,ar]

For around 50 bucks you can get a 15 gallon keg if you look hard enough...maybe cheaper. If you are a little handy with tools and have a 4inch angle grinder ($39 buys a good Skil brand at Ace hardware and others) cut the top out of it. Bobby sells all the weldless fittings you need for a drain valve AND a reasonably priced step-bit.
If 15 gallons is too big, mark it and cut the keg off thru the side lower, maybe at the 12 gallon size, bolt 2 stainless handles on and you have a boil kettle to last a lifetime.
I jumped from extract to AG all at once, bought 2 kegs for $90 total, ordered the bulkhead fittings from Bobby and added a sight glass tube and valves to both plus a used 10 gallon igloo cooler for $15. I planned to use one keg for a HLT, one for a boil pot and the cooler for a MLT. It all worked out for around $210 altogether fully set up, but I used my old 8.5 gallon alunimum brew pot as it was easier to handle, which is why I suggested maybe cutting a keg down some. I hate to cut a keg down but may do that myself.

 

[DonMagee]

I bought a pot because I didn't have the tools needed to make a keggle and honestly I have yet to find a keg locally. I tried ebay, but it would put the cost of the keg + parts + tools at slightly over the price of a nice kettle from the major brewing websites.

 

[Grumpybumpy]

I'm very happy with my 44qt bayou classic stainless pot from amazon. Doing biab with ease, but I might add a valve one day

 

[pkananen]

Bayou Classic stainless pots are a really great value. Add a valve and sight glass/therm from brew hardware, 15 gallons for less than $200.

 

[SavoryChef]

I went with three 25 gallon pots from homebrewstuff.com. bigger is always better IMO

 

[jakesz28]

I bought a nice 40 quart 10 gallon pot. At the time I was doing extract kits. But its a nice ss pot with the thick triple clad bottom. Now I want to go all grain and I want to do 10 gallon batches. Wish I would have spent the extra $20 for the 15 gallon pot now.

 

[jholen]

Check this out - some good deals:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/introducing-spike-brewing-bargain-cave-313612/#post3902910

Not sure if it includes shipping, but screaming deals on some nice aluminum pots. I've got a 10 gal aluminum pot myself.