brew pot

[debtman7]

I'm getting rather tired of my 7.5 gallon pot boiling over, and of having to try and whirlpool and extract the wort after boiling... I'm ready to take the plunge and get a better boiling setup....

Obviously I can go the keg route or the stockpot route. What I'm unsure about is the straining aspect. If I got a keggle setup with a false bottom and a spigot, is that just for mashing or can I use that when I boil to seperate the wart from the break/hops? Or do I still have to whirlpool and siphon? I'd really like to avoid the whole whirlpool/siphon step if I can.

Also, I don't have the time right now to mess with my own keg conversion, so does anyone have any recommendations on a ready to go stock pot or keg setup for a reasonable price?

 

[CBBaron]

My solution for 5 gals has been a jumbo strain bag (a paint strainer may work also). I put the bag in my bucket and fold it over the top of the bucket like a trash bag. Then I dump the cooled wort from the kettle into the strainer lined bucket. Then to remove the hops and break material I just have to pick up the bag. I wash the strain bag when I'm done and soak it in sanitizer before the next use.

Craig

 

[srm775]

buy a weldless ball-valve bulkhead fitting with a bazooka screen. That's what I do and it catches nearly everythings, on the out-end of the ball-valve, I have a small bit of vinyl hosing that empties into a grain bag in my which catches the remainder.

Barely anything, even hops pellets, get into my carboy after brewing.

 

[67coupe390]

Heres a good deal on ebay. Look at his other stuff too.
http://cgi.ebay.com/BREWPOT-HLT-9-G...ryZ38172QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[JeffNYC]

Debtman, I'm with you. Right now I have one 8 gallon SS pot and a cooler mash tun. Last two boiled over... Might need a new propane burner while I'm at it... What a mess!

I've been debating whether to buy two (or even three, one with a false bottom). This looks like a good deal with the welded spigot. Any thoughts on the ebay link there, relative to other options out there? Does this look like good quality?

This weekend I'm going to try to update the mash tun to a brass spigot, it's leaking...

Jeff

 

[Bobby_M]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Keggle#Syphon_tube

 

[eddie]

Something I've heard of people doing (but haven't tried myself) is putting a metal collar at the top of their brew pot to give more space for the foam and prevent boil overs. It might be something worth looking into.

 

[missing link]

While I'm new to brewing, I've never had a problem with boil overs. I just watch for the first signs of bubbling as the wort heats up. When I see movement, I start turning down the heat on the propane burner. I get a few inches of foam that disappears after a few minutes and turns into a nice rolling boil.

When you get boil overs do you still have the heat cranking or are you using an electric burner?

 

[jeff]

Sabco has a deal on used kegs with the top cut out for $99: Click here

Add to that the following:

Weldless valve with barb: $42

Bazooka T: $19

Sanke adapter: $6.50

So for around $170 you can be assured of no boil-overs for a 5 gallon batch, and the capacity to brew 10 gallons if you so desire. You can save a few bucks by going with the brass valve if you want. The Bazooka screen will effectively filter out most of the hops/break material.

 

[67coupe390]

Any thoughts on the ebay link there, relative to other options out there? Does this look like good quality?

I have this pot from this seller and its not the a polarware pot but I am very happy with it. Once you buy the bulkhead fittings for the valve and the thermometer the ss vavle and the therometer you well over the 3/4 the cost of this pot. my 2 cents.

 

[JeffNYC]

I have this pot from this seller and its not the a polarware pot but I am very happy with it. Once you buy the bulkhead fittings for the valve and the thermometer the ss vavle and the therometer you well over the 3/4 the cost of this pot. my 2 cents.

How is the thickness? Good quality? Welding? Spigot and thermometer done well? Do you think it's worth getting three, if I'm looking to upgrade my setup to hot liquor tank, mash tun, and kettle for boiling wort? I need to look into my books on this, I've been working with a pretty basic setup at this point (for the last two years).

 

[debtman7]

While I'm new to brewing, I've never had a problem with boil overs. I just watch for the first signs of bubbling as the wort heats up. When I see movement, I start turning down the heat on the propane burner. I get a few inches of foam that disappears after a few minutes and turns into a nice rolling boil.

When you get boil overs do you still have the heat cranking or are you using an electric burner?

I find that doing all grain, and using whole hops for part of the boil, I get a lot of trub, and I lose a lot in the boil. I collect around 7 gallons of wort, which is far too much to boil in a 7.5 gallon pot. Currently I've been boiling ~5.5 gallons and keeping the rest on a pot in the stove, adding to the main boil kettle as it boils off. I can usually end up with around 5-5.5 gallons in the end this way. One big pot would do it much nicer

 

[raceskier]

I have the brew4less pot as well. It's not really 9 gallons. With a little dead space for my homebrewed hopstopper and manifold, 8 gallons is about the max you can use with this pot. I have to be very careful at the start of my boils or I'm flinging boiling wort over the edge. The pot is very thin, maybe .5 mm. Mine arrived with a number of dents and dings due to the flimsy packaging. Still as has been mentioned before, considering it has the valve and thermometer included, the price is tough to beat. It's also light enough that I can hoist it with 7+ gallons of wort onto my 23 in tall burner without totally ruining my back.

 

[67coupe390]

It is a light gauge pot but I like it. I would recommend it to anyone who can't spend the big bucks on polarware and the valves or can't build one from kegs.

 

[Hector5950]

Sabco has a deal on used kegs with the top cut out for $99: Click here
.

How hard is it to drill the holes in these things? What tools do you need and where do you drill them?

 

[Nostrildamus]

A word of warning. If you plan to drill out a keg or a pot and install fittings some/most/all(???) brass fittings contain lead as they are made of a brass alloy and not pure brass.

You can never lose with stainless steel but what may look like a cheap conversion at first may cost you dearly by the end after all the fittings.

I know. I'm converting two kegs right now.

 

[Beerrific]

A word of warning. If you plan to drill out a keg or a pot and install fittings some/most/all(???) brass fittings contain lead as they are made of a brass alloy and not pure brass.

You can never lose with stainless steel but what may look like a cheap conversion at first may cost you dearly by the end after all the fittings.

I know. I'm converting two kegs right now.

This comes up a lot.

Some brewers use brass fittings in conjunction with their wort chillers or other brewing equipment and are concerned about the lead that is present in brass alloys. A solution of two parts white vinegar to one part hydrogen peroxide (common 3% solution) will remove tarnish and surface lead from brass parts when they are soaked for 5-10 minutes at room temperature. The brass will turn a buttery yellow color as it is cleaned. If the solution starts to turn green and the brass darkens, then the parts have been soaking too long and the copper in the brass is beginning to dissolve, exposing more lead. The solution has become contaminated and the part should be re-cleaned in a fresh solution.

 

[FlyGuy]

A word of warning. If you plan to drill out a keg or a pot and install fittings some/most/all(???) brass fittings contain lead as they are made of a brass alloy and not pure brass.

You can never lose with stainless steel but what may look like a cheap conversion at first may cost you dearly by the end after all the fittings.

Yes, this is a concern. But remember that it is a small one. Modern brass fittings now contain very little lead. If you pickle them, then they are that much safer. I know the intent here was to make people aware of the potential risk, but I don't think it needs to be conveyed so strongly.

 

[Nostrildamus]

I meant, what starts out looking like a cheap and easy conversion with brass will cost you much more if you do it with SS.... not that brass will kill you in one brew session.

Nonetheless, better none at all than just "a little" poison. Pickling does reduce the amount as per JP's advice but it doesn't completely eliminate it nor does it stay at the same level once it's done as erosion eventually exposes new lead within the alloy.

 

[FlyGuy]

I meant, what starts out looking like a cheap and easy conversion with brass will cost you much more if you do it with SS.

Sorry -- I misinterpreted that comment. My mistake.

Nonetheless, better none at all than just "a little" poison. Pickling does reduce the amount as per JP's advice but it doesn't completely eliminate it nor does it stay at the same level once it's done as erosion eventually exposes new lead within the alloy.

Yes, fair enough -- good point. I guess I would submit that it is very much a personal choice whether to avoid using brass fittings because of their potential for lead poisoning. The reality is that you would need more substantive amounts of lead in your system to cause problems than you are likely to leech from modern brass fittings. But if your preference is to eliminate a potential source of exposure -- absolutely SS fittings will accomplish this for you. They have some other benefits, as well, so unless cost/availability is an issue, SS fittings are clearly a better choice. I will happily agree with you there!

Cheers!

 

[JeffNYC]

I've seen this concern over lead in brass, if lead leaches out it's bad. Has there been any scientific evidence to actually demonstrate this happens? At what levels?

 

[67coupe390]

I've seen this concern over lead in brass, if lead leaches out it's bad. Has there been any scientific evidence to actually demonstrate this happens? At what levels?

And what type of yeast would you use for lead beer?


RDWHAHB everyone!!! I like SS and thats what I would recommend but Brass fitting are fine too. I know a few people people who use brass and they are just as weird as they were before they started brewing.

 

[Cheesefood]

Save yourself some money on the weldless:

http://www.greatbargain.net/order/index.html