Brew pots deal???

[kzelenakas]

I moonlight as a amateur woodworker as well as beginning brewer and foud the following deal on pots for brewing.

Harbor Freight has a 4 piece pot set with 8, 12, 16, and 20 quart stainless steel pots for $29. I know its probably low quality but would it work for brew pots.

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

If this is a decent deal and will work, feel free to share this link elseware where people might see it.

 

[Chello]

As long as your doing extract recipes and do not need to do a full boil then the 20 quart pot will work fine.

When (or if) you move up to All Grain brewing, you'll want something larger. that seems like a decent deal, especially if you need pots for cooking as well.

 

[BubbaK]

I brewed my first batch in one of those.. I used the 16 quart because it fit on the burner on my electric stove.

FWIW, here is my review..

I opened the box, and there was 4 shiny new pots rapped up in plastic. As I unwrapped each one, I realized that Coca Cola uses more metal in their cans than these pots have. The lids are warped. I was able to straighten the lid enough for the pot I needed. After looking at the pot, there was all the polishing compound still left inside the pot and around the rivets holding the handle on. I grabbed a small detail brush and cleaned it out. Washed the pot a few times, boiled some water in it for a while, and decided it was clean enough. I was doing a partial boil, so I steeped the grains, and it held 165 pretty well. For the boiling, that was a different story. I could not get the pot even to a rolling boil without the lid. I realize its an electric stove, but we've boiled water in a good, heavy pot without trouble. I added the hops and malt, and tried to boil. With the lid 3/4 on, I was able to maintain a good boil. Removing the lid to stir or let some air out would make the boil drop to less than a roll. I have a buddy that works with Nomex material, and he has since made me a wrap to go around the pot to hopefully help with the heat. I'll give it another shot next weekend.

Also, These pots are not true stainless.. they are plated. I've got chips coming out of it already.. luckily on the outside at this point, but the inside isn't looking much better. I would recommend saving your money and getting a good pot.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I brewed my first batch in one of those.. I used the 16 quart because it fit on the burner on my electric stove.

FWIW, here is my review..

I opened the box, and there was 4 shiny new pots rapped up in plastic. As I unwrapped each one, I realized that Coca Cola uses more metal in their cans than these pots have. The lids are warped. I was able to straighten the lid enough for the pot I needed. After looking at the pot, there was all the polishing compound still left inside the pot and around the rivets holding the handle on. I grabbed a small detail brush and cleaned it out. Washed the pot a few times, boiled some water in it for a while, and decided it was clean enough. I was doing a partial boil, so I steeped the grains, and it held 165 pretty well. For the boiling, that was a different story. I could not get the pot even to a rolling boil without the lid. I realize its an electric stove, but we've boiled water in a good, heavy pot without trouble. I added the hops and malt, and tried to boil. With the lid 3/4 on, I was able to maintain a good boil. Removing the lid to stir or let some air out would make the boil drop to less than a roll. I have a buddy that works with Nomex material, and he has since made me a wrap to go around the pot to hopefully help with the heat. I'll give it another shot next weekend.

Also, These pots are not true stainless.. they are plated. I've got chips coming out of it already.. luckily on the outside at this point, but the inside isn't looking much better. I would recommend saving your money and getting a good pot.

Weeellllll, it DID come from Harbor Freight. Nuff said.

 

[kzelenakas]

Thanks for the advice. I think I''l just hit Macy's, or Bed Bath Beyond and get one 20 Q that is truly stainless for a little more

 

[chemist308]

Those don't have any kind of a bottom for heat transfer, but I'm not sure how important that really is. I picked up a good quality 24 quart stockpot from Sam's Club when I got into this a year ago--it was under $50 at the time.

If you cook with gas, an enamel canner (under $20) would work great.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Do you have a Farm & Fleet near you (or a Fleet Farm)? If you're only going with a 20q pot, do you need stainless? You could go with a nice enameled steel pot from F&F and save some ca$h. If and when you move on to bigger boils, THEN go with the stainless. Just an idea.

 

[HSM]

I haven't used it yet but it's a quality pot that I bought for all grain. They have decent prices on SS also.

32 Qt. Standard Weight Aluminum Stockpot