Cheap Stock Pot

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mev

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Hey guys, I'm new here, but I've been lurking for a while just learning. I am in the process of gathering equipment for my first brew, and decided to go to Big Lots to see what they have to offer. I was looking for a turkey fryer, but found a stainless steel 20 qt stock pot w/ lid for $15! It seems like a decent sturdy pot, but I am a firm believer of you get what you pay for. This pot was made in India, so I am not sure of the quality of the pot, but I think it will work just fine, at least for the first few batches, after which I could use it for something else. Now to get the rest of the stuff....
 
The only big draw back is the size. You also might have a little bit of a leaking problem where the handles are attached. I've noticed that problem with a lot of the cheap pots....turkey fryers included.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I am reading Charlie Papazian's Joy of Brewing, and plan to follow his guideline for my first batch, using an extract. It only calls for 1.5 gallons of water, so I don't think size will be a problem until I change my setup. I'd like to go all grain in the future, but I want to dip my toes in the water so to say.
 
I purchased a set to 4 Stainless Steal pots for $22 but I really like my $45 stainless steel one better.

It is MUCH easier to boil faster with the expensive one - I think it is thicker ????? All I know is it has cut my brew time down by 1/2 hour at least. My 20g cheapo had a hard time getting water hot fast.
 
As long as you keep you total volume to 80 % or less than the capacity of your pot, you will be fine. If you get above 80%, boilover will drive you nuts.
 
Walmart has some nice tri-clad pots that are quite inexpensive. Glass lid is nice for the hot water boil so you can heat the water faster. Tri-clad, IMO, gives less chance of scorching the wort. I've got big SS pots but am now down to 3 gallon batches.. so I'm using two turkey fryer pots now. As long as I keep my eye on things I'll never have a boil over or scorch. SS is wonderful.. but, expensive. If you live near SF bay area, I have a great Italian 10+gallon SS pot with a valve I'm looking to get rid of. Bought it from More Beer many years ago and it's still virgin.
 
I picked up a set of four nested,polished SS stock pots at Giant Eagle a year ago last January for some $25 with lids & steamer trays. And 20qt equalling 5 gallons is fine for 2.5-3 gallon partial boils. I use mine with a cake cooling rack in the bottom for steeping or partial mash beers. I can use the 3 or 4 gallon ones for heating sparge water. They 've held up real well for nearly 2 years.
Some PBW & a dobie to scrub'em inside & out,& they're all clean & shiny again.
 
I had a 20qt for my first kettle, worked just fine for extract brews with my ISO standard Craigslist turkey fryer. I'd probably still be using it, except for my birthday SWMBO got me a 10g pot and a 55K BTU burner.
 
20qt for $15 at Big Lots?? Nice find. I searched online and in store at Big Lots and the cheapest I found was a 15.6qt for $17, which I picked up and used last weekend for an extract brew (3 gallons). Worked great for that!
 
Folks, this is a 4 year old thread someone replied to!

Not even a particularly interesting subject.
 
Who cares how old a thread is? I learned a lot from what was shared.
 
Who cares how old a thread is? I learned a lot from what was shared.

Yes, plenty of good knowledge, but things like prices and stock can change over that time. I feel a little ridiculous now wondering out loud why I couldn't find a 20qt stock pot at Big Lots, never mind one for $15. *shrug*
 
Recently i found my local homebrew shop sells old kegs with welded on taps for cheap. Check and maybe one of yours might too. I bought a 10g pot from eBay for $50. I wish I had spotted these kegs first.
 
I know! Now you would have to go to Target and get a 32 qt tamale steamer with a false bottom for 21 bucks...

http://www.target.com/p/imusa-32-qt-aluminum-tamale-steamer/-/A-10910892#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink

Dang, that's incredible. I wish the stores around here would sell those, though with that size for full boils, I'd rather be outside.

Right now I'm hoping to score a turkey fryer on clearance after Thanksgiving, since that'll probably be cheaper than adding the price of an outdoor burner to a $21 stockpot. I'm using my in-laws turkey fryer right now, but it's old and has its flaws: the burner has a cage above to hold the pot, which has an annoying spout you have to finagle to get the pot into the cage, and the top 2-3 gallons of the pot is wider than the bottom, which leaves sediment hanging there once the wort level drops below it. Oh well!
 
I just bought a turkey fryer from my BIL.. a real nice, used twice, Bayou Classic. It's old but like new. Cost? $10

That said.. it's my 2nd turkey fryer.. I really only wanted the pot. I feel the BTU's on most turkey fryers are pretty low.

That said x2 ... I'm going to start doing 2.5 - 3 gallon batches.. this will make the TF burners work just fine.

That said x3.. I recently bought a Brinkman burner at HD and it has over 100K BTU's. I'll probably use that only for the Boil Kettle. but, for the mash/sparge water.. the smaller burners will be great.. cuz, I don't need to get those near boiling temps.

OBTW,, regarding the Tomale pots.. check out the Mexican foods area locally. We can get large tomale pots here dirt cheap. Very lightweight.. but, they work like a charm. They'd also be great for BIAB too cuz they come with a plate that fits in the bottom of the pot to keep the tomales above the water for the steaming process..

I'll bet you can find them in your area as well. Check THIS out at Walmart.. If your local store doesn't have them.. you can have them shipped to your store for free.. or shipped to your house for a fee.. not free. :)
 
I've no comment on the pot but I would start with a larger boil than what you mentioned. I started with as close to full boil as I could do.

Best of luck and have fun with brewing!
 
Your comment is like the people who say 'go 5 gallons' to folks that want to know more about smaller batches. It adds nothing. It may not interest you and that's fine.

I think you are being a little unfair in your comparison. The guy who resurrected the thread said "As long as you keep you total volume to 80 % or less than the capacity of your pot, you will be fine. If you get above 80%, boilover will drive you nuts."

This advice was 4 years too late. I'm not sure what the point of this post was, and then other folks came in with their comments.

Yes, maybe some new and useful information can/did come from it, but the original post that resurrected it, didn't do a dam thing for anyone.
 
Hmm..

The OP was, I think, a very valid statement by a newbie who purchased his first pot and would be possibly looking for an upgrade at a later date. A lot of others just getting into the hobby..

This was what I objected to.. I'm not sure why you think it's an unfair comparison..

Not even a particularly interesting subject.
 
Originally Posted by HbgBill ]If you live near SF bay area, I have a great Italian 10+gallon SS pot with a valve I'm looking to get rid of. Bought it from More Beer many years ago and it's still virgin.
Still have it? If so, name your price! I live over in the Vallejo, CA Area.
 
If you live near SF bay area, I have a great Italian 10+gallon SS pot with a valve I'm looking to get rid of. Bought it from More Beer many years ago and it's still virgin.

Still have it? If so, name your price! I live in the Vallejo, CA area
 
Yes, maybe some new and useful information can/did come from it, but the original post that resurrected it didn't do a dam thing for anyone.

I would like to point out that when "new and useful information can/does come" from a post....that post did in fact "do a dam thing" for everyone who participated in the conversation.

Now, are you interested in discussing cheap stock pots or are you just going to pop in now and again and complain that the thread should die? Maybe I should start a new thread about "cheap stock pots" and get complaints the I should "search the forums" for information? What a weird complaint.
 
found mine at Boscov's. check the doorbusters for the "seafood pots" works great for beer and mussels
 
Why not. My brew keggle makes booya all the time

That's awesome. I had a friend who had a 100 qt stockpot that he couldn't use for brewing after several batches of crawfish were boiled in it. I guess he really could have used it but it would have made for some interesting off flavors. hehe
 
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