equipment decisions

[woopig]

Don't want to bore you all too bad, so I'll keep it short. Considering the leap to all grain and trying to decide on equipment. For some reason early on, I bought a 10 gallon Mega Pot with valve. Didn't think it through, and now I'm trying to decide how best to use it.

Basically, I'm torn between buying cheap now and upgrading later or buying top-notch now. The cheap version would be $240 for the 10 gallon cooler system from Northern Brewer (I suck at handyman stuff, so don't really want to convert it myself). That could be used for 5 gallon batches, using my Mega Pot as the kettle.

But, I know I'll eventually want stainless mash tun, so I'm wondering whether I should just save the money towards that. That's a personal choice obviously, but here's the question: if I were to upgrade later and wanted to jump up to ten gallon batches, what could I use the 10 gal Mega Pot for? It's too small even for the HLT for a 10 gallon batch, right? At least it is according to the Blichmann site, are they just trying to get me to buy bigger pots? It was a $200 pot, so I hate to just relegate it to heating a little water here and there. Any thoughts?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

If I had it all to do again, I'd have saved and bought the top notch gear I knew I wanted back then.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Save for the best use what you have. Even if you want to go to 10g batches, your megapot can be used as a great decoction kettle.

 

[Munsoned]

If it were me, I'd sell the 10g pot and use the proceeds to get a system the way I'd want it going forward0. 10g should be a lot easier to sell than a 5g since it has more utility to full boil brewers.

 

[wildwest450]

It's too small even for the HLT for a 10 gallon batch, right? At least it is according to the Blichmann site, are they just trying to get me to buy bigger pots?

Unless you feel the need to have your complete water volume in the hlt at all times, it's to small, but that's not necessary. I always heat my mash water first, then heat up sparge water during the mash.

 

[woopig]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I don't know if this makes any sense, but it seems like a compromise for now. I invest in the Polar Ware 15 gal. with false bottom, but save a bit by getting a cooler for the HLT. When I move to 10 gal. batches, I can use my Mega Pot as the HLT. Make sense?

Follow up question: is there only one "Polar Ware"? I ask because the pics on Northern Brewer and Midwest Supplies look different, and Midwest is about $60 cheaper. They're usually pretty close in price, I thought, so I'm wondering if I'm looking at two different things.

Thanks again, guys.