Future upgrade decisions... Any help?

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Tactical-Brewer

Tactical-Brewer

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So I want to upgrade to a larger system in the somewhat nearish future. Probably mid next year. And I want to do so in the most affordable way possible.

So I've read/heard about all these folks finding/getting awesome deals on old kegs and I am not having any luck whatsoever.

I've called all my local breweries in the area to see if I can get one of their old banged up ones... No luck.

I've called a few local scrap yards and had a bite on one but it turned out to be a 7.5 gal and I really want the 15.5. Most other scrap yards say they don't accept kegs because they're the property of the brewery etc.

I don't want to go the get keg, lose out on deposit path because my field of employment would frown on that.

So I found a 100 qt brew for $186.00

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/100...ogleShopping&gclid=CIjPnc7zjM0CFQmQaQodU9sERw

That looks pretty slick and would allow me to do 15 gallon batches easily.

Whereas I've found a brand new 15.5 gallon keg for like $130.00.

I think if I'm going to upgrade, and plan on doing this for the long haul and set it out with pumps and all the goodies as time goes by I should just get the 100qt ss kettle. Maybe bigger if I'm going to wait and save up?

What do you all big time batch Brewers think?

Eventually will have a dedicated mini brewery and want it set up as efficient as possible.

Thanks,
Tac
 
I like the bling of stainless steel kettles and would some day like to set up a 3 vessel electric system. But I am not looking to go large so I would be looking at 15 gallon kettles at the biggest.

Can't help on obtaining legal kegs but I see them listed on Craigslist all the time.

My other idea is to go with a plug and play BIAB system like the Brew-Boss or the Grainfather.
 
I'm in the same spot you are. I'm personally saving to get exactly what I want. I have slowly put together an affordable cooler system, got myself a chugger pump, a fridge and kegging stuff but decided that if i'm going to upgrade what i actually make the beer with (i.e. MLT, HLT, and BK) that it will last me a long time. So I'm saving for the shiny stuff. just my two pennies
 
This might be a really dumb question, but a ss mash tun, is that solely done with a herms set up or something similar?
 
You can use an induction burner I suppose without serious risk of scorching on a mash tun or be really careful with a burner. My final build will be a herms. I like the idea of being able to control my mash temp easily and do step mashes.
 
jerbrew said:
You can use an induction burner I suppose without serious risk of scorching on a mash tun or be really careful with a burner. My final build will be a herms. I like the idea of being able to control my mash temp easily and do step mashes.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm thinking. Especially since you'll already have the HLT system, may as well use it to regulate your wort temps.

Eventually I'd like to be all electric with temp controls and all the goodies. Patience though I guess. I'm totally content rolling the way I am now until I can do it the way I want and not have to skimp.

One reason I love this hobby. I scrounged for the set up I have now which yields 5 gallon batches with relative ease (Still need to make an immersion chiller before I lose my mind trying to cool my wort), but it allows me to save my pennies and learn everything I can for my big system. :mug:
 
On a side note, why the heck is aluminum so much cheaper than stainless?

Just looking at a 120qt heavy duty aluminum stock pot for $107.00 dollars... I mean, is stainless THAT much better than aluminum?
 
Yep concord pots will last a lifetime.I have an 80 qt. I had an aluminum pot and to be honest I thought it was a little cheesy.It will get the job done but theres no cool factor if that matters to you.Aluminum apparenty doesn't hold the heat as well for mashing either.
 
I was wondering about how well the concord's held up. I had read some reviews that said they were very thin. It's good to get some good real world feed back!

I'm not too terribly concerned with how shiny they are, but somewhat I guess, but not worth the ton of money I'd spend on three 120 quart ss kettles. That is unless the concords were worth it.

I've got a 7 and 8 gallon aluminum kettles, as well as an 8 gallon ss kettle, and yes, while the ss kettle is the bees knees, the aluminum would be pretty slick as well considering I could do huge batches of brew. And eventually, if I decided to, could always upgrade with a ss kettle one at a time.

With regards to the holding heat for the mash, I would run a herms system, and both the HLT and Kettle would be electric on a temp control so hopefully that would be a non issue, but I honestly don't have the slightest if it would play a part with that set up or not.
 
PADave said:
Yes. ;)
Click to expand...


Other than it being shinier and easier to clean, why?

Don't get me wrong, I'd prefer ss for aesthetic reasons and ease of not having to wonder what type of cleaner was in my hand at the end of brew day but other than that...

I saw 160qt aluminum kettles with 1/4 inch thick walls for 149.00. That's nuts to me. Ss would be quadruple that.

Could start with those, have all the bells and whistles as in pumps, chillers, Fermentors, etc and be brewing 20+ gallon batches and eventually buy a ss kettle of your choosing should you choose so or if you grow further.

Again, don't get me wrong, I'd "want" SS. It's what the pros use and it looks sick, but at the end of the day, if I want to brew more beer and one way is more realistic than the other, I'm gonna have to go with what I can afford.

Regardless, on that system I was thinking of doing a foam shell around all the kettles (since it'll all be electric) to help save energy and reduce heat loss. Making what they're made of kind of a moot point.
 
Aluminum needs to have a nice ugly oxide layer in the inside or it can leach metal into your beer. This is why people recommend a full boil with water before you brew. I currently use a cheap 15 gallon AL kettle and it works great for the $80 I paid for it. Aluminum is much much softer than SS too. It's easier to drill but easier to create blemishes and scratches on the inside. Shiny AL is not good for cooking because of what I said before about the necessary aluminum oxide layer. That being said, you have to be careful of what cleaners you use on it. Anything chloride based will remove that oxide layer and potentially leach metals into your beer.

I've brewed good beers with that kettle but will upgrade to SS for its durability and ease of cleaning.

Additionally, finding someone to weld fittings on aluminum especially curved aluminum will be difficult and costly. They make Aluminum SS sleeves for that kind of thing. So if, like me, you want to go with sanitary welded TC fitting as "the dream" SS is the way to go. But for now aluminum is great for my weldless system.
 
jerbrew said:
Aluminum needs to have a nice ugly oxide layer in the inside or it can leach metal into your beer. This is why people recommend a full boil with water before you brew. I currently use a cheap 15 gallon AL kettle and it works great for the $80 I paid for it. Aluminum is much much softer than SS too. It's easier to drill but easier to create blemishes and scratches on the inside. Shiny AL is not good for cooking because of what I said before about the necessary aluminum oxide layer. That being said, you have to be careful of what cleaners you use on it. Anything chloride based will remove that oxide layer and potentially leach metals into your beer.

I've brewed good beers with that kettle but will upgrade to SS for its durability and ease of cleaning.

Additionally, finding someone to weld fittings on aluminum especially curved aluminum will be difficult and costly. They make Aluminum SS sleeves for that kind of thing. So if, like me, you want to go with sanitary welded TC fitting as "the dream" SS is the way to go. But for now aluminum is great for my weldless system.
Click to expand...

Yep, I've brewed some great beers with my AL kettle too. I can't imagine what folks are doing to their kettles that they have to be concerned about denting and scratching them though. I mean, I don't treat mine with kiddy gloves and I couldn't imagine denting or scratching them.

The 8 gallon AL Kettle I have is like a dang tank with as thick as the walls are.

But, yes, the bees knees is definitely SS and I would love to go that route, and maybe if finances ease up a bit in the next year or so, I will. But looking at it from this standpoint now, and where I'm at financially now, I'll probably stick with AL even once I upgrade to the Big pots I'm wanting.

Eventually, I'll upgrade to SS, but until then, I want to be able to brew nice big batches and afford to do so.

But again, who knows lol :mug:
 
I'd go for those concord kettles for your next pot. They're prices are comparable to the aluminum and you get to have fun drilling the holes yourself. Stainless is a ***** to drill though. You have to go slow and start small (a step drill works great) or else it will harden on you which is no fun.
 
Tactical-Brewer said:
(Still need to make an immersion chiller before I lose my mind trying to cool my wort):
Click to expand...

When you start going to big batches you might want to rethink an immersion chiller.

If you go with an IC, make sure it has recirculation/whirlpool like this one:

http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php

A standard IC can struggle with big batches.
 
bwarbiany said:
When you start going to big batches you might want to rethink an immersion chiller.

If you go with an IC, make sure it has recirculation/whirlpool like this one:

http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php

A standard IC can struggle with big batches.
Click to expand...


By then I'll more than likely do a counter flow chiller and hopefully run the water through an ice bath before running into the chiller. I'm sure I'll build something up before then though.
 
That one is aluminum.Which is OK, but you'd have to be a little more careful (mostly with cleaners) than a stainless steel pot.

I like using stainless pots for their durability and the ability to use pretty much whatever cleaner I want. Also we had some aluminum cookware that had its oxide layer break down eventually. We went to cook something and it came out tasting like metal. Not good.

It's pretty easy to buildup a protective oxide layer on aluminum, but I prefer the ease of stainless.
 
Just got it in today! Came via UPS...Man is this thing BIG! Looks very well made, no blemishes at all! Very impressive! Will be a good investment @Tactical-Brewer! ;)

20160621_151621.jpg
 

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