Is an 18 liter pot too big for a 6 liter batch?

[Brew2Be]

Hi HBT'ers.

I am looking to buy a new pot for doing all grain brews. I will be brewing batches ranging from 6 liters to 9 liters.

I have a choice of two pots, 14 liters and 18 liters.
I am wondering which one to buy.

I am thinking that the 18 liter pot would be the "clever" investment since I will probably be doing bigger batches sometime in the future. On the other hand I am afraid that the 18 liter pot is too big to do a 6 liter batch, and I maybe should be going for the 14 liter pot. What are your thoughts and experiences?

The difference in price between the two pots is not big, and therefore not an issue.

Thanks in advance

 

[IvanTheTerribrew]

My advice as far as brew pots go is bigger is better and go stainless only.

For my first kettle I got a "7.5 gal" kettle that ended up just being 7 gal and it works well for 5 gal batches. But even then, I wish I had just gotten a slightly bigger kettle. So there's no harm in a bigger pot as long as you have a space to heat it (ex if you're doing it in a small place or small stove) besides that I def advise go big and you won't regret it the way you may if you get a smaller one and then want a larger.

You can brew 5 gallons in a 10 gallon pot, you can't brew 10 gallons in a 5 gallon pot.

 

[Cyclman]

You might have more boiloff (more surface area), but other than that if you can boil in it, no issues.

 

[Brew2Be]

Thanks for the input guys. I decided, "go big or go home!" - I chose the 18 liter.

 

[MindenMan]

I wonder what size/type of burner you have?

 

[Hello]

I have done a couple 5 gallon batches in my 15 gallon pot, no issues at all.