Kettle Shape and Stovetop Brewing

[mcartt11]

So, I have found several threads out here about kettle shape and whether or not it really matters. Some say yes, but most seem to say no.

I exclusively brew extract batches on my stovetop and have no problems getting 3 gallons to a rolling boil. Unfortunately, that is about all my 5 gallon 1:1 pot can handle without having issues with boilover. I am considering upgrading to a larger 8 gallon 1.2:1 pot, but don't want to waste the money if I won't really be able to increase the size of my boil.

I doubt that I will be able to do a full volume boil on my stovetop, but I am just wondering if anyone has done any testing with 2 pots of the same volume but different ratios to see if in fact it makes a difference in the volume you can get to a boil on your stovetop?

 

[flars]

My boil kettle is much more efficient heating water to a boil than the hot water bath canning kettle I had used. The BK is just an inch larger than the heating element on the stove. The canning kettle is three inches in diameter larger.

It seems efficiency increases when the kettle diameter is just slightly larger than the diameter of the heat source.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

heat travels up through the water column so narrow and tall is much more efficient than wide and short.

 

[Kahler]

heat travels up through the water column so narrow and tall is much more efficient than wide and short.

Agreed. However, I can straddle two full burners with my short and wide pot making it so I can brew 7 gal batches on my stove. With my tall and narrow pot I cannot get a rolling boil on more than 5 gallons of wort.

 

[mcartt11]

Agreed. However, I can straddle two full burners with my short and wide pot making it so I can brew 7 gal batches on my stove. With my tall and narrow pot I cannot get a rolling boil on more than 5 gallons of wort.

I hadn't really considered that an 8 gallon 1:1 might be significantly wider and give me the ability to straddle 2 burners.

My current pot is 12"W as is my burner, so it seems that it is fairly efficient. I haven't actually found the wattage of the element, but I plan on doing that since it may tell me a bit more about just how much volume I will be likely to boil.

Thanks for the responses so far.

 

[ImNoExpert]

Also, keep in mind the height. If you have a microwave over your stove top, if you get a kettle that is too tall, it may not fit.

Learned that one the hard way.

 

[mcartt11]

Also, keep in mind the height. If you have a microwave over your stove top, if you get a kettle that is too tall, it may not fit.

Learned that one the hard way.

Gotcha. Already considered that and it is why I am looking at the 8 gallon sizes. The 10 gallon won't fit unless I pull the stove out from under the microwave and I really don't feel like doing that each time I brew. Not sure I would gain much with a 10 gallon pot anyway since I think it is unlikely I will be boiling much over 4-5 gallons at the most. The chances of moving to my garage or outside for brewing are very very low. So, the kitchen is what I have and I am just trying to determine what I can do to keep improving given my restrictions.

 

[kh54s10]

Your kitchen setup limits you. But if you plan to go to full boil 5 gallon batches in the future I would skip the 8 gallon and go 10 or larger. I have a 10 gallon pot and through inattention get frequent boilovers. (usually when reading this site while the wort heats!)

 

[mcartt11]

While it is true that my kitchen limits my possibilities, I am still able to brew some decent beers. While I wouldn't classify anything I have made to date as commercial quality, with the advice I have found on this site, I feel like I am getting closer and closer.

This kettle upgrade is really an attempt to make another step in that direction by getting to where I can brew as close to a full boil 5 gallon batch as possible. In reading the posts however, it would seem that very few are successful in doing this on their stove. So, my kettle question is really trying my best to learn from what others may have already tested or found out regarding whether or not the dimensions of the kettle really have an impact on the volume of wort that can be boiled on a stove. I would hate to spend good money on a tall style kettle only to find out that I could have spent much less on short kettle and got the same or better results.