Kettle size advice

[popsicleian]

I was fortunate to borrow equipment for my first two one gallon batches, which allowed me to get a better idea of what I need before shelling out for my own equipment.

I have decided to start buying some of my own stuff so I can do slightly larger batches-2.5 or 3 gallons. I really don't envision doing anything bigger than that, and I like being able to get a good boil on my gas stove.

I'm torn between getting the Anvil 5.5 gallon brew kettle or an 8 gallon pot from NB like the Megapot. Pros of the Anvil are that it should still be short enough to allow me to mash in my oven (I do BIAB). Cons are that it doesn't allow me flexibility to do larger batches in future if I change my mind about desired batch size. I was also looking at the new SS Brewtech 5.5 gal kettle, but I think it's slightly too tall for my oven.

Pros of the Megapot are future flexibility, I can get 10% off, can be purchased locally (no delayed gratification, and ability to brew this weekend), and I have some gift card money at NB. Cons are won't fit in oven for mashing, and seems like overkill for 2.5 gal batches.

Any thoughts?

 

[WI_Wino]

Here's an 8 gallon pot from adventures in homebrewing with a welded coupling for a ball valve. < 14" should still fit in the oven, no? I had one similar to this and was able to do many 5 gallon BIAB batches but it was always nearly full during the mash and I had to watch closely for boil overs. 3 gallons I would expect you to be fine.

http://www.homebrewing.org/One-Weld-8-Gallon-32-qt-Stainless-Steel-Pot_p_4852.html

2 weld is a little more: http://www.homebrewing.org/Two-Weld-8-Gallon-32-qt-Stainless-Steel-Pot-_p_5246.html

I currently use the 15 gallon w/ 2 welds on a sq-14 burner. I have never had scorching issues.

 

[popsicleian]

With the oven rack as low as it can go, i only have like 12.5 or so inches, unfortunately. That really limits my options.

 

[GuldTuborg]

I really don't envision doing anything bigger than that

Thanks for the laugh.

If you've already moved from 1 to 3 gallon batches, you'll likely want to move to 5 eventually. You can do 5 gallons in an 8 gallon pot, though the beginning of the boil can be a bit nerve wracking. I'd go for something in the 8-10 gallon size, and find ways other than your over to hold mash temps (insulation, infusion, etc.). A good 8-10 gallon pot will hold value well, so if you decide it's the wrong option, many new brewers would be happy to buy from you. The same can't be said of a 5.5 gallon pot.

Check out Spike Brewing, too. Similar price to Megapots, plus you get the option to have something custom and you don't have to deal with weldless connections.

 

[madscientist451]

Thanks for the laugh.

If you've already moved from 1 to 3 gallon batches, you'll likely want to move to 5 eventually. You can do 5 gallons in an 8 gallon pot, though the beginning of the boil can be a bit nerve wracking. I'd go for something in the 8-10 gallon size, and find ways other than your over to hold mash temps (insulation, infusion, etc.).

If you drink lots of beer, want to keg and have friends that are going to suck down pints 3-4 nights a week, 3 gallon batches aren't going to work for you.
I brew 3-4 gallon batches because I like to have many different brews on hand.
I drink maybe 1-2 beers a night, sometimes none and don't need all that much beer. So I brew 3-4 gallons in a 6 gallon pot, and its pretty tight, I'm going to upgrade to an 8 gallon, but still be an indoor, stove top brewer.
I don't need a sight glass, spigot, thermometer or anything else on my pot right now, so if you don't get those things you can save some money on a pot.
Northern Brewer's 8 gallon pot is about $130 + freight on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W3PWGIY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

A similar pot from another seller is $92+ free shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MYM52C/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

My 2 cents: Get an 8 gallon pot versus a 6 gallon and then spend $20 at Walmart for a 5 gallon round cooler, rig up a spigot, add your BIAB bag and mash in that. The cooler will hold temps way better than mashing in a pot, there's no mess of spilled wort when pulling the bag, and you'll a lot more mashing flexibility compared to using your oven. Mashing in the oven actually sounds like a good idea to me, but I've done the pull the bag thing and its a pain; I prefer to drain the mash tun to my kettle, do a quick batch sparge, drain that, and then I'm good to go on to the boil.

 

[iijakii]

My idea is buy the largest pot that will fit in your oven and keep doing BIAB in it until/if you want to upgrade. Then you'll have a pot for sparge water, or boiling potatoes or whatever. Or you could always sell it later.

It won't be a waste. No sense in getting a huge pot for small batches now. All that does is complicate your brewday by not being able to hold temps in the oven.

 

[popsicleian]

I'm as prone to upgraditis as anyone (just ask my wife), but we're pretty low volume drinkers and we like a lot of variety. I can think of very few beers I like enough to finish off 2+ cases.

 

[CUrchin]

I did a lot of 3ish gallon BIAB batches in a 5 gallon department store pot I bought for $20. There are some really nice things about that size batch. For example, you can also use 5 gallon buckets for fermenters. It's really about what works for you and how much beer you go through.

That said, I now have a 9 gallon pot. With kids and limited time I will often want to get the most beer out of my brewing time that I can, within my consumption habits. Figure out what your priorities are and go from there.

 

[GuldTuborg]

I'm as prone to upgraditis as anyone (just ask my wife), but we're pretty low volume drinkers and we like a lot of variety. I can think of very few beers I like enough to finish off 2+ cases.

Don't neglect your ability to get more than one beer from a batch. I do this a lot since I stepped up to 10 gallon batches. With a little creativity, I can brew 10 gallons all at once, and then once I'm draining the wort from the kettle post boil, I start to work them differently.

As an example, one of my next 2 brews will be a patersbier/dubbel. Brew a 1.050 light beer, no sugar, to start with, then split into 2 carboys. One gets just yeast, the other gets a different strain and a bunch of dark candi sugar. Boom. One brew day, 10 gallons, two different beers for variety. Love it.

 

[McKnuckle]

Most home brewers (here at least) consider bigger batches to be an "upgrade," but I started with the usual 5 gallon batches and eventually stepped down to 2-3 gallons. Batch size by itself is not related to quality or how serious you are. It's just more or less beer in one shot. The beer can be good or bad, as can the process and the equipment.

Regarding the smaller batch sizes, it's a combination of things:

Just one person drinks beer daily in my house, and isn't interested in getting fat (ever) or drunk (too often). I like trying many styles, so I want to brew frequently and don't want to wait for a 5 gallon keg to be finished. If I brew something I don't love, I don't want to slog through a ton of it. Brewing indoors is far easier with smaller batches. Brewing electric is far easier with smaller boils.

Etc. Etc. - you get the idea.

If you really want to mash in your oven, consider getting the smaller kettle. If you want to brew bigger batches one day, you can add a 10 or 11 gallon kettle to use with a propane setup or 220V electric. Then you'll have the best of both worlds. The 8 gallon kettle size is a bit of a compromise - a tad too large for holding mash temps with a 3 gallon batch, and a tad small for 5 gallon batches of some styles, esp. with full volume BIAB.

This being said, full disclosure: I brew my 3 gallon batches in a More Beer 8 gallon kettle (9 gallons to the brim). It works fine because I do BIAB on an induction cooktop, so I can add heat directly to the mash. Otherwise it would be too large to hold temps. I have an 11 gallon Bayou for brewing outdoors. I do have a couple of 5 gallon kegs that I keep around for beers that benefit from aging, or for recipes I know will be awesome. Most of my others are kegged in 2.5 or 3 gallon cornies.

 

[popsicleian]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I ended up buying the 8 gallon Megapot with ball valve. Thanks to this website--http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml--I came to the realization that I could still mash in the oven in my 3 gallon pot for most 2.5-3 gallon batches, then transfer to my kettle and dunk/pour sparge to get to full boil volume. It's one more pot to clean, but I think the 8 gallon kettle will be a better investment in the long run.

 

[Homercidal]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I ended up buying the 8 gallon Megapot with ball valve. Thanks to this website--http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml--I came to the realization that I could still mash in the oven in my 3 gallon pot for most 2.5-3 gallon batches, then transfer to my kettle and dunk/pour sparge to get to full boil volume. It's one more pot to clean, but I think the 8 gallon kettle will be a better investment in the long run.

Good choice. I was just going to suggest a sparge to reduce your mash tun size needs. You may never get to brewing 5 gallon batches, but you may.

If your stove can handle it, you're all set. You might need to add an electric element to that stovetop heat, or purchase an inexpensive turkey fryer burner or something later.

We rarely see people stick with their original equipment. There is always something shiny to upgrade to.