Kettle vs. Keggle

[slayer021175666]

I've always brewed with an electric Keggel or at least, I have for a long time now. I have a chance to get a Bayou Classic 15 gallon Kettle and I'm wondering what the advantage of it might be other than it would be lighter and probably easier to clean. Is there any reason that a kettle is truly better than a Keggel? Also, will the walls be thick enough to install my electric water heater type element into? What other considerations may I be missing here? All I can see in the picture is that it has an indented ring around the bottom of the kettle. I'm assuming that might be for a false bottom? Right now, with the thick walls of my keggel, I can put my immersion Chiller right on the element without fear of bending the side wall of the keggel. Would I need to reinforce it or anything in order to do that same thing in the kettle?
Has anyone here already turned one of these type of Bayou Classic pots into an electric pot?
Thoughts, facts and opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks Guys.

 

[hottpeper13]

I think in order to UPGRADE you would want welded fittings instead of another kettle with washer type fittings. I upgraded to a Spike 15 gal and love it.

 

[micraftbeer]

I think you've got the pros/cons pretty well nailed down.

Pro: easier to clean

Cons: wall stiffness if you want to hang something on it, spending $50 or whatever for the new kettle

 

[Broken Crow]

Definitely easier to clean, but you haven't listed any other reasons for replacing what presumably is a working system.
I am wondering if the height of that indentation will interfere with element installation?
What is it you want from a regular kettle that your keggle isn't providing?

 

[slayer021175666]

Definitely easier to clean, but you haven't listed any other reasons for replacing what presumably is a working system.
I am wondering if the height of that indentation will interfere with element installation?
What is it you want from a regular kettle that your keggle isn't providing?

Cleaning it is kind of a pain because it's so deep and it's got nooks and crannies to have to clean out. Also, I have to keep all of my equipment in a room at the other end of my house and then lug it into the kitchen. I don't know if that's really worth it or not. I was kind of wondering what everybody would say and if, it was even worth switching. I don't know. Just wondered what everybody would say. And, I myself, thought about that indention and how the element might set in the pot. Might be a problem.

 

[Yesfan]

Are you buying the kettle new? If so, there's a 64qt on Amazon for $186. It includes the basket, so that might be of value if you're a single vessel BIAB brewer. I mentioned it, because the indention ring on this kettle is at the top, vs towards the bottom of the kettle in your post (which would be for their false bottom).

Bayou Classic 1160 Kettle w/ Basket

I'm not an electric brewer, but I use a smaller 44qt Bayou Kettle as my mash tun. It has served me well and shows no signs of rusting, which some of the reviews seem to show in the above link.

 

[redrocker652002]

I am kinda interested in this. I have two of a three keggle setup that was given to me. All the valves and extra parts that I need to get it working. Have never done anything like this, so it could be fun. But, brewing bigger amounts means heavier to lift and more to move around. LOL. I even have a really cool DIY recirc and cooling setup that I was given. Just have to figure out how to use it. LOL. Anyway, will kinda watch this and see where it goes.

 

[sibelman]

The main reason I replaced my electric keggle was weight, which made cleaning harder. Also, I wanted a tri-camp port for my element, also to ease thorough cleaning.

Internal volume markings are also a big plus. I abandoned the external sight glass for my keggle because it was too fragile and I kept breaking it during cleaning. Too, any sight glass adds complexity and cleaning concerns.

The Bayou product is widely used. I don't know how strong it is (I went with Spike), but I wonder what would be so heavy that it requires thicker metal. The Bayou's lighter weight would further facilitate cleaning.

 

[Broken Crow]

My keggle sits on a wooden cart with castors and I roll it into my kitchen to use. For cleaning; I had cut my top hole to a near perfect 303mm circle which made an SS Brewtech domed lid with a 1.5"TC port for their brewbucket/chronical a perfect fit so that I can use a steam-condenser and a CIP ball. The drop-in CIP ball made cleaning a heck of a lot easier, and the cart allows for a pump with 3-way valve, integrated thermometer, and CFC mounted right beneath. The height of the cart and such allows easy fast filling my fermenter and for my situation is an ergonomic absolute.
Dunno if this contributes anything to your considerations, but even when I resign my keggle BK to HLT duty in a 3V system, I'll still choose a CIP ball for kettle cleaning.

 

[Deadalus]

If I was switching out my electric keggle, the new pot would need a welded TC port for the element. Welded ports for the remaining ports as well. I would prefer TC there too although this would cost more as I have mostly NPT fittings. I did have TC ports welded onto my BK and HLT.

If you had plans to make a HLT for an EHERMS, I find my coil is a bit close to the wall and makes it difficult to tighten it in to its weldless ports. The curvature, bands and seams on the keggle may interfere with port placement whether the keggle is a BK, MT, or HLT. Nothing insurmountable but a flat walled pot makes port and pickups easier.

Cleaning you won't have to focus on the bands and the lip of the keggle if you get a pot. Grain can build up in the circular tubing at the top. I had ants discover this problem.

The cutout for the top is hard to hang stuff over. I have a float valve for my RO system that inevitably fails to cut off no matter how careful I am tightening the clamp it sits in. It's hard to get a good lid if the top cutout isn't well cut.

They are heavier, particularly my HLT.

I do love mine though, I shined them up very nicely, and I would be sad to see them replaced.

Bayou Classic pots appear decent but if you were patient you could surely find a used Spike or Blichmann with some additional ports on the cheap in the FB marketplace. I have been tempted many times by a steal of a deal.

 

[OleBrewing]

brewing in direct fired keggle never really had an issue with cleaning with a ss scour pad. maybe my sense of clean in the BK is different than most. remove the boil ring and somewhat toast on the bottom and rinse.

cleaning an electric element now that could be unfavorable. but a good stainless element should not take much effort right after brewing. getting it scorched may pose problems.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

The main reason I replaced my electric keggle was weight, which made cleaning harder. Also, I wanted a tri-camp port for my element, also to ease thorough

Just going to throw this in here. I saw a most interesting mash tun a couple local fellows cobbled together from a keg. Instead of cutting the top out, they cut the BOTTOM out, mounted it on a stand, and hand a tri-clamp valve mounted to the old sanke fitting. They could connect to a pump, which was piped to a heating element and back to the top of the keggle for recirculating and/or hearing. After mashing, they could simply drain through the bottom.
There were no new holes or welds on the keg itself, so cleaning was not hindered.
Genius! (It was also wifi controlled)

 

[Broken Crow]

Another thought just occurred to me; If you use an immersion chiller, it's likely wound to fit in your keggle but with the wider diameter of pot, your beer level may end up closer to your element and the IC you now have may end up too tall to fully immerse.... you might have to re-wind or replace that as well.

 

[Deadalus]

If concerned about the weight of the IC on the element, a u-clamp, upside down U, can be attached to the IC such that it hooks the side of the pot or keggle. There are also specialized heating elements such as the boilcoil and slingblade that move the element out of the middle. A bit more expensive per watt. Also, check the max wattages on some of these.