looking for advice on all grain setup

[banjodan2]

Hey everyone I was an extract brewer until recently when I made a "Zapap" bucket and delved into all grain brewing. "Pandora's box" has been opened and now I'm looking to invest in some better equipment for all grain brewing. A guy I know is selling two of these Brewers Beast 16gal brew kettles which he has never used and is looking to get $200 for the pair.

https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Brewers-Beast-Pot-Ports/dp/B06VWFYTMW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1495642108&sr=8-6&keywords=brew+kettle+16+gallon

Does any one have any experience with these kettles? If I were to purchase the valves and thermometers and a false bottom I'd be around 300 bucks invested...does this seem like money well spent? If anyone has other recommendations on equipment or any input Id really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

 

[wilserbrewer]

What kind of kettle do you currently have?

A 16 gallon kettle w/ false bottom is perhaps not the best choice for 5 gallon batches due to the large size and heat loss.

Do you plan to stick with 5 gallon batches?

Those two pots are a good buy if you want to build a "larger" 3v system.

Much easier to cooler batch sparge imho and ime.

 

[LLBeanJ]

To piggyback on wilser's post, a 16 gallon kettle would be great for doing 5-10 gallon batches if you were to go single-vessel (aka BIAB). You wouldn't need the false bottom or the kettle mounted thermometer. You could sell the 2nd kettle and get some money back. It sounds to me like you're looking to build a multi-vessel setup, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

 

[kh54s10]

If you are looking to go with a 3 vessel system, I would jump at that price. I would use one as a HLT and the other as the BK, adding a cooler mash tun. You will need at minimum, valves on both pots. You could add a thermometer to the HLT for convenience and if you wanted to another on the boil kettle, but IMO that is not as useful.

If you use them as HLT and BK you will not need a false bottom and really only need 1 thermometer. If you don't use a thermometer in the BK you will need a plug for the top hole.

 

[banjodan2]

Thanks everyone for your input. I currently have an 8 gallon brew kettle. I had envisioned using it as a HLT, using one of the 16 gal kettles as a mash tun and the other as a brew kettle. I will probably continue to brew 5 gal batches but like having the option of going bigger. I hadn't really considered the heat loss with mashing in such a large pot. Not sure how big of an issue this would present. It seems like such a good deal so I'm tempted to go for it but would hate to have buyers remorse if every brew day I have to go to great lengths to keep my mash temp up.

 

[augiedoggy]

I have similar dimensioned taller bayou 16 gallon kettles and they work great for both 5 and 10 gallon brews with electric. The wider kettles have more disadvantages the bigger you go since it effects fill height volume.
those look like nice kettles.
I use a 16 as a mashtun too but I do use a rims to maintain temps so in that respect a smaller mash tun may work better without some way to maintain and adjust temps.

 

[mongoose33]

When I upgraded from an 8-gallon megapot to a 10-gallon spike kettle, I did so in part so I'd be able to try BIAB. You really need a 10-gallon kettle to do it effectively.

That said, here are some reactions I have:

1. That's a very good price, very good. It looks like the ports are welded and, if so and done well, that's a plus.

2. My 10-gallon is a little awkward to clean; I lay it on its side on the kitchen counter and clean (I lay an old braided rug on the counter to protect it and the kettle). I would struggle to do the same with a 16-gallon kettle.

3. It's really large for 5-gallon batches; your boiloff rate will be higher than you'd see in an 8- or 10-gallon kettle.

4. If you have any intention of going to 10-gallon batches in the future, these would be a great fit for that.

Just a few thoughts on that. It's a really good buy for what they are, but it may be sort of like getting a great deal on shock absorbers that don't really fit your car. Great deal but does it fit the application?

 

[plazola86]

That price is to good to pass up. GET THEM! Those kettles look solid, I brew 5 gallon batches on a 15 gallon kettle with no problem.

 

[augiedoggy]

When I upgraded from an 8-gallon megapot to a 10-gallon spike kettle, I did so in part so I'd be able to try BIAB. You really need a 10-gallon kettle to do it effectively.

That said, here are some reactions I have:

1. That's a very good price, very good. It looks like the ports are welded and, if so and done well, that's a plus.

2. My 10-gallon is a little awkward to clean; I lay it on its side on the kitchen counter and clean (I lay an old braided rug on the counter to protect it and the kettle). I would struggle to do the same with a 16-gallon kettle.

3. It's really large for 5-gallon batches; your boiloff rate will be higher than you'd see in an 8- or 10-gallon kettle.

4. If you have any intention of going to 10-gallon batches in the future, these would be a great fit for that.

Just a few thoughts on that. It's a really good buy for what they are, but it may be sort of like getting a great deal on shock absorbers that don't really fit your car. Great deal but does it fit the application?

depends on priorities onhow soft or firm a ride your looking for (use)... The 16 gallon kettles in question are more versatile for sure being able to do 5 or 10 gallons without any problems... the width looks to be that standard 15" so same boiloff as a 15.5" keggle really.(the seller says 16x 16.5 but that is clearly with the handles or outside lip judging by pictures because my 16 gallon kettles are the same height and 15.5 " wide).. Thats about an ich and a half bigger in diameter than this concord 10 gallon kettle... http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONCORD-40-...hash=item211c70f075:m:mJgkqhvPS-TqKfTjIowp-hg So again not all kettles are equal.. the width is very important.. I dont think the extra inch will matter that much but the benefits can be nice.. again though it depends on application and preference. I agree washing my 16 gallon kettles in my kitchen sink is awkward but I brew mostly 11 gallons at a time now with the occasional 5 gallon brew.. its a minor inconvenience I wouldnt have if I had a laundry room wash basin..

 

[banjodan2]

Well, thanks to your advice and encouragement I went for it. Kettles will be in my possession shortly. I'm still thinking of using one as a mash tun and the other as a brew kettle, drilling a hole in my 8 gal pot and using that as a HLT. Or I can always play around with BIAB. Still researching my options but I'm glad I took advantage of a good deal.
Cheers!

 

[mongoose33]

I've brewed 32 batches; experienced enough to have an opinion, new enough to still remember what it was like trying to figure out what to buy.

IMO, the best kit on the market--all the more so since it includes a recipe kit as part of it, making the effective price $200--is this kit from morebeer:

https://www.morebeer.com/products/premium-fermonster-homebrew-starter-kit.html

There is almost nothing else you need; no decisions to make, no fiddling and fudging. It has a kettle. A chiller. A fermonster (forget buckets--get something that you can see what's going on). Capper. Hydrometer. Star-San. Long-handled spoon. Cleaner.

About all you need to add is a source of heat.

If i were starting again, I'd buy this. I paid much, much more for my initial kit, from Northern Brewer, and it didn't include a spoon, hydrometer, chiller, Star-San.....this kit rocks for what it costs.

IMO, nothing else is close.

I've since sold off my kettle, chiller, burner to a friend who is now brewing, replacing them with higher capacity items. In other words, I've upgraded. But as a place to start, the MoreBeer kit is terrific.

My 2 cents.