Looking to purchase a brew pot, have some questions

[robertvrabel]

I'm looking to to get a nice 10 gallon (40qt) brew pot for many reasons. I can start doing full 5g boils, move up from doing only extract to doing partial mash (I need a second pot, this is what made me start looking), and eventually AG. I currently use an electric stove, which I'm able to easily get 4 gallons of water boiling good with my Aluminum 5 gallon pot.

The ones I've found which look good to me are form Austin Homebrew:

1. Economy Brew Pot
2. Super Brew Pot (Megapot)

- What is the benefit of me spending more on the super brew pot?
- Would it work well in my setup?
- I notice they have hole drilling service... what are the benefits of doing that? I don't really see the need for a spigot on it if I'm just going to use an auto siphon? Wouldn't it clog up anyway using a spigot?
- Is a 10 gallon pot good enough for moving up to AG eventually? I'm looking for 1 pot that will do everything for a 5 gallon batch.

Also, if anyone has better suggestions for me for a pot, please leave those as well. Thank you everyone... this site is a lifesaver!

 

[Mmenges]

One of the biggest differences appear to be that the super pot will help you prevent scorching to the wort. The product description for the economy pot specifically says to remove from heat and stir while adding sugars to prevent scorching. Also note that the walls are a bit thinner on the economy pot as well.

 

[scinerd3000]

i would hightly suggest looking into a keggle. There great for so many reasons especially if you ever think you will be doing barley wines, big beers or any 10 gallon batches. They are cheap, thick gauge steel, have handels and are readily available in most areas. There are also many threads on here on how to adapt them to your needs including boil kettle, mash lauter tun or hot liquor tank.

 

[ardentfrost]

Yeah, I have two of the economy pots, one 5 gallon size one 8 gallon size. They do get scorch marks, even when doing all grain, but you can prevent it to an extent by stirring well when sugars are strong (while adding extract, or after mash out and before sparging for all grain). I don't mind too much, really, and just scour a little when cleaning up.

When I was buying stuff to do full boils, I also went propane. There's a burner on Amazon for $40 and you get free shipping. I actually accidentally bought two. If you lived in Atlanta, I'd give you a good price on my second one

 

[wildwest450]

Don't be afraid of aluminum, heats faster. And for the price of that megapot you can get a restaurant quality pot, ball valve and your cooler and manifold for all grain.

 

[ardentfrost]

Don't be afraid of aluminum. Heats faster and cools faster. And for the price of that megapot you can get a restaurant quality pot, ball valve and your cooler and manifold for all grain.

Yeah, the cost of going all grain isn't near as high as it seems it should be. I built a mash tun for $85.

 

[robertvrabel]

I'm really not interested in doing 10 gallons, and if at all possible I'd like to stick to staying on the stove so not sure a keggle is best for me. I wouldn't mind doing propane in the spring/summer... but our winters are brutal in michigan, and I'd hate to have a setup that requires me to be outside when a good portion of the year is miserable outside.

I'm not really afraid of aluminum... I like the 5 gallon pot I have right now. I'm not 100% set on stainless steal... just looking for some recommendations for a 10gallon one, and I'd like to make sure it can do everything up to AG when I eventually get into that. Basically I just don't want to have to buy something again later down the road and regret my purchase

 

[ardentfrost]

I do AG in an 8 gallon economy pot from Austin Homebrew, so yes, you can do AG in it

I do propane boils in my garage, and just monitor carbon monoxide levels.

Alternatively you could build a couple heatsticks. I'm planning on building a couple soon to help with AG.

 

[oceanselv]

Don't buy stainless and use it on an electric stove. I tried that using a partial boil and had nothing but trouble. With an electric stove and stainless you have very little control over your temperature because you have to turn the element all the way up to transfer the heat to the kettle. If you cannot use a gas stove use an aluminum pot or buy yourself a turkey fryer.

You may spend a little more money if you go with a turkey fryer or a banjo burner. In the end it will be worth it. You can brew outside where boilovers are not a big problem and you will not burn out the electric heating element on your stove by using it for something it was not designed for.

 

[robertvrabel]

Are you able to use any aluminum pot on a propane burner like a turkey fryer or banjo burner? I'll probably just by the pot to start... and see how it works out. Then buy a burner later.

 

[robertvrabel]

Don't buy stainless and use it on an electric stove. I tried that using a partial boil and had nothing but trouble. With an electric stove and stainless you have very little control over your temperature because you have to turn the element all the way up to transfer the heat to the kettle. If you cannot use a gas stove use an aluminum pot or buy yourself a turkey fryer.

You may spend a little more money if you go with a turkey fryer or a banjo burner. In the end it will be worth it. You can brew outside where boilovers are not a big problem and you will not burn out the electric heating element on your stove by using it for something it was not designed for.

Do you think this SS economy brew pot from Austin Homebrew will be fine on my stove, since it is really thin? I just can't even find a good price for an aluminum one... I figure this one would act like similar since its really thin but I'm not sure. Seems like this is my best option.

 

[thristy]

Look on ebay I got a 40 qt pot with encapsuled bottom s/s brand new for 40 bucks. If you buy a thin bottom pot youll be sorry starting from the first brew

 

[robertvrabel]

After doing some more research based on the feedback... I've found an aluminum 40qt pot, for about $52 with lid after shipping.

Anyone have objections to this one? http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/update-international/apt-40/p4857.aspx

 

[arxix]

Here is the 60Q I use:
http://www.katom.com/158-5813160.html

I love katom.com and last year I spent over $20K with them(I own a restaurant). They are easy to work with and return to if there is a problem. Check them out.

-Alan

 

[gtpro]

Heres the one I just bought, http://www.instawares.com/aluminum-stock-pot-o-apt-40.upi-apt40.0.7.htm came out to like $50 shipped, its restaurant quality, thick aluminum.

 

[EricCSU]

My first brewpot was a 6gallon economy brewpot from Austin Homebrew. I just got a 15gallon super brew pot, got the hole drilled and added a ball valve. There is a picture on this thread.

I am very happy with the new pot. It is a significantly higher quality pot with thicker walls and a very thick bottom. It heated very fast and after sticking the thermapen in random spots, there is only a 1 degree difference at every spot in the pot. I put the extract in which the burner was on (and stirred while doing so of course) and it did not scorch. It was nice not having to lift the pot to transfer the wort to the carboy.

It is much more expensive, no doubt. Personally, my attitude is that I would rather spend more for higher quality and enjoy using it for a long, long time.

If you are only doing 5gallon batches, I would get the 10gallon pot. I wanted the flexibility to do 10gallon batches in the future, so I got the 15gallon pot.

However, I can totally understand if you go with a less expensive option. And you will probably make great beer with it. I just want to say that the super brew pot is fantastic.

Eric

 

[EricCSU]

By the way, have you tried to boil 7 gallons on the stove? My stove can't do it.

Just something to look into.

Eric

 

[robertvrabel]

By the way, have you tried to boil 7 gallons on the stove? My stove can't do it.

Just something to look into.

Eric

I have not since I don't have a pot big enough... but with my aluminum 5 gallon one, I was able to boil 4 gallons on the stove without a problem, had to turn it down once it went. I figure doing a 5 gallon batch with a little over 5 gallons of water shouldn't be a problem? I don't plan on ever doing more than 5 gallon batches since I'm the only one who drinks it (aside from giving some out to people I know).

Worst case if it doesn't work, I will just do partial boils and do full boils outside eventually. Either way it'll be better for me to do 3-4 gallons in a 10 gallon pot than sticking with my 5 gallon one and trying to squeeze as much water in the wort w/o boiling over... that is no fun!

 

[EricCSU]

You can definitely make good beer with partial boils, so no worries about that.

If you want 5 gallons in the keg (or bottles), you really need to boil 7 gallons. The 7 gallons boils down to 6 gallons. Six gallons turns into 5.5 after losses to hop matter, then 5.5 turns into 5 once you transfer due to trub losses.

I just didn't want you to get dissapointed if you wanted to do full boils on the stovetop. It can be done, but not by many stoves and most people have to tweak their brewpots to do it.

Eric