Moving to full-volume boils... 8 or 10 gallon kettle?

[hogwash]

As big as you can afford. Keggles are nice to have.

 

[tmcmaster007]

I'd go 15. Wish I had done this myself. I started extract and stayed there for about 7 years using a 7 gallon kettle. When I made the jump to mini-mash it only lasted about 6 months. In this time I bought a 9 gallon pot. I quickly moved to all-grain and haven't looked back. I now have a 15 gal. 3 vessel all-grain/all-electric rig with the option to do either 5 or 10 gallon batches. The 7 gallon kettle served me well. I just wish I had skipped the intermediate and gone straight to the 15 gal.

 

[blakelyc]

I had totally forgotten about an immersion chiller..... That's a must add to the list. So I am totally sold on the 15 gallon size, probably a keggle when I can locate a keg. I think I will add all the plumbing to this unit: thermometer, sight glass, and ball valve. This way I can use it for multiple purposes now and in the future without having to make further mods.

So that setup, thermapen, and immersion chiller. That should set me up for full-volume boils at my current capacity and prepare me well for additional all-grain equipment in the spring, yes?

 

[Golddiggie]

I had totally forgotten about an immersion chiller..... That's a must add to the list. So I am totally sold on the 15 gallon size, probably a keggle when I can locate a keg. I think I will add all the plumbing to this unit: thermometer, sight glass, and ball valve. This way I can use it for multiple purposes now and in the future without having to make further mods.

So that setup, thermapen, and immersion chiller. That should set me up for full-volume boils at my current capacity and prepare me well for additional all-grain equipment in the spring, yes?

With the thermapen, don't install a thermometer in the boil keggle/kettle. Save that money for other things that will give you more use/value. I don't have a thermometer installed in my boil keggle and have removed the one that was in my mash tun keggle.

 

[letmeholleratya]

I'd suggest a 10-15 gallon kettle. I have an 8 or 9 (?) and wish I would have gone bigger. 10 gal batches are out of the question for me. Having more headspace for a boil over would be nice, too. Spigot would be useful (no more heavy lifting ). Temp gauge would not be worth the money, IMO.