New to brewing, want a 60qt pot I'll never have to upgrade!

[Bernie Brewer]

I have to side with remilard here, although I do understand it is regional. I have never been able to find a scrap yard here selling kegs. They do not accept them because they realize that they would have a huge theft problem on their hands id they did. Some areas are different.

I know a guy that works as a dispatcher at the local scrapyard. They have stopped accepting kegs years ago because people were turning them in to the scrapyard instead of returning them to the beer depots. They were getting so much more in scrap price than the deposit, they were basically drinking the beer for free.

 

[BrewBeemer]

No you cannot taste the difference between wort made with a keggle and a Blichmann, but the user knows which he/she used and how enjoyable the experience was.

Also BrewBeemer, you continue to forgot that 99.99999% of the population does not have a full machine shop and infinite stainless stock sitting in their garage. To legally obtain a keg, all the stainless fittings, nice thermometer, sight glass with a protective cage, and a three piece ball valve, you are paying less tan $100 to upgrade to the Blichmann. It is worth it IMHO.

Others will differ and mention that they have done keggles for $20. This is true. But it will not have all the features, and will MOST likely not have been legally obtained.

I have friends that own rental units they come up with kegs at times and give them to me. I have turned then turned then in if they are the same brand that the bier distriburtorship I know delivers. I will drop the keg or kegs off free. I have been rewarded by them for this way more than if I just kept them as they remember me by first name.

 

[BrewBeemer]

No you cannot taste the difference between wort made with a keggle and a Blichmann, but the user knows which he/she used and how enjoyable the experience was.

Also BrewBeemer, you continue to forgot that 99.99999% of the population does not have a full machine shop and infinite stainless stock sitting in their garage. To legally obtain a keg, all the stainless fittings, nice thermometer, sight glass with a protective cage, and a three piece ball valve, you are paying less tan $100 to upgrade to the Blichmann. It is worth it IMHO.

Others will differ and mention that they have done keggles for $20. This is true. But it will not have all the features, and will MOST likely not have been legally obtained.

In my area I have gone directly to the bier supply yard (previous reply) the 5th wheel bier drivers come from. I have purchased damaged kegs, a bashed bottom skirt plus another with the top skirt bashed for $15 each legally with a receipt as "out of service" is a perfect pair of kegs. They have also sold me off brand name kegs that were in great shape for $20 each. These also with papers as damaged with many times no money paid or a receipt. With the two damaged kegs this is perfect especially if they are the same brand hence same diameter so I can cut and butt weld the two together for taller keggles of 23 gallon volume. Fittings are cheap even if you go weldless which isn't me I weld 'em. This still is way cheaper than any manufactured units. Money is why they are in business just not my money. Maybe some people are not a DIY type of person, can not weld or not have the equipment to do so. I find this sad as the rewards are great with DIY projects thru out life. As far as looks I don't care as they get fully insulated. I rather brew bier than have a shiny trophy piece, that would be against the grain with me besides others that know me, they know i'm not foolish with my money when it can fabricate at the shop. To each his or her own. Do what makes you happy as long as the reward is a homebrew at the end.
Now I can go to the Berkeley campus during a football game and collect kegs for free, this would be wrong and not my style of operation.

 

[Hikeon3]

Yeesh. I was just saying. The guy has zero batches done so far he might do well to learn on something small. If I had started with a 10 full boil gallon system on my first go, I'd have major boilover stains on my garage floor and about 20 gallons of off-tasting beer.

A lot of learning about brew process and science comes from the limitations of our initial methods and equipment. Extract, PM, AG batch, AG fly, PHD in Astrophysics, then Decoction. It's just the natural progression of learning. And learning about extract/topoff is just as important as the hop over to extract full boil, IMO.

Plus, at zero batches it's tough to recommend a guy go spend a few bills on a stainless 15g kettle with brewmom/valve. It's a hobby, but it takes a good deal of time and effort and some people don't always stick to it. I'd rather he be stuck with a 15 dollar paperweight than some expensive monstrosity of a brew kettle if he ever chooses to stop brewing.

My 2 cents.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Yeesh. I was just saying. The guy has zero batches done so far he might do well to learn on something small. If I had started with a 10 full boil gallon system on my first go, I'd have major boilover stains on my garage floor and about 20 gallons of off-tasting beer.

A lot of learning about brew process and science comes from the limitations of our initial methods and equipment. Extract, PM, AG batch, AG fly, PHD in Astrophysics, then Decoction. It's just the natural progression of learning. And learning about extract/topoff is just as important as the hop over to extract full boil, IMO.

Plus, at zero batches it's tough to recommend a guy go spend a few bills on a stainless 15g kettle with brewmom/valve. It's a hobby, but it takes a good deal of time and effort and some people don't always stick to it. I'd rather he be stuck with a 15 dollar paperweight than some expensive monstrosity of a brew kettle if he ever chooses to stop brewing.

My 2 cents.

It's a good point if someone isn't serious about brewing. However, I personally know two people who have NEVER done an extract or PM batch of homebrew. They were shown from the beginning by friends how to brew All Grain, and the equipment necessary. I'm certainly not saying this is normal, but there is nothing wrong with it and they make great beer. There is no requirement at all to invest in equipment you will outgrow in a few months. And starting with extract contributes nothing to the learning process that reading a few books can't teach. I found it useful for me, but then I'm a pretty careful person and I like to test the water before I jump in.

I know some people like to step up over time...but still others like to jump in with both feet and not fool around. They want to buy the equipment once, get the right stuff, and get the equipment they will be happy with for years to come. I don't know what kind of person the OP is, but if they want to make a purchase that will serve them well for many years it's worth it to drop some cash on good equipment.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

Hikeon3 good points; however a better recommendation may have been then "do some 2.5 gallon batches" which requires a very small pot and "beg,borrow, steal" a pot if you do not own a pot this size already.

Then to the OP, if you decide you do actually enjoy brewing, H@!! yes buy the biggest pot you can afford the first time.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

x2 Twoheads..

I have never done anything but All Grain brewing. Because I inherited some equipment, my startup cost for AG was really the $20 for my 5g igloo, $10 for my ss braid, and about $25 for my weldless ball valve setup.

I am still doing split boils with my inherited 24qt pot, and when I find sankes locally, that is what I will be buying. No middle ground pot for me either.

With proper study/research extract, full boil extract, pm, ag does not have to be "the" learning process.

It's a good point if someone isn't serious about brewing. However, I personally know two people who have NEVER done an extract or PM batch of homebrew. They were shown from the beginning by friends how to brew All Grain, and the equipment necessary. I'm certainly not saying this is normal, but there is nothing wrong with it and they make great beer. There is no requirement at all to invest in equipment you will outgrow in a few months. And starting with extract contributes nothing to the learning process that reading a few books can't teach. I found it useful for me, but then I'm a pretty careful person and I like to test the water before I jump in.

I know some people like to step up over time...but still others like to jump in with both feet and not fool around. They want to buy the equipment once, get the right stuff, and get the equipment they will be happy with for years to come. I don't know what kind of person the OP is, but if they want to make a purchase that will serve them well for many years it's worth it to drop some cash on good equipment.

 

[jspence1]

you can't go wrong with a turkey fryer. worst case you use it as a turkey fryer down the road. it was the best $50 i have spent.

I'm currently doing 11G batches in a 60qt Al pot, you have to be very careful but it can definitely be done. I use the turkey fryer pot to heat my water it has worked well for me, Well both AG batches I have done. Good Luck

 

[jamesrm]

You could always get one of the blichman boil pots Brewing Equipment - Brewing - Boilermaker Brewpots - Rebel Brewer