Newbie looking for inexpensive Sparge pot...

[javajo91]

Afternoon -

Just starting out with all grain brewing. Spent last weekend at a friends house whose been home brewing for 15+ years and he split a 10 gallon batch with me. In a fermenter now in my basement working it's magic.

Looking to brew my own in a couple of weeks and am cobbling together an all-grain system that will work until i get to the point when i want to spend a bit more money and perhaps upgrade my system.

I currently have a 5 gallon Rubbermaid orange cooler that i plan on converting to a mash tun.

My friend was nice enough to loan me a converted cut keg to serve as my wort pot and boiler.

I just need a large pot 35-40 qt pot to boil my sparge water but i really do not feel like spending the money for full price at this time.

I saw some 40 qt stainless steel pots on ebay for 90 bucks...

Is this the right route or should i be thinking of something else?

any help would be mucj appreciated.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Well, any pot will do for sparge water. If you have no other option you can brew w/out a "sparge" pot. Some brewers simply heat the sparge water in the kettle and collect the wort in a plastic bucket or two. Once the wort is collected it is transferred back to the sparge pot / kettle and the wort is boiled. Easy peasy! One kettle / one cooler / one bucket / done.

Note; This ultra basic method will add around 30 minutes to your brew session since you can't start heating the wort till you have finished sparging. You can pretty easily do a 5 gallon batch w/ just the keg, cooler MLT. and a food grade hdpe bucket.

Nonexistent, thats pretty inexpensive!

 

[Clonefarmer]

Austin Homebrew Supply

This what you are looking for?

 

[javajo91]

Ah cool! Yes thank you for both replies!
Actually - Wilserbrewer reminded me that i can use my converted keg that i plan on using to boil my wort as a sparge pot.
Boil the water in that, then perhaps simply run a hose down to my 5 gallon rubbermaid cooler. Place upside down coffe can on top of mash bed and sparge away.

Thank U both!!

 

[javajo91]

hey - quick question...
I know that aluminum is a not supposed to be used for the boil of the wort...
Can i use an aluminum el-cheapo pot for the sparge water?

 

[Clonefarmer]

hey - quick question...
I know that aluminum is a not supposed to be used for the boil of the wort...
Can i use an aluminum el-cheapo pot for the sparge water?

I use an aluminum pot that came with a turkey fryer to heat sparge water. Works fine and I haven't noticed any off flavors.

 

[javajo91]

Thanks guys! The debate between aluminum and ss I'm sure will always continue but for 45 bucks i got a 10 gallon aluminum stock pot for my sparge water. Can't beat it.

 

[Revvy]

Well, any pot will do for sparge water. If you have no other option you can brew w/out a "sparge" pot. Some brewers simply heat the sparge water in the kettle and collect the wort in a plastic bucket or two. Once the wort is collected it is transferred back to the sparge pot / kettle and the wort is boiled. Easy peasy! One kettle / one cooler / one bucket / done.

Actually this is what the majority of people do, there's really no need for a dedicated Hlt unless you are building a multitierd system with independant burners. Another option is a second cooler..., this is what fly spargers often do heat the water in your bewpot, pour in hlt cooler, which is higher than the mash tun, and attach the fly arm, and open the valve.

But really just heating your water a couple degrees higher than your strike water temp to account for some heat loss, dumping it in a bucket (I usually use my ale pale) and using a container to batch sparge into the cooler....

You can also use a bottling bucket and spigot, with a hose on the end as well...