NOOB brew pot question

[raptorkeeper89]

Yeah that's not a bad price at all. After all was said and done my northern brewer kit came to like $275. A little expensive but I also got my extract ingredient kit and a extra secondary and a few odds and ends. Next is my brew pot and wort chiller

 

[lil_mac]

If you are in the market for a new pot, you are really close to the importer of the pots that both Norther Brewer and Morebeer use, Update International: Welcome to Update International::
Update sells the best and cheapest pots around. Look around the LA area at some restaurant supply stores and you will find them full of Update pots.
The cool thing is that when you make the leap to all-grain, both Morebeer and Northern Brewer make full false bottoms that you can put in Update pots.

Which ones are these like the heavy duty ones, or the economy ones from morebeer?

 

[BrewMU]

I just ordered a basic (cheap) 9 gallon pot with 2 tubes (welded threaded tubes for a ball valve and a thermo) for 79.99 (each tube cost 10 bucks - the tubeless one is 59.99). Also ordered a 20 psi 222,000 BTU burner for 79.98. The stuff won't be here until next week, so I can't comment on quality until then. The store is "Adventures in Homebrewing" - maybe someone else can comment on their reliability.
I checked the rules and I think I'm okay doing this - if I'm not somebody please let me know.
9 Gallon Stainless Steel Pot with Two Welds - 9 Gallon Brew Pot
Good luck. I'm a newby myself (~ 1/2 dzn batches), and so far it's been a blast learning about beer and (!!!) sampling style examples from the beerstore.

 

[ajohnson153]

The kit I am looking at from Williams doesn't include a secondary. Though there is a lot of debate on here about whether or not to secondary at all or just do an extra long primary. I will probably end up buying a better bottle or two just so I can free up my primary for the next batch. I have some brews planned out in my head already and I am eager to get to it. I will probably go ahead and purchase the turkey fryer in the next week or two while they are still on sale after Thanksgiving. I'll relay a piece of advice I got when I took a homebrewing class at a brewing supply shop around here. Go to home depot and buy one of the levers they sell for opening up big buckets of paint because the lids on primary buckets can be a real b**** to get off.

 

[BeerG0ggles]

I will probably end up buying a better bottle or two just so I can free up my primary for the next batch.

In that case I'd say get two pails, two carboys, and four air locks. That gives you more flexibility, IMHO. The carboys are also good for dry hopping and oaking. Despite other's better judgement, I regularly use a secondary. Other's mileage may vary' of course.

I'll relay a piece of advice I got when I took a homebrewing class at a brewing supply shop around here. Go to home depot and buy one of the levers they sell for opening up big buckets of paint because the lids on primary buckets can be a real b**** to get off.

Well, yeah. Maybe. Those levers can be rather unforgiving on the brew pail lids too. I'd say go without at first and if you really need it, then pick one up (and try not to ruin the seal on your pail). I've never found the lids to be all that onerous, but if someone has weak wrists, arthritis, or a nasty tight setup I could see the benefit.

Sent from my iPad using HB Talk

 

[RM-MN]

You can buy 2 pails with lids and airlocks for the price of one Better Bottle and now you can have 3 batches going at once instead of 2. Or better yet 3 pails and the one Better Bottle so you can have 3 batches fermenting while you do some special stuff in the Better Bottle.

I have 3 pails and a carboy. The pails are all full and the carboy sits empty as it does 98% of the time. It's so easy to pour the wort into the pail and so easy to wipe the krausen from the sides of the bucket and the yeast cake from the bottom. I hate using the carboy unless I have to.

 

[rico567]

You can buy 2 pails with lids and airlocks for the price of one Better Bottle and now you can have 3 batches going at once instead of 2. Or better yet 3 pails and the one Better Bottle so you can have 3 batches fermenting while you do some special stuff in the Better Bottle.

I have 3 pails and a carboy. The pails are all full and the carboy sits empty as it does 98% of the time. It's so easy to pour the wort into the pail and so easy to wipe the krausen from the sides of the bucket and the yeast cake from the bottom. I hate using the carboy unless I have to.

THIS. I also use a 3-bucket setup in my pipeline, and my carboys just sit gathering dust unless I'm doing something that requires bulk aging, like a barleywine or a great big imperial stout. So much simpler all around......

 

[ajohnson153]

You can buy 2 pails with lids and airlocks for the price of one Better Bottle and now you can have 3 batches going at once instead of 2. Or better yet 3 pails and the one Better Bottle so you can have 3 batches fermenting while you do some special stuff in the Better Bottle.

I have 3 pails and a carboy. The pails are all full and the carboy sits empty as it does 98% of the time. It's so easy to pour the wort into the pail and so easy to wipe the krausen from the sides of the bucket and the yeast cake from the bottom. I hate using the carboy unless I have to.

That is why I don't want the deluxe kit from Northernbrewer. Their stuff looks top rate and their shipping just can't be beat, but they include a better bottle for a primary. Don't get me wrong I am sure the better bottle is great but I don't think I would want one as a primary fermenter, if for no other reason than making things more difficult to clean out. I'm still reviewing my options for starter kits at the moment. My birthday is coming up on Dec 11 and I am bound to get a little cash for that so I'll add that to my brewery fund. My head is swimming with all of the options out there though. Thus far the one from Williams looks like it might be the best deal especially since they include a wort chiller and brewkettle even though I don't really need a kettle. Like I said the number of options out there is making it difficult to pull the trigger on any of them.

 

[rico567]

That is why I don't want the deluxe kit from Northernbrewer. Their stuff looks top rate and their shipping just can't be beat, but they include a better bottle for a primary. Don't get me wrong I am sure the better bottle is great but I don't think I would want one as a primary fermenter, if for no other reason than making things more difficult to clean out. I'm still reviewing my options for starter kits at the moment. My birthday is coming up on Dec 11 and I am bound to get a little cash for that so I'll add that to my brewery fund. My head is swimming with all of the options out there though. Thus far the one from Williams looks like it might be the best deal especially since they include a wort chiller and brewkettle even though I don't really need a kettle. Like I said the number of options out there is making it difficult to pull the trigger on any of them.

Take a look at Midwest's kits. That's where I got mine.

 

[polo_check]

I purchased the Williams brewing kit about 2 years ago and couldn't be happier with it. By far it is the best bang for your buck. You don't realize how nice a spigot on your kettle is until you have one. No it doesn't come with a secondary. But you can purchase one at Williams or your LHBS. When you decide to upgrade you still have equipment that you can use throughout your brewventure.

 

[ajohnson153]

I purchased the Williams brewing kit about 2 years ago and couldn't be happier with it. By far it is the best bang for your buck. You don't realize how nice a spigot on your kettle is until you have one. No it doesn't come with a secondary. But you can purchase one at Williams or your LHBS. When you decide to upgrade you still have equipment that you can use throughout your brewventure.

Yeah, that is more or less what I was thinking. Plus they include a wort chiller, which is something I would have ended up buying later down the road anyway. I guess my mind is made up. I'll buy from Williams.