Not sure if this kettle is SS?

[kenoglass]

So I emailed the company and am hoping to hear back but is this too cheap to be Stainless??

http://www.homebrewing.org/10-gal-Marked-Pot-with-One-Weld_p_6065.html

 

[kenoglass]

Well they just got in and it is stainless, so answered my own question might even get the 15 instead!!!

 

[JohnnyBrewGood]

FYI, it might come super thin.....dare I say flimsy?

 

[DrunkleJon]

Type of stainless matters too. If you can stick a magnet to it, its a cheaper stainless and can/will rust. Great trick I learned when buying a stainless grill.

Its probably a thin stainless pot (like the one I got with my equipment kit when I started brewing). It will transfer heat more quickly and you will possibly get hot spots which increases the possibility of scorching if using a high BTU burner. Should work fine on a kitchen stove though. Ask what the thickness is and what type of stainless.

 

[augiedoggy]

the thickness doesnt matter if you brew with electric... also its highly unlikely that a kettle that size will be made of the 400series stainless (which can rust) they are usually 304 or 316 stainless

@kenoglass this is another alternative if you like the thermomter in the second port. plus its bigger and likely cheaper once shipping comes into play from the other place...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jarhill-70-...898627?hash=item3aaf583c83:g:lycAAOSwd0BVxMr-

 

[Sconnie12]

the thickness doesnt matter if you brew with electric... also its highly unlikely that a kettle that size will be made of the 400series stainless (which can rust) they are usually 304 or 316 stainless

@kenoglass this is another alternative if you like the thermomter in the second port. plus its bigger and likely cheaper once shipping comes into play from the other place...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jarhill-70-...898627?hash=item3aaf583c83:g:lycAAOSwd0BVxMr-

These cheap Chinese pots are closer to a 200 series than 400 series (18/0). They are closer to a 13/3 (chromium/nickel) compared to a 304SS which is 18/8. They are jacked up with manganese to keep the austenitic structure (reason why most of these aren't magnetic) but they don't have the corrosion resistance that 304SS has. Rusting and cracking is a known issue with the Chinese 'CrMn' stainless steels.

Bottom line you get what you pay for.

 

[AnOldUR]

I've used a Bayou pot that's magnetic with an induction hob for many years with no signs of rust. Original description said it was 304, but even though the working process can make that grade somewhat magnetic, I doubt that it's 304 (and don't really care at this point).

 

[augiedoggy]

These cheap Chinese pots are closer to a 200 series than 400 series (18/0). They are closer to a 13/3 (chromium/nickel) compared to a 304SS which is 18/8. They are jacked up with manganese to keep the austenitic structure (reason why most of these aren't magnetic) but they don't have the corrosion resistance that 304SS has. Rusting and cracking is a known issue with the Chinese 'CrMn' stainless steels.

Bottom line you get what you pay for.

huh...while that may be true with some of the cheap kettles. All the cheap stainless kettles i own haven't rusted or cracked in the few years Ive been using them for brewing... Come to think of it I dont recall seeing any complaints of stainless kettles rusting on here over the years.
Most of the stainless kettle and conicals sold for home brewing are made in china of from Chinese stainless...

Are you a disgruntled American worker in the steel or fabrication business by any chance?

You dont ALWAYS get what you pay for.... Too often you get the same cheap chinese product only marked way up in price by an american "company" who distributes and markets the stuff under as name brand...
One quick way to tell if your kettle is chinese made is they are often polished on the outside and American made kettles are rarely polished at all due to labor costs to actually do something by hand being so high in the states.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Not sure why people keep saying its thin..it says right on the second line that its 18 gauge. Which is the same thickness as every other pot out there pretty much, including Blichmann's.

I had AIH's previous version of these Kettles with welds and they work great, i sold it to a buddy when i went bigger who still uses it to this day.

 

[ram5ey]

Yeah I had the previous version of this. Great kettle. I sold it to a new brewer when I wanted an upgrade and recent;y met the 3rd owner. All of us were happy with it as our first full volume boil kettle.

 

[Sconnie12]

huh...while that may be true with some of the cheap kettles. All the cheap stainless kettles i own haven't rusted or cracked in the few years Ive been using them for brewing... Come to think of it I dont recall seeing any complaints of stainless kettles rusting on here over the years.
Most of the stainless kettle and conicals sold for home brewing are made in china of from Chinese stainless...

Are you a disgruntled American worker in the steel or fabrication business by any chance?

You dont ALWAYS get what you pay for.... Too often you get the same cheap chinese product only marked way up in price by an american "company" who distributes and markets the stuff under as name brand...
One quick way to tell if your kettle is chinese made is they are often polished on the outside and American made kettles are rarely polished at all due to labor costs to actually do something by hand being so high in the states.

Disgruntled American worker? Nope, just am engineer knowledgeable on the subject matter. It's actually pretty common: Google Search.

A lot of these kettles are mislabeled as 18/10 or 18/8. That's not fair to the companies that actually hold their manufacturers to providing the correct product. Just trying to educate people on why one kettle is $80 and another is $280.

 

[augiedoggy]

Disgruntled American worker? Nope, just am engineer knowledgeable on the subject matter. It's actually pretty common: Google Search.

A lot of these kettles are mislabeled as 18/10 or 18/8. That's not fair to the companies that actually hold their manufacturers to providing the correct product. Just trying to educate people on why one kettle is $80 and another is $280.

The funny thing is I just checked the search you linked and the examples that google search were either rust from improperly welded ports , non stainless elements mounted in them and the other 2 were rust complaints on the supposedly good quality blichmann and spike brewing kettles. One was even rust found in an aluminum kettle.... Yet another was from someone using steel wool and another from someone using a steel bit to drill the hole and leaving the bits of the drill bit in the kettle... Others were from chipped enamel coated steel pots... Actually out of the first 10 threads you linked that I read only 2 threads (the Spike brewing kettle thread) and a complaint of a $55 small 20 quart kettle were actually an examples of the kettle rusting from the steel...and the spike thread was rusting at the weld where the sides were joined to the kettle.

I just dont think its as common as your making it out to be on the larger kettles sold and used by us. I have seen it on the closeout super cheap smaller pots found at junk stores.

And lets face it a $280 15 gallon kettle is not $280 because of the quality of the stainless used... Even the 12.5gallon American made conical fermenters cost less to actually make, even with paying the guys $30+ an hr to operate the machinery. and those are much more complicated with seals and tri clover valves and such.

 

[Sconnie12]

I stated my facts as an engineer experienced in this field. I'll leave it at that.

Happy brewing!

 

[kenoglass]

Not sure why people keep saying its thin..it says right on the second line that its 18 gauge. Which is the same thickness as every other pot out there pretty much, including Blichmann's.

I had AIH's previous version of these Kettles with welds and they work great, i sold it to a buddy when i went bigger who still uses it to this day.

What did you upgrade to? I want this kettle to last a few years yet can't afford the $300 kettles as well....

 

[HootervilleHops]

I trust these guys! I have dealt with them several times personally. Jay is a good guy. They have 2 stores here in MI.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

What did you upgrade to? I want this kettle to last a few years yet can't afford the $300 kettles as well....

A 15 gallon Keggle, which i hated..they are nice and thick steel yes, but it makes installing things in them a giant PITA and even empty they weight a god damn ton. When i moved i sold it and all my propane gear. Now i have a bunch of 20 gallon Concord kettles for a EHERMS setup.

That pot is a great deal. Get a close hex nipple, stainless ball valve(i prefer 3 piece because you can take them apart to re-orient the handle to the top) and either a 1/2" hose barb or camlock fitting and your set with a great pot for < $100.

10 Gallons will last you as long as you brew 5 gallon batches.

 

[kenoglass]

Thanks @FuzzeWuzze I think I am gonna go with it. Seems like a good deal to start full boils and all grain

 

[MVKTR2]

Just to chime in per the labor cost/polishing/chinese/u.s.a./manufacturing cost discourse on page one ...

Manufacturing is so much more expensive stateside not because of labor costs but because of regulatory costs. The high productivity of u.s. labor generally speaking offsets their higher wage. The reality of regulations and taxes is seen extensively in the high startup cost of a brewery which can easily double simply because of building codes, inspections, licenses, bonds, insurance, etc.

 

[MVKTR2]

As for the pot ... seems like a good deal for electric and serviceable for gas. For the record I use a 10 gal aluminum pot more often than not even though I own keggles. The thin nature of the discussed pots are not ideal for direct gas for what would seem obvious reasons. However it's still a serviceable option imho.

 

[augiedoggy]

Just to chime in per the labor cost/polishing/chinese/u.s.a./manufacturing cost discourse on page one ...

Manufacturing is so much more expensive stateside not because of labor costs but because of regulatory costs. The high productivity of u.s. labor generally speaking offsets their higher wage. The reality of regulations and taxes is seen extensively in the high startup cost of a brewery which can easily double simply because of building codes, inspections, licenses, bonds, insurance, etc.

Good point but I believe labor costs are a big factor too... This is why more and more of the US branded vehicles like GM sells as chevy or buicks are now actually rebranded deawoos, kias made in Korea and other "foreign" manufacturers ... It really boils down to Greed from everyone involved from the guys making it all the way up to the stockholders.

much of the steel we use in the US comes from china as well... some of the harder grades like used in forged engine cranks isnt even produced in the US anymore due to the EPA regulations which is another good point... why make it here responsibly when we can just make it in china and dump the waste in the ground,air and water at the other end of the pond.... where good right? :smack: