Partial Mash Brewer new brew kettle

[golfgod04]

So, Ive been brewing about a year and I started with a cheap pot for brewing. I need to replace it. Im a partial mash brewer and I use my stove top. I was thinking of switching to one of these:
tall-boy-kettle-8-gallon
or
http://www.amazon.com/Update-International-SPS-20-Stainless-Steel/

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance

 

[Morrey]

I know this sounds cliché, but I have always tried to think about my equipment at least one step ahead of where I am currently brewing.

With that said, I started with a small boil kettle for extract brewing, and I actually thought I'd always be an extract brewer. That changed over time, and I now BIAB 5G batches since I keg into soda kegs. I start out with around 7G strike water, then add somewhere in the neighborhood of 10# grains (more or less) depending on the style. I found that a 10 gallon kettle works beautifully, and can accommodate about anything I want to brew in the AG or BIAB world for a 5G batch.

Next I discovered Gosa beers which are kettle soured in some situations. The reactivity of aluminum is concerning, so SS is a better choice. Now looking ahead, a 10G SS boil kettle is pretty ideal for me.

Of course let your budget be your guide, but at the same time, evaluate enough ahead to allow your flexibility to be there.

Just my .02

 

[golfgod04]

yea problem is always budget. I can spend up to 100

 

[laredo7mm]

A 40 quart Concord Pot is $65.68 with free shipping on eBay. They also sell on Amazon, but at a higher price. I have a 40 quart and it is nice for the price. I also just bought (should be delivered today) two 30 quart ones to convert to fermenters.

eBay Concord Pot

 

[douglasbarbin]

Go with the link that @laredo7mm suggested, and get the biggest pot that you can afford. You can't even do a boil for 5 gallons of wort in that 5-gallon pot in the OP, and an 8-gallon pot is going to limit you if you end up doing all grain. Eventually, you are going to want to go the all-grain route, and you probably won't be boiling on your stove, either.

 

[BrewinBromanite]

I've got a couple of these 42 quart aluminum pots (with strainer basket included), for $65.99. Love them. Aluminum is no issue for most brewing (not sure about kettle souring). I wouldn't go smaller than 40 quarts if you can help it. These are perfect for extract or PM (and you can do full volume boils), or BIAB AG. Any of the above recommendations would be a good choice. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464103757.273686.jpg

 

[BrewinBromanite]

After re-reading your post (and while still pushing for as big as you can get), if you are sticking to stovetop, the 40-42 quart pots might be a bit much, depending on your stovetop size. If that's a concern, you can find lots of pretty cheap (< $100) 7-7.5 gallon turkey fryer pots (some that come with a propane burner and straining basket), which would probably fit nicer on a stove. I've got a 7.5 aluminum that I've done some PM batches on the stovetop before for 5-5.5 gallon batches. Works fine, just need to keep an eye out for boil overs.

 

[golfgod04]

A 40 quart Concord Pot is $65.68 with free shipping on eBay. They also sell on Amazon, but at a higher price. I have a 40 quart and it is nice for the price. I also just bought (should be delivered today) two 30 quart ones to convert to fermenters.

eBay Concord Pot

thanks for the link. Is that pot thick enough ? My problem is my original brew pot was too thin and now feels flimsy.

 

[golfgod04]

After re-reading your post (and while still pushing for as big as you can get), if you are sticking to stovetop, the 40-42 quart pots might be a bit much, depending on your stovetop size. If that's a concern, you can find lots of pretty cheap (< $100) 7-7.5 gallon turkey fryer pots (some that come with a propane burner and straining basket), which would probably fit nicer on a stove. I've got a 7.5 aluminum that I've done some PM batches on the stovetop before for 5-5.5 gallon batches. Works fine, just need to keep an eye out for boil overs.

I thought aluminum wasnt as good as stainless?

 

[BrewinBromanite]

I thought aluminum wasnt as good as stainless?

The answer, really, is that it depends. (Do a search and you'll find countless threads comparing the two, not that different from glass vs plastic carboys vs buckets for fermenters).

If you are just doing some basic brewing, nothing wrong at all with aluminum.

 

[golfgod04]

The answer, really, is that it depends. (Do a search and you'll find countless threads comparing the two, not that different from glass vs plastic carboys vs buckets for fermenters).

If you are just doing some basic brewing, nothing wrong at all with aluminum.

ok thanks good to know

 

[golfgod04]

my current pot is 11 inches tall and 12.5 inches wide. I can go a little bigger than that but not too much. If I went with something as much as 14.5inches or wider, I dont think it would fit on the stove right and boil evenly because half the pot would be off the stove burner lol

 

[golfgod04]

I've got a couple of these 42 quart aluminum pots (with strainer basket included), for $65.99. Love them. Aluminum is no issue for most brewing (not sure about kettle souring). I wouldn't go smaller than 40 quarts if you can help it. These are perfect for extract or PM (and you can do full volume boils), or BIAB AG. Any of the above recommendations would be a good choice. View attachment 355738

great price but its too tall.

 

[douglasbarbin]

That stove is really holding you back. Kind of pointless to upgrade your equipment while you are still boiling on the stove, IMO.

 

[golfgod04]

I prefer using natural gas stove. Electricity is damn expensive here.

 

[Morrey]

That stove is really holding you back. Kind of pointless to upgrade your equipment while you are still boiling on the stove, IMO.

+1 on the above. Moving into a turkey fryer burner is a relatively inexpensive way to grow your brewing operation. Then you can think pots and pot sizes.

 

[laredo7mm]

I prefer using natural gas stove. Electricity is damn expensive here.

If you are using a natural gas stove, then the pot diameter shouldn't really matter. I boil on my natty gas stove with my pot. The flame spreads out just fine, but my stove is old and can't boil much more than 4 gallons. I even drilled out the orifice to increase the BTU output but that didn't help much.

Now I run a 2000W heat stick with a little assistance from the gas burner to get 7 gallons to a rolling boil. One of these days I am going to get around to insulating my kettle and see if I can get a good boil with just the 2000W element.

I could put a 24 inch diameter pot on my stove if I wanted. I don't care if the pot spans two burners as long as the weight of the pot and wort doesn't collapse my stove.

 

[golfgod04]

how do I found out the weight limit for my stove top? I didnt take that into account for BIAB.

 

[golfgod04]

+1 on the above. Moving into a turkey fryer burner is a relatively inexpensive way to grow your brewing operation. Then you can think pots and pot sizes.

I live in new england, brewing on my stove during winter is nice. I dont want to be brewing in my garage during winter. Plus, its AC in my house as compared to the garage during summer months. worried about flies/bugs when brewing outside.

 

[golfgod04]

Update-International-APT-40-Aluminum-Stock thinking this is the pot ill use

 

[douglasbarbin]

I live in new england, brewing on my stove during winter is nice. I dont want to be brewing in my garage during winter. Plus, its AC in my house as compared to the garage during summer months. worried about flies/bugs when brewing outside.

You can brew indoors with a large electric kettle, although it will be more expensive. I just don't see the purpose of going to a kettle that is barely bigger than the one you have now.

 

[golfgod04]

my kettle now needs to be trashed, its too flimsy. I need a new kettle asap. electric is too expensive here, thats why I use natural gas. If I go with this other kettle, I can do full boil BIAB with this bigger kettle. My current kettle is only 5 gallons. this one would be 10.

 

[Morrey]

how do I found out the weight limit for my stove top? I didnt take that into account for BIAB.

Even considering an 8G pot with 5G of fluid in it, you are talking in excess of 40 pounds sitting on top of a small burner. Throw in a few # of extract and hops, maybe a pound of candi sugar and you are pushing the 50# mark on a household stove surface. Hummmm. I considered those kinds of things prior to moving into my mancave for full boils and larger equipment.

 

[golfgod04]

I have a gas stove that has a massive burner. specifically for large stock pots (im part italian so I cook a lot of homemade pasta and thats why i chose the stove). It has an 18000+ BTU burner.

 

[golfgod04]

my problem is that I already have my ingredients for my next brew. so maybe ill just use the large stock pot for 1 more partial brew before going to an outdoor burner and propane (anything is cheaper than electricity here)

 

[nicksim86]

I'm also looking to upgrade and have my eye on this one. stainless steel with a tri clad bottom. I was also looking at the update international ones, but like that the bayou is tall and skinny and has volume markings
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008G3PAXK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[golfgod04]

I like the pot too, but I dont think Ive got the money for it.

 

[MaryB]

My gas stove can get 5 gallons to a boil if I partially cover the pot at the start(leave a 2" gap). Works fine for extract brews. All grain I am doing in my garage and once it hits around zero getting water out there and cleaning equipment will become a major pain so I will switch back to extract brewing for the rest of the winter. Unless I can manage to insulate a water line well enough to survive MN winters... Garage is fully insulated (better than my house!) and heated so keeping it at 60 in there is easy.