Size of Pot for AG 5 gal Brewing?

[tomy2]

Is a 7.5 gallon pot big enough to do full boils for 5gal AG batches?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yes, but it will be very tight considering you need to start w/ 6 - 61/2 gallons.
"fermcap s" is advised by some who boil close to the top.

 

[Yooper]

That's what I have! I can boil about 6.25 gallons, but I watch it very carefully until after the hot break! I've only had one boilover, though, in the last 3 years or so.

 

[tomy2]

Ok, I am trying to find a kettle that will not set me back a cpl hundred bucks to do 5gal AG batches.....open to suggestions here......thanks...

 

[Synovia]

You can get a 40qt aluminum pot for like $40, even less if you can find one local.

 

[user 29674]

Got a target local? Go to the kitchen section and look for an Imusa Tamale steamer. Its 8 gallons (32qt) and $18. That's what I use. I can boil 7.25 gallons in it with fermcap. Could probably go as high as 7.5 gallons but that's just asking for it.

Edit: Here's a link to it so you know what you're looking for.

Target

 

[avibayer]

i ordered one off amazon. its 7.5 and i have boil overs often when i dont watch it carefully. still, its fine for me.

 

[yogensha]

I use a 30qt aluminum pot for 5 gallon batches. I've boiled a full 7 gallons in it without problems, but your do have to pay very close attention. I just grab a good cigar and a spray bottle with water in it and enjoy not having to do anything for a few minutes.

 

[ReeseAllen]

If you are patient, watch Craigslist. I snagged a huge 15 gallon brew pot with a pre-installed bulkhead fitting and valve for only $120 a few months ago. That sort of thing is $200+ new.

A 7.5 gallon pot is probably fine for a 5 gallon batch as long as you are careful about boil-overs. Just make sure not to boil more than 6 gallons at a time and keep the boil intensity low-to-moderate. If you would like a pot that's less likely to boil over, go with 10 gallons or bigger. Jumping to a 15 gallon pot like I did is nice, because it's not much more expensive than a 10 gallon pot, it works just fine for a 5 gallon batch (and is pretty much boil-over-proof), and it can also handle a 10 gallon batch easily.

I personally never ferment more than 5 gallon batches, but I recently had a little brewing party where I was able to do a full 10 gallon batch, and a friend who's very interested in getting into brewing got to take home a 5 gallon bucket of wort. His first batch of homebrew is going to be awesome, mainly because I did all the brewing and he just has to add yeast, wait, and bottle it.

 

[pksmitty]

If you (or someone you know) has a Sams Club membership this can be delivered with a lid for under $50.

I have this pot and am very happy.

 

[tomy2]

ahhhh...good idea. Thanks.

 

[Ksuit]

I do 5.5 gallon batches with about 6.5 in the boil to compensate for boil-off in a 7 gallon aluminum pot with no problems. I was looking for the same thing, a cheap kettle to start AG. I haven't had any problems so far.

 

[Gremlyn]

Smart and Final, if you have them, have aluminium pots for decent prices. I think their 32 qt is $70, and it's pretty thick AL. I have their 5 gal for my HLT and an 8 gal MegaPot for my BK.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Maybe it's just me but even my 8 gal kettle is too small for 5 gal batches and I wish I had just got a 10 gal kettle. It's fine for exactly 5 gal batches made with Pale Ale malt but if I use Pils malt (i.e. longer boils) and want to make a 5.5-6 gal batch I have to reserve some of the wort until it boils down enough. More than half of my brews use Pils malt and are more than 5 gal batches. It's really no big deal to do the wort/boil-shuffle but I just would much rather be able to put all the wort in the kettle and get it boiling and not have to piddle with it. I'm not a 'Purity Law' brewer but I don't want to have to buy another chemical to brew (so I'd rather not have to use fermcap).

If I could go back and do it again I would not even consider an 8 gal kettle no matter how cheap it was (well...almost). Get the 10 gal imo.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Montanaandy]

Yep the aluminum pots at Sammy's are hard to beat on price and they are fairly high quality. I have a restaurant grade aluminum pot which is 1/4" thick, which heats up quickly, is indestructible. A few dollars more but worth it in my opinion if you are going to use aluminum. Go through your local restaurant supply house to get one. Montanaandy

 

[RichBenn]

I got a 9 gallon stainless pot for around $75. Works great for 5.5 gallon batches. It's made by one of the turkey fryer/boil companies (Bayou?), just not the one that comes with a burner, which are almost always 7.5 gallons (which IS too small for comfort, from my experience).

 

[LakeErieBrew]

I would go with a 15 gallon pot. As long as you have a good burner, you can reasonably boil a 10 gallon batch if you choose to someday.

 

[Synovia]

I would go with a 15 gallon pot. As long as you have a good burner, you can reasonably boil a 10 gallon batch if you choose to someday.

I second this, and I second the person above who says that an 8g is too small for 5g. I've got a 34qt, and the first half hour of the boil is a pain.

You can get a 60qt (or even an 80 or 100) for less than $100.