Some Brew Pot Questions

[chefchris]

Shopping for my first brew pot. Knowing that I have a tendancy to jump head first into hobbies, I would rather get what I needed the first time and not have to upgrade later when I become obsessed. Having said that ... what size brew pot should I purchase? I'm starting out with extracts but can definately see myself going more advanced.

When searching the forums I found a link to this one.

Look good?

Is it too big for extracts?

I searched all over town today but didn't have anything even close to 20qt.



Thanks in advance for answering my uber newb questions.

 

[quickerNu]

Looks perfect! It is okay for full extract boils now, and 5 gallon all-grain batches later. You do have an outdoor burner for that monster, right?

 

[Got Trub?]

That is a good size for 10g batches, overkill for 5. If you are going to do full boils for extract or all grain you will also need an outdoor burner as quickerNu pointed out as well as a wort chiller.

GT

 

[chefchris]

that didn't even cross my mind. no I do not have an outdoor burner.

Would it be better to just get something like this?

 

[LayMeister]

Personally I think a 40 quart pot is the just about the right size for 5 gallon (20 quart), all-grain, batches. I usually start the boil with about 7.5 gallons (30 quarts) and this leaves room for a healthy boil.

Paul

 

[Chriso]

The 60 qt would work just fine, and you would never have to replace it if you upgraded to 10 gal batches.

I have a 30 qt turkey fryer and a 15.5 gal keggle. I'm trying to sell the keggle to buy that same 60 qt aluminum pot.

I use my keggle currently for 5g batches and it's wonderful but slow. The 60 qt aluminum should be just as comfortable, but way faster to heat.

 

[chefchris]

How's this one look for starters?

Link

 

[MikeFlynn74]

5 gallon brewpot is good for 5 gallon batches.

I have the KA5b banjo burner

="http://bayouclassicdepot.com/kab4_banjo_burner.htm"

Its insane! Boils fast and hard

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Just a note, the bare minimum for a 5 gal batch is a 7.5 gal pot. I use one and I still use my old 4 gal pot to do side by side boils on my electric stove. I just can't get a good, solid, roiling boil on the low BTU's. With an outside propane/NG burner you would have to watch for boil overs but it is possible.

 

[TheFlatline]

How's this one look for starters?

Link

Check this thread out:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=72957

I'm happy with the product. I don't really mind the concept of having 2 or 3 brew kettles, so this 7 gallon will be fine for 5 gallon full-boils if I decide to upgrade to something bigger in the future.

The burner is cheaper but still very useful. It won't blow like the bayou burners, but then again I can get this puppy tuned down to where it's very economical as far as fuel is concerned.

 

[Brew-boy]

I have a 9 gallon brewpot for 5 gallon batches. I would not consider anything smaller as I need 8.5 perboil because I like to leave about a gallon of grud behind.

 

[chefchris]

Check this thread out:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=72957

Damn, that's cheap! I believe I just found my brew pot.

Thanks!

 

[chefchris]

Ok, last question. I ordered the pot and have never bought a propane tank and don't know jack about them. Anything I need to know?

 

[juvinious]

You can pick one up in different locations for around $17-$25 depending on where. i.e. your local grocery store, HD, lowes, or some gas stations have them here. They are pretty straight forward. The only thing I would recommend is not burning the propane indoors.

 

[quickerNu]

My first pot was 26 qt which was barley enough for full pm and extract boils. I now have a 40 for all grain. but there is no way a stovetop (mine anyway) will get that big a pot going. Now that 26 is perfect for heating sparge water.

 

[TheFlatline]

Ok, last question. I ordered the pot and have never bought a propane tank and don't know jack about them. Anything I need to know?

Go to Lowes or Home Depot and pick one up. It'll cost you about 30 bucks or less.

Most places that fill up propane tanks charge a minimum amount, around 18-19 bucks (I've seen it as low as 15) so you're better off filling up when you're empty. Around here, I think after tax it's 3.70 a gallon. Cheaper than gasoline...

Anyway, there are two things I'd be aware of. The blue rhino, exchange-a-tank thing you see at the grocery store works fine in premise, but I usually avoid the system as it is extra expensive (I've seen exchanges as much as 10 dollars more expensive than just filling up). Also, I've noticed that some more... shady gas stations with "propane" services don't give you high-quality propane. I've gotten propane that smells like, burns like, and is crappy like butane is. I suspect butane was cheaper. That's only happened a couple times though. If you get your fillup from a big-name like Airgas (it'll say airgas on the tank at the gas station or wherever you fill up) you're good to go. Don't kill yourself looking for "brand name" propane though, as chances are you'll be fine.

Also, beware that when your tank gets low, it will cool down and freeze up. This is perfectly natural, and can even happen in 100+ degree heat. Don't try to heat your tank up, just accept it as part of life.

 

[JerD]

Make sure you have a spare tank handy. No point in wasting fuel but running out of propane in the middle of a boil is a pain.

 

[rico567]

When I started brewing last November, I shopped around and got a Proctor-Silex 30 qt. SS pot w/ lid from Cooking.com for $40, shipped. Works very well for my purposes, which are 5-gal. full boil extract batches done on the propane cooktop in the kitchen. Might be small for all-grain; don't care. Might not provide adequate headspace or room for evap when doing volcano boils on 65K BTU turkey fryer burners.

Since the thread seems to have moved onto the subject, high-heat rapid boils are irrelevant to me, as I don't brew outside, or require "instant boil." Also, brewing with the 20 pound propane "grill" cylinders is an extremely expensive way to heat. I'm currently paying $20 at the local propane distributor for a fill for the cylinder I use on my Weber grill , and I saw a "Blue Rhino" cylinder exchanged by a relative about a month ago, and it was $26 + tax. Heat from our 1K gallon propane tank to the kitchen cooktop is a fraction of this.

 

[Mirage]

In terms of propane tank. I have purchased one at Lowes and had it filled, it cost around 50 bucks for all of that. I would do Blue Rhino (the ones at the gas station) if you don't currently own a tank as they do expire and you will have to get a new one. With Blue Rhino you pay like 50 for tank and propane and when it is empty you return the tank and pick up a new one for like 15 bucks. Cheap and convenient as gas stations rarely close.

 

[jspence1]

In terms of propane tank. I have purchased one at Lowes and had it filled, it cost around 50 bucks for all of that. I would do Blue Rhino (the ones at the gas station) if you don't currently own a tank as they do expire and you will have to get a new one. With Blue Rhino you pay like 50 for tank and propane and when it is empty you return the tank and pick up a new one for like 15 bucks. Cheap and convenient as gas stations rarely close.

Wow thats a great deal! Here the cheapest I've seen to get into an exchange program with a tank in certification is $38 and an exchange is $28

I bought my tanks at costco for $39 filled and a refill is $13 I keep three on hand when 2 are empty I fill them.

John

 

[camiller]

Something else to be aware of. Just last night one of the local TV stations did one of their "Consumer Watch" stories, the topic: Blue Rhino decreasing the amount of propane in their cylinders from 17 Lbs to 15 Lbs. Of course no change in price.

Edit: Oh, and those cylinders should hold 20 Lbs anyway.

Edit2: This is probably a topic worthy of it's own thread.

 

[TheFlatline]

Something else to be aware of. Just last night one of the local TV stations did one of their "Consumer Watch" stories, the topic: Blue Rhino decreasing the amount of propane in their cylinders from 17 Lbs to 15 Lbs. Of course no change in price.

Edit: Oh, and those cylinders should hold 20 Lbs anyway.

Edit2: This is probably a topic worthy of it's own thread.

I've always wondered if Blue Rhino cut their propane with either butane or natural gas. Every time I've used Blue Rhino fuel it's burned cooler, less vigorously, and has emptied the tank faster. I stopped using them ages ago. Thankfully, there's eleventy billion Airgas outlets around me, and I trust them (and they're cheaper than Rhino).

Buy your own tank(s). Or go hardcore and buy the 100 pound cylinder:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8728364&sourceid=1500000000000003260350&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=8728364

Edit: Upgraded to the 100 pound cylinder for 100 bucks from walmart