Thoughts on this super cheap kettle for a MLT?

[luckybeagle]

Hi friends.

I've been using a 10g Home Depot cooler for my mash tun with good success. However, I've been brewing bigger beers, and in higher volume, which usually means I need to scale them down smaller than I'd like in order to not run out of headspace in the MLT. I'd like to eventually do 10 gallon, high OG batches. I also can't do step mashes, which I'd like to start doing since I find myself brewing primarily Belgians and the occasional Hefeweizen.

I found this kettle at Grocery Outlet the other day. It's cheap and aluminum--my BK is a 15 gallon Concord Stainless that I like very much--but the price for 13 gallons is pretty dang good and I'm sure I could retrofit it with weldless ball valves and a CPVC lautering manifold or custom false bottom and run the system on a HERMS. This kettle will not be direct-fired, though the sticker says it's great for steaming vegetables so I'd assume it could be?

For my purposes and budget-consciousness, is there any reason I should NOT buy one of these for a MLT (and potentially an HLT replacement, too)?

 

[grampamark]

I'm not an equipment snob; those who value bling may have another opinion. That said, I’d buy that kettle. I use a very similar 8 gal aluminum kettle for small batch BIAB. I added a weldless adapter and a quarter turn valve; works fine.

Aluminum kettles need to have water boiled in them for 30 min, or so, to "season" the surface. The inside will lose its shine and take on a dull, gray appearance. At that point the kettle is ready to use.

 

[luckybeagle]

I'm not an equipment snob; those who value bling may have another opinion. That said, I’d buy that kettle. I use a very similar 8 gal aluminum kettle for small batch BIAB. I added a weldless adapter and a quarter turn valve; works fine.

Aluminum kettles need to have water boiled in them for 30 min, or so, to "season" the surface. The inside will lose its shine and take on a dull, gray appearance. At that point the kettle is ready to use.

Thanks! And for the tip, too. I think I'll pick one up. Do you know if a running a HERMS can be done with a CPVC manifold, or is a false bottom the only way to go?

 

[luckybeagle]

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