What kettle to buy for BIAB

[Mer-man]

+1. these suckers are thick, good quality steel. good pricing as well.


and sightglass is unnecessary. just look up the postings here on how to DIY volume markings on your kettle- you just need a battery or charger, some wire, vinegar and salt. easy peasy. if you dont want to mark the inside of your kettle, then just get a small cheap stainless spoon and put the markings on the spoon.

as for thermometer, i'd also avoid having one inside the kettle with BIAB. get yourself an infrared thermometer and just zap the kettle. that way you never have to open it up except to stir. the D shaped baskets from Arbor arent a bad choice either, but an infrared thermometer means you can measure temp of your kettle, fermenter, bottle conditioning, your dog, your turds, your dog's turds, your wife's butt when she's sleeping, etc. etc. etc.

Why wait until she is sleeping?

 

[Mer-man]

Also, I would say go double up from the volume into packaging you want.
Corny keg? 10gal pot.

Alcoholic? 15 gal for a corny

I am going for a new SS Brewtech unit, the 38L one. Same size as I have now, but it will work for induction and has a nice ball valve.

 

[les6430]

I really wish people would stop advocating 'keggles'.

The first issue is the dubious legality of obtaining one. If you're buying one new to cut up, you're already spending enough to buy a kettle.

The second issue is they're a tedious PITA to clean through the usually small opening. The odd shape makes volume measurement complicated, too.

Another issue is if you're doing BIAB, you're trying to get the grain bag out of a small opening as well, which can lead to torn bags and a mess as wort spills everywhere.

Not really advocating keggles, just the thought to plan ahead!!! Mine was obtained legally and was ready to brew with upon receipt, as it was a gift. I did solve the small opening issue by covering the edge of the opening with high temp hose slit down the side. You are correct that cleaning can be challenging at times.

Personally, I would prefer a nice pot that was lighter with a lower boil off rate!! Just figured I'd toss my .02 into the conversation.........

 

[Geiges]

I have a 7.5 gal keggle that came
from a trash hep it's ok but a good
10gal kettle is what I need.
I do use 5gal coney kegs.
Lots of info.
Thanks!

 

[Murphys_Law]

I have a 7.5 gal keggle that came
from a trash hep it's ok but a good
10gal kettle is what I need.
I do use 5gal coney kegs.
Lots of info.
Thanks!

What's great about this hobby is that you can make good beer in a bucket and and old shoe if you know what you're doing! .

 

[SanPancho]

Those infrared temps guns aren't so good on shiny surfaces. Just get yourself a decent (accurate!) digital thermometer.

so use the DIY etching to take the shine off a small area. problem solved.

besides, with the infrared you dont actually touch the turds. i dont care how much you scrub, i wouldnt put it back in my beer after that.....

 

[jason.mundy]

My favorite BIAB kettle is the Bayou Classic 1140. It is a 10 gallon stainless kettle with basket. It has volume markings and a stainless ball valve.

$140 shipped. Go ahead and pick up a hose barb to go with it.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I really wish people would stop advocating 'keggles'.

.

Agree 100%

Too many reasons to list for me why they are a poor choice. For under a hundred, you can get a 15 gal concord delivered with a lid, far better choice IMO,

I think it may be the visual appeal idk what the attraction is to be honest?

Then people spend money and countless hours polishing a boat anchor keggle...who started that nonsense lol just kidding Bobby....

Cheers
If a keggle make you happy, have at it just not for me....

Kegs are for serving, silly homebrewers!

 

[bonsai4tim]

I started with a 7 gallon aluminum pot--its too small.

I agree with the others suggesting a 15 gallon pot---it will let you do a 5.5 gallon batch up to ~20 pounds of grain (along with water for BIAB) or a 10 gallon batch of a 1.050 beer

I'm now using a spike brewing 20 gallon (after using a keggle x 5 years) and really wouldn't recommend a keggle.

If your looking for inexpensive, look at your local hunting supply store (like bass pro or gander mountain)--the have kettles and burners (and sometimes packages for both) that can get you started for less.

 

[Happywanderer]

If you want to keep it really cheap - BUT VERY USABLE/DURABLE - get this pot:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PZ7K7A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

(you'll need the $20 lid sold separately)

Then get a weldless bulkhead from bargainfittings.com

For $120 you can have a pot that can handle 10-gallon batches with a valve.

You'll need a stepped drill bit to drill the hole in the pot (aluminum drills super easy). Bargainfittings sells the bit too.

 

[wilserbrewer]

If you want to keep it really cheap - BUT VERY USABLE/DURABLE - get this pot:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PZ7K7A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20



(you'll need the $20 lid sold separately)



Then get a weldless bulkhead from bargainfittings.com



For $120 you can have a pot that can handle 10-gallon batches with a valve.



You'll need a stepped drill bit to drill the hole in the pot (aluminum drills super easy). Bargainfittings sells the bit too.

Nothing against aluminum, I have a medium weight 15 gal alum kettle that I bought for peanuts, $43 shipped.

But for the same $87 dollars I feel the concord 15 gal stainless is a better buy, jmo not knocking aluminum but stainless for the same money wins for me. Ymmv

 

[schaez]

I went with a 15gal Concord pot. Great quality for the price. It's my biab pot / HLT when I run my 3V system. The bottom isn't as thick as an Update International pot, but it's better than I expected. I use electric so it doesn't matter.

I installed solder fittings from brewhardware. Those are nice. I wish they were around when I setup my 20gal pot.

 

[oujens]

I really like my Ss Brewtech pot. I got a 10 gallon which is actually 10.7 gallons. Has gallon markings too. Comes with 3 holes, a ball valve and plugs so you can have options for whirlpool or thermometer down the line. Ready to brew out of the box at $179.

 

[Geiges]

Well I broke down and bought a bayou classic 44 quart pot with basket
To get by with for now. I can add a valve or element to do electric down the road. I may buy a Blichman or a better kettle later this was not about the price I just can't see spending big money when I don't know where I'm going this will get me by for now and I'll be able to brew Full volume.
I would hate to drill holes in a high dollar pot to add an electric coil when the pot for less would be just as good with a basket for recirculating.

By all means a Blichman or better kettle would do the same job to.
They are a fine looking kettle and I did look at them a lot at my local homebrew shop and almost bought one three times!

After reading this I may know which direction I'm going!
Thanks to all for great info.
Geiges

I'll let you all no what I Think of it.

 

[petrolSpice]

I've been using a BC 11 gallon pot for my ~5.5 gallon batches. Works great except when doing a big beer, like >1.080 OG. At this point a full volume mash exceeds 11 gallons with my setup. I'm going to go with the Concord 15 gallon soon which will let me do bigger batches for my 30L Spiedel fermeneter.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Ok. I suggest hanging the basket on hook in the garage, and mashing full volume without the basket, if your doing simple BIAB without recirc.

The basket works great for steaming lobster lol.

Or you can use the basket once you go down the rabbit hole with auto controlled electric w recirculation.

Congrats on your new purchase. BC is a decent pot loved by many.

JMO on the use of baskets....ymmv cheers!

 

[cloudybrewer]

Ok. I suggest hanging the basket on hook in the garage, and mashing full volume without the basket, if your doing simple BIAB without recirc.

The basket works great for steaming lobster lol.

Or you can use the basket once you go down the rabbit hole with auto controlled electric w recirculation.

Congrats on your new purchase. BC is a decent pot loved by many.

JMO on the use of baskets....ymmv cheers!

Hello Wilser.
I am going to be getting into Biab soon and plan to buy a bag from you when I have my ducks in a row. I was wondering why you told him not to use the basket. Is it just unnecessary or does it create problems, or another reason?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Regarding use of baskets vs. full volume mash. Strictly my opinion, but for simple BIAB a basket is not needed, and may actually hinder the process. When using a basket, depending on configuration a considerable volume of the water may be outside the basket. Ideally, you want all the water to be intimately mixed with the grain for the best conversion and rinsing of the sugars. It is also reported that it can be difficult to monitor mash temps as the temp outside the basket can be higher than in the basket...

I apologize to the basket lovers...I just feel it is an extra piece of equipment that adds little value and can be a detriment. Recent poster jonnyrotten reported higher efficiency recently after deciding to not use a basket.

IMO, the attraction to BIAB is good beer, minimal equipment, and simple process.

286 lb grain bill no basket lol cheers!

 

[cloudybrewer]

That makes sense, Wilser. Thanks for the reply. If I don't have to spend the extra dough on a basket, I won't. Awesome picture, too!

 

[Geiges]

what if you need to add heat ?
If you lift the bag can you stir to ad heat?
That is a cool pic!

 

[wilserbrewer]

what if you need to add heat ?
If you lift the bag can you stir to ad heat?
That is a cool pic!

Yes you can lift the bag and add heat, my experience is it is easier to add low heat and constantly stir.

A basket can actually make adding heat a little tricky, some report high temps outside the basket, and lower temps inside while heating.

Bags melt or scorch when people add high heat and don't stir....no different than heating spaghetti sauce, low heat and stir to avoid scorching....

Fwiw, I would not bother heating to mashout, remove the bag and move on to boil.

 

[rtracer]

I use a keggle which works fine. I got into BAIB as I found a guy that sold me the keggle, BAIB bag and 50' immersion chiller for $85.
The keggle does have some drawbacks as mentioned earlier.

I am eyeing and drooling over the Spike 15 gal, though hard to justify the money as my keggle does work fine.

 

[Murphys_Law]

what if you need to add heat ?
If you lift the bag can you stir to ad heat?
That is a cool pic!

I don't bother lifting the bag. I use low heat and stir constantly to add a few degrees. Never had an issue with burning the bag or grain.

 

[Geiges]

My 44 quart bayou classic pot came on Friday the pot looks good the bottom is a little thin compared to a better pot.
But for the money it will get the job done. I brewed my first BIAB Sunday all went well pot worked fine.I stirred wow adding heat worked very well no need to lift the bag just lots of stirring as advised!
The only thing that went wrong was I siphoned A lot of trub in my
fermenter about a gallon this is also my first real luger.
From what I read here the trub should not be a problem so all is good and will figure for a gallon loss in trub next time I brew.
Thanks again for all the input.
I don't think my first BIAB would have went so smooth without it.
Thanks!
Geiges

 

[Murphys_Law]

My 44 quart bayou classic pot came on Friday the pot looks good the bottom is a little thin compared to a better pot.
But for the money it will get the job done. I brewed my first BIAB Sunday all went well pot worked fine.I stirred wow adding heat worked very well no need to lift the bag just lots of stirring as advised!
The only thing that went wrong was I siphoned A lot of trub in my
fermenter about a gallon this is also my first real luger.
From what I read here the trub should not be a problem so all is good and will figure for a gallon loss in trub next time I brew.
Thanks again for all the input.
I don't think my first BIAB would have went so smooth without it.
Thanks!
Geiges

The trub shouldn't be that much of an issue. It will settle to the bottom.

Others may disagree with me, but I found beer to be rather forgiving. When I first started I would panic if everything wasn't just perfect and now, as the saying goes, relax don't worry and have a home brew!

Congrats on the first BIAB!

 

[enkamania]

A lot of trub in my
fermenter about a gallon

I always dump everything in the fermenter, it will got to the bottom.