28 replies to this topic

[brewskee]

So I'm looking to go all electric on my new setup and I'm trying to find a stainless steel brewing pot that is AT LEAST 7 gallons. Preferably I would have one that could do 10 gallon batches or really big beers. Any suggestions?brewskee

[BrewerGeorge]

I assume you know this, but the sanke keg does work really well. You usually have to spend A LOT more $ to get a comparable size in a purpose-made pot.

[CaptRon]

I assume you know this, but the sanke keg does work really well. You usually have to spend A LOT more $ to get a comparable size in a purpose-made pot.

+1, I LOVE my SABCO universal kettle. Visit My Website

[Recklessdeck]

Got my 7 gallon SS from Bayou Classic link. I've been quite pleased with it. If you want to do 10 gallon batches, though, I think you are best off making yourself another keggle. Or you can just borrow mine.

[zymot]

Check out this guy. Good prices cheap shipping. His pots come with a lid.https://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/

[3rd party JKor]

If you want to do 10 gallon batches you need a 15 gal. pot at an absolute minimum. Having brewed 10 gallon batches in a 15 gallon pot, I'd even prefer a 20 gal pot for 10 gal batches.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

If you want to do 10 gallon batches you need a 15 gal. pot at an absolute minimum. Having brewed 10 gallon batches in a 15 gallon pot, I'd even prefer a 20 gal pot for 10 gal batches.

I use a 10 gallon pot for 5 gallon batches and I have plenty of space for boil off and foam. For a 10 gallon batch do you get more boil off and foam?? I would think 5 gallons of extra space would be enough in either case

[Sidney Porter]

I use a 10 gallon pot for 5 gallon batches and I have plenty of space for boil off and foam. For a 10 gallon batch do you get more boil off and foam?? I would think 5 gallons of extra space would be enough in either case

Normally if you are doing a 10 gallon batch you need to start with more than 10 gallons and boil down to 10 gallons. So you are not starting with 5 gallons of extra space.I start with 13.25 gallons in the kettle, with boil off, wort left in the kettle, hoses, chiller, loss during transfer, left in fermenter, ext. It allow me to have 10 gallons at packaging.Foam controlled allows me to to use a converted keg to do 10 gallon batches without risk of boil over. I have done it without foam control but you need to pay a lot more attention.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Normally if you are doing a 10 gallon batch you need to start with more than 10 gallons and boil down to 10 gallons. So you are not starting with 5 gallons of extra space.I start with 13.25 gallons in the kettle, with boil off, wort left in the kettle, hoses, chiller, loss during transfer, left in fermenter, ext. It allow me to have 10 gallons at packaging.Foam controlled allows me to to use a converted keg to do 10 gallon batches without risk of boil over. I have done it without foam control but you need to pay a lot more attention.

Sidney - notice in my post how I'm fully aware about boil off and foam so I'm not sure why you had to mention this. All I'm questioning is if I can easily get away with a 10 gallon pot for a 5 gallon batch, why can't someone easily get away with a 15 gallon pot for a 10 gallon batch. I'd think the boil off would be about the same for a 5 or 10 gallon batch.

[Brewmasters Warehouse]

Sidney - notice in my post how I'm fully aware about boil off and foam so I'm not sure why you had to mention this. All I'm questioning is if I can easily get away with a 10 gallon pot for a 5 gallon batch, why can't someone easily get away with a 15 gallon pot for a 10 gallon batch. I'd think the boil off would be about the same for a 5 or 10 gallon batch.

10 Gallon pots are usually a lot small in diameter than a 15 gallon pot. You may have 2-3 gallons of space with either setup. The difference being with a 10 gallon pot that 2-3 gallons equates into 6-7 inches of actual space in the pot. With a 15 gallon pot 2-3 gallons is 2-3 inches and the boil over is almost impossible to avoid without foam control. I have done both 5 gallons in a 10 gallon pot. Never had any problems with boil over. 10 gallons in a 15 gallon pot is the reason I just bought a 20 gallon pot.Ed

[HVB]

If you want to do 10 gallon batches you need a 15 gal. pot at an absolute minimum. Having brewed 10 gallon batches in a 15 gallon pot, I'd even prefer a 20 gal pot for 10 gal batches.

I agree that I would also like a 20G pot for 10G batches but fermcap does help in minimizing the chance for a boil over.edit:Also, seeing you are going electric it makes it pretty easy to control the boil over by shutting the element off and then putting it back on.

[macbrak]

here's a link from my bookmarks from way back before a hb club member sold me his keggle.Seemed cheap at the time and I think I got it from someone on "some other board". I can't comment on the reliability of the seller or if they are still a good deal.Edit: +1 fermcap/foam control does an awesome job, boiled 11.5 gallons in a 13.5 keggle (euro sanke), raging boil no where near boil over. Might need bigger if you need to boil down.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

10 Gallon pots are usually a lot small in diameter than a 15 gallon pot. You may have 2-3 gallons of space with either setup. The difference being with a 10 gallon pot that 2-3 gallons equates into 6-7 inches of actual space in the pot. With a 15 gallon pot 2-3 gallons is 2-3 inches and the boil over is almost impossible to avoid without foam control. I have done both 5 gallons in a 10 gallon pot. Never had any problems with boil over. 10 gallons in a 15 gallon pot is the reason I just bought a 20 gallon pot.Ed

True - I was thinking the surface area wouldn't be much different and the pot might just be taller. My kettle seems pretty short so I figured most would grow in the up direction, not the out direction.

[CaptRon]

I use a 15 gallon keggle for my boil kettle. While the foaming can get interesting for a few, I just turn the heat down until it is past the hot break and can boil without foaming. Before I got my keggle, I used a 30qt (7gal) pot for my 5 gallon batches and it was the same deal - when foam got too close to the top, turn down the heat and stir. Not as big of deal as you guys are making it out to be as long as you are paying attention which you should always be doing when you have sugar boiling on a turkey fryer burner.

[3rd party JKor]

I use a 15 gallon keggle for my boil kettle. While the foaming can get interesting for a few, I just turn the heat down until it is past the hot break and can boil without foaming. Before I got my keggle, I used a 30qt (7gal) pot for my 5 gallon batches and it was the same deal - when foam got too close to the top, turn down the heat and stir. Not as big of deal as you guys are making it out to be as long as you are paying attention which you should always be doing when you have sugar boiling on a turkey fryer burner.

but I don't like to pay attention, and I'll pay through the nose to avoid having to.

Edited by JKoravos, 09 August 2009 - 02:01 PM.

[kbhale]

If you know your going to continue brewing a 15 gallon plus is the only way to go for 10 gallon batches. To have 10.5 - 11 for the fermenters, I need close to 13 gallon in the pot to start with. Doesn't leave much boil over room. With foam control I still have a boil over every once in a while. I use a Sabco 1/2 barrel. They are cut with a perfect circle that a 12" skillet lid will fit.

[Sidney Porter]

I'd think the boil off would be about the same for a 5 or 10 gallon batch.

You are correct boil off is going to be about the same, you will have more foam with the larger batch, with a converted keg which seems to be the direction we are discussing you only have 2 inches or so, the foam can easily fill that area up.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

You are correct boil off is going to be about the same, you will have more foam with the larger batch, with a converted keg which seems to be the direction we are discussing you only have 2 inches or so, the foam can easily fill that area up.

Roger that.

[brewskee]

I assume you know this, but the sanke keg does work really well. You usually have to spend A LOT more $ to get a comparable size in a purpose-made pot.

Yea I know, but I'm actually in an apartment and a SS pot would work better logistically...

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Yea I know, but I'm actually in an apartment and a SS pot would work better logistically...

Not sure I follow - if they are both pretty big what's the diff?