Buying a new pot/kettle - advice needed

Kealia · Post by **Kealia** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 8:30 pm

Hey y'all,

After using my auto-siphon again today after chilling my wort I think I'm ready to buy a pot with a ball valve. After using my SS Brew Bucket fermentor with a valve and having racking go so easily, I want one on my pot now, too.

So.....I want an 8G pot, that much I am sure of. Any recommendations on what to look for or avoid? I'm not looking to break the bank, but don't want anything cheap either. I'm staying away from aluminum, but aside from that what should I be looking for?

I'm going to start poking around MoreBeer and Northern Brewer but if anybody has other recommendations, let me know.
(Something like this is what I am looking for).

Another question: Do you/can you/should you use a false bottom in your kettle? The pots I've been using for the past 7 years don't have valves/spigots so I've always racked and have no experience here.

Edit to add: This one from SS BrewTech looks interesting, too. 10G is bigger than I wanted/needed but the price is attractive and it has a "trub dam" built in.

Post by **BlackDuck** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 8:53 pm

Can I ask why you want an 8 gallon pot? I have a 10 gallon pot and wouldn't go any smaller. For example, today's brew session was for a 5 gallon batch with an OG of 1.069. Not a huge beer really. But the base malt was Pilsner, so it was a 90 minute boil. Because of that, my boil volume was about 8.5 gallons. I just don't want you to sell yourself short.

I have a Polar Ware 10 gallon stainless steel and like very much. I do not use a false bottom, but I'm sure you could, so I really can't comment on that too much. I'll try to find the one I have and edit this post.

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Kealia · Post by **Kealia** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 8:57 pm

The pot I use now is 8G and it's a good size for what I brew, so I figured I would stay with that size. But....the SS BrewTech one I edited and linked to is 10G and I guess a bit bigger certainly wouldn't hurt. I don't use a false bottom now, so I just wasn't sure how that works. But if it's isn't needed, that's cool.

Post by **BlackDuck** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 9:05 pm

I tried to find the one that I have, and I can't find it anywhere. HHmmm. I bought it from either MoreBeer or Northern Brewer and neither of them carry it anymore.

That SS BrewTech one you linked to looks awesome. I love the internal etched gallon markers. Mine doesn't have that. And the trub damn looks pretty cool. And that price isn't bad at all. I paid more for the Polar Ware, and I would probably rather have the BrewTech kettle.

Post by **Beer-lord** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 9:07 pm

I use a false bottom on my 15 gallon to help with some of the funk as well as to protect my grains since I BIAB. I would certainly suggest something larger than an 8 gallon, 10 minimum because you never know when you may need it.
Also check out Anvil as I think I got an email recently with some type of sale going on.

Whamolagan · Post by **Whamolagan** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 10:47 pm

Why not just buy a ball valve and drill a hole in the pot that you have?

Inkleg · Post by **Inkleg** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 6:49 am

Whamolagan wrote:Why not just buy a ball valve and drill a hole in the pot that you have?

^This^ and/or 10 gallon.

Post by **LouieMacGoo** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:50 am

Several of the guys in my homebrew club have the Bayou Classic 10 gal and have been really happy with it. I've been thinking of getting one of these myself.

Kealia · Post by **Kealia** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 3:26 pm

Whamolagan wrote:Why not just buy a ball valve and drill a hole in the pot that you have?

I don't really have the tools nor the confidence to do that. I'm not that handy and I don't mind spending the money for the upgrade.

Thanks Louie for the Bayou link. I'll look into Anvil as well as Polar Ware.

So, do the rest of you use a false bottom in your kettle?
So far I see:
BackDuck - No
Beer-lord - Yes

Inkleg · Post by **Inkleg** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 3:40 pm

I BIAB so no false bottom. I don't have one, but Spike Brewing has some nice kettles.
I also have a Greenlee Knockout Punch I'd be happy to loan you if you change your mind about DIY.

Post by **Beer-lord** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 4:03 pm

Inkleg wrote:I BIAB so no false bottom. I don't have one, but Spike Brewing has some nice kettles.
I also have a Greenlee Knockout Punch I'd be happy to loan you if you change your mind about DIY.

Ben at Spike is great to work with. I own 2 of his kettles though my first one was shortly before they were a 'real' business. He was still working out of his garage and, not that it matters, the finishing touches were missing.
A good false bottom can be very expensive. I had one and didn't use it for a long time then realized it helped to trap alot of the hop and grain funk from going in my fermenter.

berryman · Post by **berryman** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 4:06 pm

Kealia wrote:Hey y'all,
I'm going to start poking around MoreBeer and Northern Brewer but if anybody has other recommendations, let me know.
(Something like this is what I am looking for).

I have a 10 g MegaPot but when I bought it I didn't have the extra money for the ball Valve with thoughts of adding it later myself and I haven't yet. But The MegaPot is a very fine piece of equipment and I really like how it boils.. FIT bought one the same time I got mine and I think he got the ball valve option on his....

Kealia · Post by **Kealia** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 2:06 pm

After just 2 days of looking around I'm seeing that there are a lot of options but it looks like it is going to come down to personal preference versus a "better" one.

So, right now I'm leaning towards the SS BrewTech offering. So, does anybody see any actual issues with this one or anything I am not thinking about? I'm not concerned about the lack of a thermometer - which I can add if I choose to.

Post by **Beer-lord** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 2:30 pm

Sorry Ron, I have no experience with their kettles but if they are anything like the fermenter, I'd say go for it. I think everything mentioned will be a long lasting pot but it comes down to personal preference like you say but I know SS Brew Tech has great customer service should you ever have a problem as does MoreBeer.
Looking forward to hearing about your brewing adventures in whatever you choose.

Post by **LouieMacGoo** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 2:50 pm

Honestly I don't think there is really that much difference in most of the "big name" makers of these pots. Some have slightly thicker gauge metal then others but for the most part I don't think you would have too much concern with any of them. As for the thermometer, although nice most of the pots that I have seen on my clubs brew days that have thermometers have broken thermometers and the brewers always have back up therm that they use religiously instead. Just my observations no personal experience on this.