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Author Topic: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon  (Read 9755 times)

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #15 on: January 03, 2012, 10:50:18 am »
I appreciate it though. But I don't think I would want to be lugging around a 60 qt. pot when I only plan on doing 5 gallon batches. I really don't see myself upgrading to 10 gallon batches anytime in the near future. But definitely great for anyone else looking. And if you ever find yourself in the Philly area, feel free to drop by and help me drill out my kettle!

I boil in a 50 liter (~54 qts) kettle and I can just barely do 10 gallon batches if I am very watchful. but something to keep in mind. yesterday I was boiling a little under 8 gallons in my kettle and I got a nice boil over even though there was still like 5+ gallons of headspace in the kettle.
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Offline Mark G

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #16 on: January 03, 2012, 10:58:57 am »
I hate threads like this. Somehow I always come out of them thinking I need another, bigger kettle.
Mark Gres

Offline punatic

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #17 on: January 03, 2012, 11:55:12 am »
I appreciate it though. But I don't think I would want to be lugging around a 60 qt. pot when I only plan on doing 5 gallon batches. I really don't see myself upgrading to 10 gallon batches anytime in the near future. But definitely great for anyone else looking. And if you ever find yourself in the Philly area, feel free to drop by and help me drill out my kettle!

I boil in a 50 liter (~54 qts) kettle and I can just barely do 10 gallon batches if I am very watchful. but something to keep in mind. yesterday I was boiling a little under 8 gallons in my kettle and I got a nice boil over even though there was still like 5+ gallons of headspace in the kettle.

Got a bit distracted did ya there mort?   ;)

Nothing like the smell of burning wort boilover.  Adds character.
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


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Offline euge

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #18 on: January 03, 2012, 12:10:51 pm »
I appreciate it though. But I don't think I would want to be lugging around a 60 qt. pot when I only plan on doing 5 gallon batches. I really don't see myself upgrading to 10 gallon batches anytime in the near future. But definitely great for anyone else looking. And if you ever find yourself in the Philly area, feel free to drop by and help me drill out my kettle!

I boil in a 50 liter (~54 qts) kettle and I can just barely do 10 gallon batches if I am very watchful. but something to keep in mind. yesterday I was boiling a little under 8 gallons in my kettle and I got a nice boil over even though there was still like 5+ gallons of headspace in the kettle.

I have a 40qt as well as my 80qt. One thing I found was that to do a 5 gallon AG batch you are going to boil down from at least 8 gallons. Well one may think "oh I got's me another two gallons headspace" in my 40qt. Yeah, well the wort is almost to the top. Maybe 2" from the top. At a full boil it will leap out of the kettle and be further compounded by that there is no wiggle-room for a boil-over. Yes you can hover and add anti-foam at the critical moment but the wort will still be slopping over the edges.

If it doubles as your hot-liquor tank then you will need to fill it to the top to heat the water for the total mash, and still may be short of enough water.

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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #19 on: January 03, 2012, 12:24:43 pm »
I appreciate it though. But I don't think I would want to be lugging around a 60 qt. pot when I only plan on doing 5 gallon batches. I really don't see myself upgrading to 10 gallon batches anytime in the near future. But definitely great for anyone else looking. And if you ever find yourself in the Philly area, feel free to drop by and help me drill out my kettle!

I boil in a 50 liter (~54 qts) kettle and I can just barely do 10 gallon batches if I am very watchful. but something to keep in mind. yesterday I was boiling a little under 8 gallons in my kettle and I got a nice boil over even though there was still like 5+ gallons of headspace in the kettle.

Got a bit distracted did ya there mort?   ;)

Nothing like the smell of burning wort boilover.  Adds character.

yup. here I am draining my second runnings into a bucket. got the burner cranking to get up to boil on the first runnings. 'what's that strange sound... and that lovely caramel smell?' look over shoulder, 'ahh crap' run to burner, cut gas. cleaned up okay though.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline punatic

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #20 on: January 03, 2012, 12:28:53 pm »
I appreciate it though. But I don't think I would want to be lugging around a 60 qt. pot when I only plan on doing 5 gallon batches. I really don't see myself upgrading to 10 gallon batches anytime in the near future. But definitely great for anyone else looking. And if you ever find yourself in the Philly area, feel free to drop by and help me drill out my kettle!

I boil in a 50 liter (~54 qts) kettle and I can just barely do 10 gallon batches if I am very watchful. but something to keep in mind. yesterday I was boiling a little under 8 gallons in my kettle and I got a nice boil over even though there was still like 5+ gallons of headspace in the kettle.

I have a 40qt as well as my 80qt. One thing I found was that to do a 5 gallon AG batch you are going to boil down from at least 8 gallons. Well one may think "oh I got's me another two gallons headspace" in my 40qt. Yeah, well the wort is almost to the top. Maybe 2" from the top. At a full boil it will leap out of the kettle and be further compounded by that there is no wiggle-room for a boil-over. Yes you can hover and add anti-foam at the critical moment but the wort will still be slopping over the edges.

If it doubles as your hot-liquor tank then you will need to fill it to the top to heat the water for the total mash, and still may be short of enough water.



That is exactly why I went from my 10 gallon stockpot to two 1/2 barrel (62 quart) converted kegs.
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


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Offline beer_crafter

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #21 on: January 04, 2012, 08:06:55 pm »
I wish I would have seen this earlier.
I could have pointed you to this:
http://www.waresdirect.com/products/Restaurant-Supply/Update-International-/60-Qt168824

I bought 2 of them & added weldless valves, myself.
They're great.
If anyone else is looking for a kettle, I recommend them.
And...If you live in the Minneapolis area & need any help with your kettle drilling, pm me.
I'd be glad to help you with it.
I was terrified, on my first one.

Kit, do those pots have volume markings?  I am having trouble IDing this feature on any pots for sale online.

Offline Hokerer

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #22 on: January 05, 2012, 09:33:38 am »
Kit, do those pots have volume markings?  I am having trouble IDing this feature on any pots for sale online.

The Update International brand pots are the sold as "MegaPots" by Northern Brewer and they do not have volume markings.  I've never seen any pot like that that does.
Joe

Offline Kit B

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Re: Good Deal? - 30 qt. Polar Ware Kettle on Amazon
« Reply #23 on: January 05, 2012, 09:40:20 am »
I wish I would have seen this earlier.
I could have pointed you to this:
http://www.waresdirect.com/products/Restaurant-Supply/Update-International-/60-Qt168824

I bought 2 of them & added weldless valves, myself.
They're great.
If anyone else is looking for a kettle, I recommend them.
And...If you live in the Minneapolis area & need any help with your kettle drilling, pm me.
I'd be glad to help you with it.
I was terrified, on my first one.

Kit, do those pots have volume markings?  I am having trouble IDing this feature on any pots for sale online.

No volume markings.
I mark my spoon.

I boil in a 50 liter (~54 qts) kettle and I can just barely do 10 gallon batches if I am very watchful. but something to keep in mind. yesterday I was boiling a little under 8 gallons in my kettle and I got a nice boil over even though there was still like 5+ gallons of headspace in the kettle.

Sometimes happens to me, even with the 60 qt.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2012, 09:42:13 am by Kit B »