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Author Topic: What kettle is best for a new brewer  (Read 6521 times)

Offline James K

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2018, 07:40:30 pm »
Personally I would keep looking. For example: https://www.amazon.com/CONCORD-Stainless-Kettle-Weldless-Fittings/dp/B01M6DIKBI/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1531704691&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=brew+kettle&psc=1
But that said, go with what you think will best suit your needs. I often find when I rush to buy anything, a short while later some deal/discount appears. Or the item is on morebeers deal of the day.
Vice President of Flagstaff Mountain-Top Mashers
2017 Homebrewer of the year
"One mouth doesn't taste the beer."

Offline Koregoth

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #16 on: July 15, 2018, 07:45:13 pm »
Go for it - you can brew ales and use a laundry tub with coll water and ice bottle swapping for temp control, if you have a basement.  At least for now...Cheers!
Well my thinking for a cooler is going to be a mini fridge with a temp controller

Offline a10t2

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #17 on: July 15, 2018, 08:03:32 pm »
Personally I would keep looking.

Agreed, although I personally would recommend: https://www.morebeer.com/products/85-gallon-brewmaster-stainless-steel-brew-kettle.html

I have the 20 gal version and the weld quality isn't the best I've ever seen but it should hold up much better long-term than a weldless kettle and meet your 5 gal kettle needs forever for $100. If you think you might go bigger the 10 gal version (14 gal total volume) is $150.
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Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
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Offline Koregoth

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #18 on: July 15, 2018, 09:53:49 pm »
Thank you for the site I am not ordering any thing any time soon but I am thinking of the starter kit from northern brew cuz I have 0 equipment or skill and I can store the kit with no problem and I have the gift cards just finding a brew spot is a trouble with my space available

Offline James K

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #19 on: July 16, 2018, 12:55:06 am »
If you are just looking for a starter kit, I personally would get the deluxe brewing #1 seller kit. Two carboys will last you a long time, the bucket forever. Heck, I still have my original capper, carboy and bottling brush, my siphon lasted a decade, and the bung and airlocks with last you a long while.

As for the mini fridge, remember the compressor is on the bottom, you will need a tall mini fridge. I recently bought a chest freezer for $60. It can hold two carboys. I recommend and inkbird controller.

That brewmaster kettle was pretty nice.
Vice President of Flagstaff Mountain-Top Mashers
2017 Homebrewer of the year
"One mouth doesn't taste the beer."

Offline Koregoth

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #20 on: July 16, 2018, 01:55:55 pm »
Personally I would keep looking.

Agreed, although I personally would recommend: https://www.morebeer.com/products/85-gallon-brewmaster-stainless-steel-brew-kettle.html

I have the 20 gal version and the weld quality isn't the best I've ever seen but it should hold up much better long-term than a weldless kettle and meet your 5 gal kettle needs forever for $100. If you think you might go bigger the 10 gal version (14 gal total volume) is $150.
Are they welded bulkheads or ballvalve I have a few frieds who weld and they might do it but if the choice is between cleaning the valves and a water tight fit I will just change the orings

Offline a10t2

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #21 on: July 16, 2018, 05:21:08 pm »
Are they welded bulkheads or ballvalve I have a few frieds who weld and they might do it but if the choice is between cleaning the valves and a water tight fit I will just change the orings

Not sure what you mean. It's a welded threaded fitting, not a bulkhead, so no o-rings. You screw your ball valve, pickup tube, thermometer, whirlpool fitting, etc. directly into the kettle.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
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Offline charlie

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #22 on: July 16, 2018, 09:50:03 pm »
If you want to get your feet wet then by all means get an 8 gal pot from one of the supply houses. If, on the other hand, you're serious about brewing get a sanke keg, cut a 12 inch hole in the top (Dremel Tool), and add a weldless fitting and a ball valve. You can find them on Craigslist for $35.00 to $45.00 (and I wouldn't pay more than that for one).

I wasted a lot of money on Blichmann and Polarware pots, and then I found that 5 gallon batches were just too small for me and my collection of friends. Switching to keggles and 10 gal batches was the best decision I ever made!

Charlie
Yes officer, I know that I smell like beer. I'm not drinking it, I'm wearing it!

Offline James K

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #23 on: July 16, 2018, 10:09:46 pm »
If you want to get your feet wet then by all means get an 8 gal pot from one of the supply houses. If, on the other hand, you're serious about brewing get a sanke keg, cut a 12 inch hole in the top (Dremel Tool), and add a weldless fitting and a ball valve. You can find them on Craigslist for $35.00 to $45.00 (and I wouldn't pay more than that for one).
That’s what I’ve done. I bought a 8gal pot when starting, worked fine. Then I brewed with someone, saw their keggels. Upgraded. I’ve come across 4 and never bought 1. I do delivery and some guy had 2 shells on his porch “what you doin with these” turned out his bbq plan wasn’t gonna work and he basically begged my to take them because his wife was all mad at him.

It’s definately the cheap route and easy route if you plan on getting up to Brewing 10 gallons.
Ball locks, a thermometer, and maximizer are all I’ve added to mine. Total cost $60 or so. 15.5 gal hot liquor tank. Plenty of h2o.
Vice President of Flagstaff Mountain-Top Mashers
2017 Homebrewer of the year
"One mouth doesn't taste the beer."

Offline a10t2

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #24 on: July 16, 2018, 10:24:44 pm »
Someone will probably do it, so... please buy your keg shells legally.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline Koregoth

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #25 on: July 17, 2018, 01:25:11 pm »
If your talking about stealing it I dont do that
Or is there codes for keg sizes

Offline Koregoth

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #26 on: July 17, 2018, 01:30:32 pm »
If you want to get your feet wet then by all means get an 8 gal pot from one of the supply houses. If, on the other hand, you're serious about brewing get a sanke keg, cut a 12 inch hole in the top (Dremel Tool), and add a weldless fitting and a ball valve. You can find them on Craigslist for $35.00 to $45.00 (and I wouldn't pay more than that for one).

I wasted a lot of money on Blichmann and Polarware pots, and then I found that 5 gallon batches were just too small for me and my collection of friends. Switching to keggles and 10 gal batches was the best decision I ever made!

Charlie
How fast would 5 gallons go and how many drinking i got a few friends but not all of I feel like 5 would be a lot

Offline smkranz

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #27 on: July 17, 2018, 02:17:13 pm »
5 gallons is roughly equivalent to 2 cases of beer.

If you can find one within a reasonable distance from where you live, I strongly suggest visiting a brick & mortar homebrew supply shop.  See and touch and feel the goods, and talk through the best way to get started with whatever physical/space limitations you have.
Steve K.
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Offline Hooper

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #28 on: July 17, 2018, 03:12:29 pm »
If you like to brew alot and different styles, go with a nice 10 gal pot, a kegerator that will hold 4 corny kegs, 4 or 5 six gal fermenters and you can brew 5 gal batches up to once a week depending on how fast you are drinking.
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Offline soymateofeo

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Re: What kettle is best for a new brewer
« Reply #29 on: July 17, 2018, 08:56:13 pm »
check craigslist for a dope kettle. Get the kettle you will use for a long time. My boil kettle has thermometer, valve, sight glass.  i wish I had a few more ports for recirc.