Reddit mentions: The best stockpots
We found 437 Reddit comments discussing the best stockpots. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 145 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. Bayou Classic 1044 44-Quart Stainless-Steel Stockpot
- Multi-tasking Stainless Stockpot
- Side indentation accommodates corresponding accessory basket for steaming
- Heavy welded loop handles allow for easy transfer
- Vented Lid prevents vapor lock when boiling
- Use to boil shrimp, seafood, vegetables, tamales, and peanuts
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 20.13 Inches |
Length | 15.75 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 44 quarts |
Weight | 11.62 Pounds |
Width | 15.88 Inches |
2. Bayou Classic 1064 Stainless 16-Gallon Stockpot with Spigot and Vented Lid
- 64 quart/16 gallon capacity
- Side calibration marks in gallons and quarts
- 1/2 inch stainless ball valve spigot
- Stainless vented lid
- Measures 15.55"d x 19.5"h
- 0.8 mm / 20 Gauge
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 19.5 Inches |
Length | 15.55 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 64 quarts |
Weight | 17.3 Pounds |
Width | 15.55 Inches |
3. Bayou Classic 1036 Stainless Steel Stockpot, 36 Quart
36-quart stainless stockpot 13.5 by 15 inchesStockpot: 0.8mm / 20 gauge
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 14 Inches |
Length | 15.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | May 2005 |
Size | 36 quart |
Weight | 8 Pounds |
Width | 15.5 Inches |
4. Bayou Classic 1144 1144-44-qt Stainless Stockpot with Basket, 44 quarts, Silver
- 44-qt Stainless Stockpot
- Vented Lid
- Secure Welded Handles
- Perforated Basket that sets 3-in above the bottom for steaming or boiling.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 19 Inches |
Length | 15 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | December 2006 |
Size | 44 quarts |
Weight | 17 Pounds |
Width | 15 Inches |
5. Granite Ware Steel/Porcelain Water-Bath Canner with Rack, 21.5-Quart, Black
21.5 qt capacity holds 7 one-quart jars, 9 one-pint jars or 13 half-pint jarsPorcelain surface with durable steel core provides excellent heat distribution, reducing heat up time and saves energyCan be used on gas and electric stove tops, Not recommended on glass cooktopsCanning pot made in USADishw...
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 10 Inches |
Length | 16 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | January 2007 |
Size | 21.5 quarts |
Weight | 3.8 Pounds |
Width | 14 Inches |
6. 5 Gallon Stainless Steel Stock Pot with Lid, 12.5 x 12.5 x 11.5
- High quality stainless steel
- 5 gallons capacity
- Made of stainless steel
- Item Package Dimension: 12.0" L x 14.01" W x 14.01" H
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 14 Inches |
Length | 15 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 5 Gallon |
Weight | 4 Pounds |
Width | 14 Inches |
7. Cuisinart 766-26 Chef's Classic 12-Quart Stockpot with Cover, Brushed Stainless
Chef's Choice Stainless: Mirror finish. Classic looks, professional performanceUnsurpassed Heat Distribution: Aluminum encapsulated base heats quickly and spreads heat evenly. Eliminates hot spotsStainless Steel for Professional Results: Stainless steel cooking surface does not discolor, react with ...
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 10.5 Inches |
Length | 14.3 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | March 2003 |
Size | 12-Quart; Lid and Handles Included - 14.3"(L-includes handles) x 10.2"(W-Pot only) x 10.5"(H includes lid); Pot Only Height & Width: 8.6" (H) x 10.5" (W) |
Weight | 5.85 Pounds |
Width | 10.2 Inches |
8. Winware Professional Aluminum 24-Quart Stockpot
- Dimensions: 12-3/5 diameter by 11-2/5 depth
- Designed for professional use in preparing stocks, soups and liquids
- Made with standard weight heavy aluminum, with a reinforced rim
- Product Gauge: 3/16 (4.0mm-4-3/4-mm), NSF listed
- Cover sold separately
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 11.5 Inches |
Length | 16.5 Inches |
Size | 24 quarts |
Weight | 7 Pounds |
Width | 13 Inches |
9. Bayou Classic Steel 1440 Bayou Stainless Brew Kettle, 40 Quart
40 Quart/10 Gallon Max Capacity Brew KettleUse for Malt Extract Home Brewing or "Brew in a Bag"Stainless construction enables easier sterilization prior to brewingMulti-purpose: Use as a standard stockpot for most outdoor cooking needsStainless construction provides for easy clean-up
Specs:
Color | Stainless Steel |
Height | 13.88 Inches |
Length | 17.88 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 40 quart |
Weight | 6.28 Pounds |
Width | 15.5 Inches |
10. Tramontina 80116/007DS Gourmet Stainless Steel Induction-Ready Tri-Ply Clad Fry Pan, 12 Inch, Made in Brazil
Tri-Ply clad construction (18/10 stainless steel, aluminum core, magnetic stainless steel) for quick and even heat distribution, without hotspotsErgonomic precision cast mirror-polished stainless-steel riveted handle construction offers a comfortable, secure gripCompatible with all cooktops – incl...
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 12.5 Inches |
Length | 20.13 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 12-inch |
Weight | 2.87 Pounds |
Width | 1.88 Inches |
11. Bayou Classic 1060 62-Quart Stainless-Steel Stockpot
62-quart stockpot holds large batches of crowd-pleasing soup or stew20-gauge stainless-steel construction resists rust and corrosionriveted side handles for safe and easy transportSteaming rim can be used with steaming basket (sold separately)Measures 15-1/4 by 15-1/4 by 18-3/4 inches
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 18 Inches |
Length | 18.75 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 62 quarts |
Weight | 15 Pounds |
Width | 15.63 Inches |
12. Tramontina 80101/021DS Gourmet Prima Stainless Steel, Induction-Ready, Impact Bonded, Tri-Ply Base Fry Pan, 12 inch, Made in Brazil
- Tri-Ply encapsulated impact-bonded base distributes heat evenly; Precision cast riveted handles ensures a comfortable and firm grip
- Sleek modern lines feature a flared edge for easy and drip-less pouring; Elegantly styled vessels and lids feature mirror-polished exterior finish
- Compatible with all cooktops, including induction
- Cookware vessels and stainless-steel lids are oven-safe up to up to 500°F/ 260°C
- UPC-016017060678
Features:
Specs:
Color | Stainless Steel |
Height | 2.25 Inches |
Length | 21.38 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 12 inch |
Weight | 3.45 Pounds |
Width | 13 Inches |
13. Bayou Classic 1040 Stainless 10-Gallon Stockpot with Spigot and Vented Lid
ID = 13. 625-in D x 16. 125-in HStamped Gallon/Quart Calibration2-pc Weldless Ball ValveDomed, Vented LidHeat Shield
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 16 Inches |
Length | 13.6 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 13.6 inches deep x 16 inches high |
Weight | 18 Pounds |
Width | 13.6 Inches |
14. Bayou Classic 800-408 - 8-Gal Premium Brew Kettle, 6-Pc Set
- Complete brew kit
- All Stainless construction
- Tri-ply bottom
- False bottom, spigot and spigot screen.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Stainless |
Height | 17.24 Inches |
Length | 12 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 8-gallon kettle |
Weight | 16.2 Pounds |
Width | 12 Inches |
15. Bayou Classic 1032 Stainless 8-Gallon Stockpot with Spigot and Vented Lid
- 32 quart/8gallon capacity
- Side calibration marks in gallons and quarts
- 1/2 inch stainless ball valve spigot
- Stainless vented lid
Features:
Specs:
Color | Stainless Steel |
Height | 17.24 Inches |
Length | 12 Inches |
Size | UNITS |
Weight | 0.5 Pounds |
Width | 12 Inches |
16. Cooks Standard Quart Classic Stainless Steel Stockpot with Lid, 12-QT, Silver
Made with polished 18/10 stainless steel with an aluminum disc layered in the bottomAluminum disc layered bottom provides even heat distribution and prevents hot spotsStainless steel lid keeps in heat and moisture; Durable stainless steel riveted handlesLarge size for multipurpose function: canning,...
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 8.5 Inches |
Length | 10.25 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 12-Quart |
Weight | 5.8 Pounds |
Width | 10.25 Inches |
17. Prime Pacific 18/10 Stainless Steel 20 Quart Stock Pot With Glass Lid
Heavy 18/10 stainless steel5-mm encapsulated aluminum bottom evenly distributes heatShiny mirror finish with satin lineComes with a glass lidBlack bakelite handles
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 11 Inches |
Length | 14 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | April 2008 |
Size | 20 quarts |
Weight | 10.75 Pounds |
Width | 14 Inches |
18. Concord Cookware S4242 Stainless Steel Stock Pot Kettle, 60-Quart
Stock pot is made from Commercial Quality Stainless Steels, Fully PolishedStainless Steel handles riveted onto pot and Lid for solid constructionStock Pot is made from Full Stainless Steel with new Lid designPolished inside and outVery heavy duty construction, will last a lifetime
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 18 Inches |
Length | 18 Inches |
Size | 60-Quart |
Weight | 16 Pounds |
Width | 18 Inches |
19. Winware Professional Aluminum 20-Quart Stockpot
- Dimensions: 11-4/5 diameter by 11 depth
- Designed for professional use in preparing stocks, soups, and liquids
- Made with standard weight heavy aluminum, with a reinforced rim
- Product Gauge: 3/16 (4.0mm-4.75mm), NSF Listed
- Cover sold separately
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 11.25 Inches |
Length | 15.75 Inches |
Size | 20 quarts |
Weight | 6.3 Pounds |
Width | 12.25 Inches |
20. New Professional Commercial Grade 40 QT (Quart) Heavy Gauge Stainless Steel Stock Pot, 3-Ply Clad Base, Induction Ready, with Lid Cover NSF Certified Item
- Product features capacity 40 quarts (37.8 lt.)
- NSF is the only third-party testing organization to undertake a complete evaluation of every aspect of a product's development before it can earn our certification
- Diameter 16" (40.7 cm) and depth: 12" (30 cm)
- Thickness: 1 mm
- No other independent testing programs require companies to comply with the strict standards imposed by NSF and its product certification programs. From extensive product testing and material analysis to unannounced plant inspections
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 40 Quart |
Weight | 9.9999918345104 Pounds |
🎓 Reddit experts on stockpots
The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where stockpots are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
There are lots of other things I use daily:
etc.
But the point I guess I'm making is that you can get lots of good, cheap stuff to start with.
The law of diminishing returns. Let me give you an easy example.
With wine, there will be crap wines. You're talking your Franzia, your Fetzer, and the vast majority of stuff sold as "white zinfandel". It's fine for making sangria, but you're not going to notice much except sugar, and whatever additives they've thrown in the vat to mask the shitty quality.
Then you've got your low rent ones, like Fetzer, Turning Leaf, that Kangaroo one. They're like $7 - $10 a bottle. Nothing to write home about, but it'll do to cook with, or with people who aren't huge wine drinkers, but can't really afford much better.
Then you get your /good/ wines. These vary by region and by brand, but you're looking to spend between $12 and $15 a bottle here. When served in a decent wine glass, you'll notice all kind of cool little subtle flavour profiles, and it won't be harsh on the way down.
If you've got some cash to spend, then there's those boutique wines that run you about $15 - $25. Around here, you're hitting very complex flavours and aromas. You don't want to pair it with anything that will challenge the wine, and you take care to serve it at the proper temperatures.
Once you cross this threshold however, you're looking at diminishing returns. The difference between boxed wine and the $25 wine is VAST. We're talking leaps and bounds of difference in experience, quality, and taste. But then once you've crossed about $28 - $32 a bottle, the difference between a $100 bottle and the $35 bottle isn't really that huge. Yes if you're in the top 5% of sommeliers or wine makers in the world, you'll notice subtle differences, and it's a nice intellectual exercise to figure out what those differences are, but the vast majority of us aren't really going to get that much more enjoyment or taste difference between the two. Then you start hitting the $200 and $300 bottles with pedigrees and all kind of marketing buzz, and you're like "I'll stick with the $15 bottle if it's all the same to you."
Think of your cookware the same way. The crappy TV Celebrity Chef set from the Walmart versus a standard brand is going to be massive. And the thin-bottomed dollar store pots compared to the standard brands will also be a huge huge difference. But once you hit about the $30 - $70 per pan range, you're not going to notice that much of a difference in your cooking experience to have warranted spending $300 on a freaking pan. I see you, Le Creuset.
Go into a store, and pick up as many pans as you can. If it's not comfortable in your hands, you won't use it as much. Look for something that has a good weight to it, but isn't too heavy for you to pick up. Look for something that has a nice balance to it. This has been my issue with a fair few of those restaurant cookwares: they're so bottom heavy that when I have to tip it over to get from cookware to serving dish, it's very awkward.
Get one piece at a time, not a set. Getting a set means that you'll have pots that you never use. Not good. Start with one piece (for example, an all-purpose pan).
https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Calphalon-Nonstick-Jumbo-Deep/dp/B001ASBBSG/ I reach for this thing every day. I'd consider it an all-purpose pan. I can cook pretty much anything in there. I've cooked pasta, curries, stir fries, rice dishes, delicate things that need the nonstick, potatoes, breakfast things, stews, soups, veggies, the list goes on. I've had it for a few years now, and it's been a champ. However, after having it a while, I realised I wanted a small pot for making ramen, or reheating leftovers, or small amounts of daal. That's when I sprung for a small saucepan. I got their 1-1/2 quart pot from the same line, because I liked how it felt in my hand.
Then, I saw that I wanted something in stainless, because when I make dosa, or other things, I wanted to use my Indian stainless steel utensils, and I couldn't do that on the nonstick. So I got myself a https://www.amazon.com/Tramontina-80116-007DS-Fry-Stainless/dp/B00JAP44MQ/ stainless steel pan from Tramontina. Then, I saw that I needed a stock pot, because if I'm using that 12" thingy on the stove, I don't want another large pot cluttering up the stove. I went to my restaurant supply store, and picked up the most squat 6 qt stock pot they had. I wanted metal handles, and a metal lid. Why? In case I start something on the stove, and want to finish in the oven, I want that to be seamless. I got something like this guy:
https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MCP44-24N-MultiClad-Stainless-Saucepot/dp/B009W28RPM/
Point is that you don't have to spend like a millionaire to have cookware that's a joy to use, and that will produce good results, and you don't have to worry about getting a full set. Build as you go.
I don't have time to make sure it's comprehensive and everything but I can throw some stuff together real quick:
Knives
You really only need 2, a chef's knife and serrated knife. A pairing knife is occasionally useful but rarely necessary. If you really like sharp knives, buy a whetstone and learn to sharpen, cheap knives can get just as sharp as expensive ones.
​
Pots and Pans
You need four or five things here. I'd say your mainly looking for a large saute pan, a stock pot, and a sauce pan. If you cook eggs you can grab a non-stick saute pan too. Don't use non stick pans for things that don't stick to pans. They wear out fast and they're garbage when they lose their coating. Oh and a sheet pan.
​
Other Shit
​
This is just suggestions if you don't have the stuff already, I think the real bottom line is that the stuff you already have is likely fine, and being a good cook is about knowledge and technique and putting effort into tasty food for people you care about, not gear.
CHICKEN STOCK
Well for one thing, make stock. I don't know how you get your chicken but if they have bones on them, save them (freeze them). Cooked or not. Or you can cut to the chase and go buy two whole chickens. You may need a stock pot. There's a good Cuisinart one for about $40, which is about $30 cheaper than when I bought mine about a year ago. So snatch it in case the price goes way back up.
Fill with the chicken (remove the gizzards and such if you bought them whole and raw) and about a gallon of water. Simmer for 3 hours. take a few carrots, a few stalks of celery, and an onion or two. Rough chop them. Into the pot. Continue to cook for another 3 hours. This isn't rocket science. It's dissolving food in water.
If you have some whole peppercorns, parsley, and garlic cloves, either toss them in and strain them later or make into a bouquet garni (essentially tie them up in a bit of cheesecloth so they don't get loose) and toss them in. After another 30 or 60 minutes (stock doesn't require precision) you're finished. And if you don't have any of these items, don't sweat it. It's still gonna taste good.
Ideally, strain through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. I bough a pack of the kinds of plastic containers you get when you order soup from Chinese Takeout from Amazon and you can partition out the stock for easier use.
Put them in the fridge and let them cool down. The fat will rise and form a protective barrier. As long as the fat is there, the stock will keep longer in the fridge. Just skim the fat before you use the stock. Fat in your stock when you use it is generally a bad idea. Don't feel bad about freezing whatever you can't use in the first two weeks.
Now you have liquid gold. You're 15 minutes away from chicken soup. (Just chop up everything, dump in the stock and cook until you wanna eat it.) You now can have flavorful rice. Or better yet, step up your starch game and make risotto. You can add it to other dishes like ground turkey with taco seasoning to make turkey taste about 1000x better. Hell, you can straight up drink it.
CHICKEN FAJITAS
As a side note, olive oil does wonders for chicken. Grab the chicken tenderloins, scrape out the ligament and cook in a little olive oil. Toss in some bell pepper and onion (and fajita seasoning if you have it, else salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste) and you've got yourself fajitas. You can decide whether you want a taco shell or not.
CHICKEN & BROCCOLI (or Beef & Broccoli)
Here's a recipe for beef & broccoli (but works for chicken & broccoli too). Considering it's essentially protein, broccoli, and rice with the barest of flavorings, I consider this clean eating.
The only thing you need to know is that the Chinese have a technique to make protein have a more velvet mouthfeel. It's called "velveting". That's what the marinade is about.
Marinade: (For the protein)
Mix together and rub into the protein with your hands. It's easiest that way. Wait at least 15 minutes. After you do this a few times you'll realize the proportions here don't really matter all that much. I just eyeball it now and make it a little wetter than you'll find this to be. Either way there's not much difference in the final product. In other words, as long as you're reasonably close to this part of the recipe, it'll turn out fine.
Sauce:
How to Cook Everything:
Anyway, try that. It's phenomenal. Personally, I buy sirloin and slice it to make beef and broccoli. But chicken works really well too.
I can keep going but that's at least 3 things you can do with chicken.
Edit: Thanks for the GOLD!
Cool! Welcome!
The Mr. Beer kits are a great inexpensive way to find out if it's going to interest you. If you like it, here's what I would look into:
As far as tips for starting here: Sanitize, Sanitize. Patience. Time. Sanitize.
Have fun!!
Alright- I'm gonna throw at you my standard 'I've got cash to buy new cookware: what do I get' list. It's pretty much the same for a guy/gal who just got divorced, a dude/lady moving out of the dorms and into their first apartment, or really anyone who is working with nothing but some bare cash and wants to turn it into food.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
You'll notice the startling lack of any 'set' or anything of that sort here. That's because sets of pots you don't need are dumb. You'll note none of these have glass lids, that's because glass breaks. You'll note none of this stuff costs a fortune, and that's because it doesn't have to. This setup can handle 95% of cooking tasks without breaking a sweat, and without your credit card company celebrating the new statue they can build outside their main office because of all the money you spent. Leftover cash? Buy a knife, get a few wire racks and baking pans, and buy a nice cut of steak, some pasta, some salmon, and veggies to try out your new gear.
That's a perfect kit, you won't really save any money by purchasing the same equipment piecemeal, and there's nothing that will go to waste from that kit.
Something you should pick up, which is not included in that kit is a kettle - as someone noted you can start with something as small as 5G, but I would skip right over that and get a 10G kettle. Do not spend more than $100, this Bayou Classic 44 qt. stainless steel kettle should last you your (5G batch) brewing career.
A wort chiller is (very) nice to have, a vinator and bottling tree really make bottling day much easier. Skip those if you think you'll be kegging any time soon, or want to DIY some other solution. A refractometer makes it easier to check your gravity on brew day, but not very useful after that - more useful in all-grain than extract. Same holds true for a nice digital thermometer. The Thermoworks rt600c is a good inexpensive thermometer - again, not that useful in extract, but you'll need it for all-grain.
Also, when/if you start making your own recipes, get a nice kitchen scale that can read in grams or 10th ounces.
Good luck!
What I always suggest is to first decide what you're going to can, how much you will be canning at one time and what size jars you will be canning in.
These are important to know because, as others have said, jellies, jams, fruits, pickles and properly acidified tomatoes can be done in a water bath canner, while vegetables and meats must be pressure canned.
Knowing what size of jars you are going to be using makes a difference in what size of canner(s) you will need. If you're canning for a family, you will likely need to use quart sized jars. But if you are a single person or a couple, you will probably only want to do pint jars.
Too, it's customary that jams or jellies are canned in half-pint jars although it is perfectly acceptable to do them in pints if you will use that much jam in a reasonable amount of time once it's been opened. Large mouth jars (both pints and quarts) and their lids are more more expensive than the regular mouth jars. However, meats and things like whole pickles or pickle spears almost require large-mouth jars.
The jar size also matters because some canners don't work with larger sized jars. Also, very large canners will accept two layers of jars which is great for canning many jars at a time but time and energy wasting to use for small batches.
To get started water-bath canning, the only must haves are:
The most affordable places to buy these supplies are going to be somewhere local to you. None are very expensive at all. Some water-bath canners come with a rack inside them, which is both a trivet and a jar lifter itself. New boxes of jars come with lids and rings. The rings (also called bands) are reusable, the lids are not, but anywhere that sells the jars will have more lids. Walmart, Target, K-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, ACE Hardware and places like that will have nearly everything you need for water-bath canning.
As for pressure canning, you will need:
I highly recommend that you read up and shop around before buying a pressure canner. They are somewhat of an investment at between $70 and $400. When you're ready to select a pressure canner, come back and ask and I know everyone around here will help you decide what's right for you. The inexpensive canners are very good but there are also very good reasons to buy a more pricey one and it takes a whole post in itself to discuss them!
Something inexpensive and very nice to have is a little canning set like this no matter which method of canning you do. These tools will be safer to use rather than winging it and will save you infinite amounts of time and frustration. I've seen these same sets at Walmart for something like $8-$10.
I hope this helps!
I have a 10" Calphalon Cast Iron skillet that I got for like $20 at Target. I have another cast iron skillet 12" that I got from World Market. It's enameled on the outside and bare on the inside and unless I'm cooking eggs just about anything skillet/pan related happens in one of those pans.
I have some calphalon non stick skillets that I use for eggs/fish/etc. But they might get used once for every 20 uses of the cast iron. Aside from that I have some le Crueset enameled cast iron stuff. I have their Wok, and a Dutch Oven, and a big cast iron fish pan like 14" oval shaped thing. It's great for whole fish, but I don't use it for much else.
But if I were starting from scratch it'd probably be something like the following:
Dutch Oven
Stainless 12"
Cast Iron 12"
Cast Iron 10"
Saucier
Multi Pot
Pot 2 qt
I'd possibly get two of the Multi Pots. I know the additional steamer/pasta baskets are redundant but it's nice to have another pot for things like chili or pasta sauce (Although you could use the dutch oven) But with two stainless pots like that you can do sauce in one and pasta in the other. Also looking up another 6-8 qt stock pot it looks like the same Calphalon pot is $75 while the multipot set is $80, and you could always use the additional baskets as colanders.
You'll probably want some decent glassware, casserole dishes, and a few cookie sheets, loaf, and/or lasagna pans to really round out the kitchen. But the pots/pans listed above would be a great place to start. I should get back to work. :)
Subscribe to this subreddit, good first step.
Visist www.homebrewtalk.com and join up there too, a HUGE treasure trove of knowledge.
Buy this: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/essential-brewing-starter-kit.html
Watch the DVD.
Now, I don't know your budget, if you want to just make some beer this should get you going.
If you want my recommendation for stuff to get now:
A good brewpot, large enough to boil all grain and do brew in a bag, here's a pretty badass one:
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1144-44-Quart-Stainless/dp/B000FTLY1K/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1396500991&sr=8-8&keywords=stainless+stockpot
A wort chiller:
http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Immersion-Chiller-Length-Drain/dp/B007ZDIIOA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1396501051&sr=8-6&keywords=wort+chiller
A good propane burner, I got this one for free on special a while back and love it:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/the-dark-star-burner.html
This is basically all I use to brew all grain beer, I don't like to get too fancy I just want to make some good beer, and I produce pretty good beer, if I do say so myself.
A 10-gallon kettle would probably do you well but if you truly want to not have to buy another kettle later on, go with a 15-gallon. That's what I went with right out of the gate and it's been great. I can pretty much do whatever gravity beer I want for a 5-gallon batch and can even do quite a few 10-gallon batches. I pretty much never have to worry about a boil over with it either. When I was looking into BIAB about a year and a half ago, this was the best piece of advice I came across. Bayou makes a pretty solid kettle Bayou Classic
I have a Blichmann burner and I love it, but a Bayou Classic KAB4/6 is more or less the same thing with a lower price and a few drawbacks (painted metal v. SS, the Bayous hold the pot farther away from the burner, Blichmann claims superior fuel efficiency). The Edelmetal from Northern brewer seems like it's in the middle. They all have the big-ass banjo burner which I feel is the key component.
I'm using Bayou Classic 16 gallon kettles and I'm pretty happy with them, too. They seem like a good mix of quality and affordability. I got mine for $125 last year. They're a little higher right now. You can often find open box discounts on amazon's warehouse page. I've got a SS pickup and a 45 degree elbow from bargainfittings.com that works well. If you have a pump, I also use the spincycle whirlpool arm from brewhardware, and I like that, too. Only drawback is cleaning it when you use hop extract.
I haven't brewed 10 gallon batches, but I'd look into upgrading your chilling system, too, if you don't have a nice one right now. And thinking about how you will manage it so it will work on your burner. 10 gallons of boiling wort is nothing I want to try to move.
You two are amazing, truly!! So inspiring and such a huge part of why I'm in love with this sub, thank you. And you look gorgeous!!
Gift One: This because beer
Gift Two: This because coffee
C'mon...gimme.
Here are some pots to consider:
Here are some turkey fryers to consider if you want to make a bigger investment.
Both Aluminum and Stainless steel make great pots. Stainless takes a bit to heat up, but holds up really well to Clean In Place cleaners and oxygen based cleaners.
Aluminum has to have a passive oxidized layer built up on it. Just fill the pot up, boil water in it for 30 minutes and the pot is good to go for the rest of its life. The only negative is you can't use Clean In Place/Oxygen/Bleach based cleaner on it. Some warm, non-scented soap works nicely though.
Good luck.
This is a basic list with mid-grade item recommendations as links. You can definitely shop around and find better deals, but this will give you a place to start your shopping excursion from. Considering hitting up a local restaurant supply store for really good deals.
Under $10
Under $20
$$$ I have this guy on my own wishlist! It's good for canning low-acid items like green beans and beets and etc.
As a bonus, here's a fun book: Put 'Em Up. I have it and it's great! Also, you can make things like jam with little sugar by using pectin, or if you aren't into jams and preserves, you can pickle things and can sauces. It's just generally awesome.
I got my AG kit at northernbrewer.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/all-grain-equipment/deluxe-all-grain-systems/fermenters-favorites-essential-all-grain-brewing-starter-kit-10-gallon
that's the one, except I have the old high school football game orange coolers. I know for a fact you can make those yourself for cheaper, but that's not exactly the sorta thing I'm good at!
Some people love carboys. I did, too, until I dropped one. I swear to God, it was a friggin miracle nobody got hurt, especially since my kids were nearby. Now they have plastic carboys, but honestly, fermentation isn't really that exciting to look at. Buckets are way cheaper, easier to move, and they don't explode if you drop them (your hands are going to be wet A LOT). When I'm done with the mash, I usually have like....ohhh I dunno about 6.5-7 gallons of wort to start off with, so you're definitely gonna want a nice big kettle. I have an 11 gallon kettle because fuck boil-overs. (http://amzn.com/B000VXHKMC).
So you've already got your fermentation bucket, right? That's really all you need other than a bottling bucket. Some people do secondary fermentation, but man, that's just more hassle IMO. Exposes the beer to oxidation and contamination and it's really unnecessary when you can do all of your additions in your primary bucket. The syphon, hydrometer, bottling wand.....the buckets.....the mash tuns....did I forget anything? Maybe an extra kettle for sparging. I have that 11 gallon one and a 5 gallon one that I use for sparge water, but the only reason I have that smaller one is because I went extract first, then "graduated" to AG. Oh, helpful tip for extract brews, try doing a full volume boil, it just makes it better...and I prefer DME to LME, but that's personal opinion.
Oh snap I did forget something.....the wort chiller. These things are awesome, and chill your wort much faster than an ice bath, in my experience. Sorry for rambling!
I picked up this kit for a little under $100 after shipping. If you are not on an extreme budget then spend the extra penny and get this one. The nice thing about these kits as well, is that they give you a recipe for your first batch so you dont have to buy one on the side. It took about a week to show up and like /u/rumham1985 said you'll need to get a kettle with a lid (depending on if the kettle comes with it) and if you want to know the ABV (Alcohol By Volume) you can pick up a hydrometer and tube or refractometer.
Listed are the other items I picked up aside from the starter kit:
If you have Amazon Prime you can get free 2 day shipping on those products. If you are currently a college student you get 6 months of free prime service so take advantage of that if you can.
In the near future I will be investing on supplies to build a wort chiller using this tutorial which shouldnt cost more than 30$ and maybe after that work up on buying a mini fridge and temperature controller to help keep a stable fermenting temperature.
Norther Brewer has the Homebrew Starter Kit on sale for $99 that trades the 2 glass carboys for a 5 gallon kettle and a second bucket. I personally think clear glass carboys only makes you look more like a pro brewer, rather than providing anything better. They make things more risky IMHO, so unless they excite you, do the buckets.
(edit) Also for the kettle, FYI I purchased the 10 gallon Bayou Classic Bayou Stainless Brew Kettle, Stainless Steel instead for half that price (see the other buying options for the 2 day free prime shipping, if you have prime.) It was definitely acceptable quality, for my purposes. Although for most kits, the 5 gallon kettle has been sufficient for me as well.
I've only brewed twice with extract, but I'd like to get into all grain, at least starting with biab.
The pot I use now is pretty small, so I'm thinking I want to get a new one that would be good for biab, but that I could potentionally still use for other methods in the future if I feel like it or want to make a larger quantity or something higher gravity.
I was looking at something like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007V493PG/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_1?colid=2A3M8Z2CC4N4J&coliid=I3Q7M72HYYCJW0) or one of these but I'm wondering if it makes sense to get it tricked out with the false bottom and the thermometer and stuff. Are those kettles and acessories that would lend themselves to the different methods?
Also, are the built in thermometers really always shit, and am I really better off getting a thermapen? I'm not super concerned about price (within reason), but for some reason I need convincing or clarification on the thermometer.
One other thing: what kind of bag should I get?
---------
Edit: fixed links
If you're OK with aluminum, check out this: http://www.amazon.com/Winware-Professional-Aluminum-20-Quart-Stockpot/dp/B001CHJHOA
I use the 40qt version of this and it's been great. I've heard that you should boil water in it before brewing to coat with aluminum oxide but I've also heard that happens pretty much spontaneously in normal air.
It's a sturdy pot but it's also pretty lightweight. I'm very happy with it.
This is the kettle that I use. It's an inexpensive ($20) 21.5 quart steel/porcelain canner, and it works great. It's also recommended in How to Brew by John Palmer, which is an excellent resource.
Also just found this active groupon for a brewing equipment kit. I bought this same deal over a month ago, and I'm about to bottle my first batch with it. It's a great deal, and I highly recommend Midwest Homebrewing. The recipe kit that comes with the deal is a quality kit, and the people are very helpful.
Thanks for the contest :D
Get something tri-ply. All clad is great, tramontina and cooks standard are also pretty great and much cheaper.
Good deal on all-clad: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-d5-stainless-steel-french-skillet/?pkey=e%7Cfrench%2Bskillet%7C150%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH
Good tramontina pan: https://www.amazon.com/Tramontina-80116-007DS-Stainless-Induction-Ready/dp/B00JAP44MQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1485916446&sr=8-2&keywords=tramontina+skillet
Saute pan if you prefer: https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-Multi-Ply-Stainless-Steel-5-Quart/dp/B00421AYK4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1485916480&sr=8-6&keywords=cooks+standard
this is where I started:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/starter-kits/basic-starter-kit.html
I have made this in the past and it turned out quite well:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/recipe-kits/caribou-slobber-extract-kit.html
Also, a great reference:
http://www.howtobrew.com/
you can also buy it in paperback, which I would recommend
beyond that kit, he'll need a big (5 gal a good place to start) kettle. I have a 5 gallon SS version, you can get fancier, but better off starting simple. something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Prime-Pacific-Stainless-Steel-Quart/dp/B0017WPY1A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323059145&sr=8-2
also need to get a sanitizer, I use starsan:
http://www.amazon.com/Star-San--32-oz/dp/B0064O7YFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323059205&sr=8-1
I use leftover bottle from other beer - most batches come out to about 50 bottles.
I'm sure there's plenty I've forgotten, hopefully others will fill in.
A 15 gallon stainless steel beer keg is perfect, much better than rigging a large pot. Amazon does sell lots of big ol' pots though.
The nice thing about a standard 15gal keg is it has a 2" triclamp fitting on the top, perfect for attaching a 2" dia column to. They can be had for cheap either as scrap or from a good liquor store/distributor.
Hey, glad my post was of help to you!
If you're looking for up to 5 gallon batches, I'd say a 10 gallon kettle is the minimum. I'd actually recommend a 15 gallon if you have the budget. That way, you'll never have to worry about fitting a huge grain bill and will have even more freeboard as protection against boil overs.
As for products, there's the Bayou Classic that people tend to like. I also really like the stuff that Arbor Fabrications makes. I have a mesh basket and a hops brew filter from them. Both are built sturdily and have performed well for many years.
So I'm looking at adding a whirlpool setup to my kettle.
I currently have this kettle and love it. It is an affordable price and so far works great for me.
I do full volume (no sparge) BIAB and currently use an immersion chiller to cool the wort.
With that being said I want to add a whirlpool setup to this and I'm a little lost.
My "plan" is to get a pump (could use affordable recommendations) and hook it up to the valve on my kettle. I would then run a piece of copper that hooks over the rim of my kettle and into the wort. Silicone tubing would connect everything.
With the immersion chiller in I would begin whirlpooling to help aid in cooling the wort faster. After it's chilled I would take the chiller out and continue to whirlpool to get a nice little cone in the middle.
After that I would take the pump off the valve and use the valve (with dip tube connected inside the kettle) to transfer the wort to a carboy before fermenting.
Does that seem like a plausible idea?
Ha I will when it's built! It's actually all planned out now, just buying the pieces up. I think I can still help though.
Here is an image of brianj's kettle, from a post he did on BrewUnited. Those are two 1500W ULWD heating elements, exactly the same as my build.
I'm going to be using a 16 gallon bayou kettle with a custom brew bag, and use the associated false bottom.
That false bottom will keep the grains off of the heating elements, and there will still be enough space for high gravity BIAB batches (4.5 gallon average batch size).
I use an Auberin PID controller with two 40A SSRs and a 25A SSVR (also from auberin) that will regulate the intensity of one of the elements. You probably already have this all set up already, so it's more of an informational thing.
The re-circulation is probably the part you're worried about:
I would head over to /u/mchrispen's blog, he has some great pictures of his system and it sounds similar to what you're hoping to do (purely from a re circulation standpoint). It uses keggles.
I would stay away from that starter kit. Not because its bad per se but its not worth 180 bucks. And I prefer plastic buckets over glass carboys. If you want you can convert a cooler to a mash tun but I would start with BIAB and you then can increase the complexity of your system as you see fit.
Here is my recommendation of equipment. I am function over form driven when selecting my gear. I find that these items serve their purpose at a reasonable price and are of good quality and unless you want to start doing 15 gallon batches they should serve you well.
Starter Kit
KAB4 Burner
44qt Pot with basket
Ball Valve for Kettle
Thermometer
Bag for BIAB
Currently an extract brewer here, but I bought this kettle awhile back hoping to move to all-grain. Can I mash in this? Also, would I leave the propane burner on while mashing to maintain a constant temp? Would my best bet be just to get a cooler setup like I see in most post and just use this for the boil stage?
Edit: Kettle Link
I would strongly caution against a 35 quart pot. The Bayou Classic 44 quart (11 gallon) pot is only a little more, and it's of dimensions more ameniable to brewing (tall, rather than squat). If you plan to migrate to BiaB, the version with the basket is quite useful; you'll be able to fire your heat source without worrying about scorching the bag.
For ingredients, I would recommend looking around for a LHBS (local homebrew shop). You'll likely not save much money ordering those online, due to their weight/cost ratio, and a LHBS is often the centre of your local community of homebrewers.
With regard to literature, my bible is John Palmer's How To Brew. You can also read the first edition online, but much has been learnt since that was published and the latest edition has current best practices.
That equipment kit is decent, but there are a lot of things in it you'll probably wish you hadn't bought.
You will want:
I see you have a mash paddle in there, but I don't see a mash tun. Are you going to BIAB or use extract? Then I don't think you need the paddle.
Or do you already have a tun lying around?
If you want an even sweeter all-grain system, consider an extra pot - I'd get one a little oversized, maybe this 36-quart Bayou classic. Then use your smaller pot for hot liquor, and the big pot for boiling a full volume.
You're going to have a hard time boiling 5 gallons of wort in a 20-quart pot. At best I could fit 4.5 gallons in mine, and I had to be very careful for boilovers - I recommend Fermcap-S to help control the foam; 2 drops per gallon as you heat to a boil.
An 8 gallon pot is probably a bit too small. Most 5 gallon all grain recipes end up wanting 6.5-7.5 preboil gallons of wort, so at 8 gallons, you are in some real boilover danger. I have this 44 quart stainless pot from Amazon as my kettle, and couldn't be happier with it. It goes on sale pretty regularly - my wife bought it for me for $68.
I actually use my old 6 gallon pot as my hot liquor tank (aka pot to heat hot water in). Most people use 1.25 - 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain for their mash, so you only end up actually lifting ~4 gallons at any given time. You then drain that into your brew kettle. Next, you sparge with another ~3-4 gallons or so of water.
You could use your 8 gallon pot as the HLT, though if you were very careful, I uppose you could get away without it ad use it to boil in. You could heat water in smaller pots, say, on your stove.
A valve is a nice thing to have, I'm sure, but I do just fine without one. I can handle four gallons of water just fine for the mash/sparge. The only heavy part is the 7.5 gallon pick up, but that's only from the ground to my burner... and if I was smart, the kettle would already be on my burner. I don't have a fancy brewstand, but I put my mash tun/cooler up on sawhorses. Puts it at a nice height for access and draining.
For the record, I love all grain.
This pot rules. Hands down, I love this pot and the price for its size is great. Used it a ton, one of the best purchases I've made.
You definitely could, but I would recommend getting this one.
It's only $33 (including shipping) and while I haven't been to any restaurant suppply stores in DC, when I went to one in VT a few years ago the cheapest 5-gal they had was $45. It's also super thick and durable and works really well for brewing.
To get her started, I would get her a book like this one, and depending on her stove top a water bath canner for gas/electric or flat top, also this set, and don't forget the jars. There are probably other stores than Amazon to buy these things, I usually get great deals at Ace hardware. There are some other great books out there, and depending on what she is interested in, a pressure canner is a big one too.
If you're doing BIAB, this one is pretty spiffy.
You don't need a false bottom in the kettle to BIAB. Use a cheap stainless vegetable steaming rack ($10 max). Use it to keep the grain bag off the bottom of the kettle, that's all you need it for with BIAB.
The thermometer is nice. But long as you've got a good handheld thermometer anyway it isn't hard to take temps. And with BIAB you'd have to deal with the probe poking the bag as well, which I'd personally pass on.
The valve is nice to have though.
For my own recommendation I would say do an extract beer can kit. You'll get about 40 bottles of beer out of it.
Almost everything below you can get at your local homebrew shop. In fact, many of these items might be part of a "beer starter kit" etc. I do recommend getting the 5 gallon carboy instead of a kit with pails. You'll thank me later. pails can get messy.
Total $128 by my guestimates, but you do get 2 cases of beer out of it and $113 worth of brew equipment. Hell, in Ontario the two cases of beer can easily be more expensive than $128 lol... Not cheap, but everything here you will use over and over and over again (except of course the sugar and the brew kit)
---------------------------------
The Coopers Can Kit comes with instructions to make your beer, a hopped extract and yeast.
After you make your beer it'll be a few weeks before the fermentation is done (which you'll know by hydrometer readings)
In that time you can start getting your stuff together for bottling and carbonating them.
You'll also need (for bottling) 48 empty clean bottles (cleaned and then sanitized with star-san solution) NON TWIST OFF TYPE
A handheld Beer capper
Bottle caps (box)
I gotta run, but this was fun to type out. If you need any help, glad to help ya.
A few reasons, some real, some myth that is still considered real. There is always an argument, but there are 2 main problems:
You can't use an oxygen based cleaner like oxyclean or one-step, which makes it a pain in the ass.
You have to bake the thing for a few hours before you use it because you need to build up an oxide layer.
There are some myths about them causing Alzheimer's and some other bad things, there are studies showing it is not true, but TBH if there is even a small chance I want no part of that.
I guess to each his own. When I was doing 5 gallon batches, and I still occasionally do, I used 2 of these
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1044-44-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000VXHKMC/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1410760703&sr=1-2&keywords=Bayou+classic+pot
For the price and quality, you can't beat it. 11 gallons is a good size for 5 gallon batches because of boil overs ( depending on the weather, out here in a 90 min boil during a 100 degree day in the summer I easily boil off 1.5 gallons, so an 8 gallon pot doesn't work as I can start anywhere from 7.5-8 gallons of wort. Depends on where you are and stuff like that, but IMO 11 gallons plays it safe. )
If you are going to be serious, get a good SS pot and it will last forever. Might be a small bit pricier at first, but the quality, longevity, ease of cleaning, and not having some question in the back of your head that you might get Alzheimer's, if it is true or false, is worth it
It will be fine, but it will have less alcohol and probably a thinner body than if you would have topped off with the appropriate volume of water.
One simple way to avoid this in the future is to get a pot big enough to boil your full volume of water (minimum 8 gallon pot for 5 gallon batches imo). There are other advantages to doing a full-volume boil as well. Amazon has a pretty good deal going on some stainless pots right now.
You'll need a bigger kettle. 18 liters is about 4.8 gallons. You are going to want an 8 - 10 gallon (30 - 40 liter) kettle.
Luckily, they aren't that expensive. Here's a couple:
44 qt Bayou Classic SS for $83. This is what I user for BIAB. I paid $77.
40 qt Winware Aluminum for $47. You'll probably want to add the lid to help keep in the heat while mashing.
You'll also want to insulate the kettle during the mash. An old blanket can work to start. I use reflectix.
How about a pot for $140 for 10 gallon batches?
I've got this guy, but I only use him for mashing because he doesn't fit on the stove.
I use a tall boy 8 gallon, which is like $100 or so, but I think if you want to pay a little more go for the ones with a ball valve so you can use a better chiller.
If you feel like you need a thermometer get a javelin for another $25. I don't see much use -- by the time I'm going to upgrade enough to warrant a huge thermometer on the pot and do something with it, I'm probably going to have a HERMS anyways so I'd need a digital one.
I recently did the same thing. I ended up going really big because I I thought I might enjoy doing a double batch on occasion with friends and the cost difference between 10 gallons and 15 gallons was minimal. I got this 62 qt. stainless steel pot from Amazon for $115 and am quite happy with it. Eventually I'll buy the hardware to add fancy spigots and such to it but for now it does the job and I don't have to worry about upgrading again anytime soon. :)
Edit: are you talking about the kettle fryer or the burner? Lol
Tri Ply Pros:
Less chance of scorching the wort. Less cleanup due to nothing caking on the bottom of the kettle. It's mainly a concern if you have a powerful burner. I have a Kab4 on natural gas and I do experience some light scorching since I run it on full blast. I'm uncertain, but I believe it has a slight impact on the color of lighter wort, and even less so on flavor. Grab a tri-ply if you are OCD about these things.
With that said, I have a 16 gallon version of this, and it's really hard to beat. Consider the cost of a ball valve, weldless bulkhead, and hole drilling bits.
This version:
Pre-drilled bulkhead (mine had a weldless)
Ball valve
Ready to go out of the box
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1032-Stainless-8-Gallon/dp/B007TV9LSU/
If you have those already, there are cheaper options also from bayou on amazon, like this
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1118-32-Quart-Stainless/dp/B0009K8SJ6/
Edit: for those wondering about the 16 gallon - my main complaint is that it is so tall that smaller batches will be problematic with wort chillers since they are so low in the kettle. It's not much more expensive.
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1064-Stainless-16-Gallon/dp/B007V493PG/
You also may have good luck on your local craigslist
So, just to clarify, most homebrewers will start out by doing a partial boil. This basically means that you will only be boiling ~3 gallons of water to brew the beer, and then adding cool water to your wort once it is in the primary before you pitch the yeast. Because of this, most homebrewers will start with a 4 gallon kettle and then upgrade to a bigger one later on down the road.
I did something very similar to Ardentfrost. I definitely agree with what he's saying about kettles. On one hand, you're trying to save money for your first batch by not buying a 7.5 gallon kettle (and wort chiller). On the other hand, you don't want to have to buy a 4 gallon kettle and then a 7.5 gallon kettle in a few months. I ended up buying a 3 gallon Graniteware kettle, a 7.5 gallon aluminum kettle from craigslist, and finally a 36 qt. stainless from amazon. Fortunately, my first two pots were only $20 apiece, and I can probably sell them both on craigslist for just as much.
Like Ardentfrost said, my 36 qt. kettle is too big for an ice bath in my sink, but I already have a wort chiller.
I've recently bought nicer equipment to homebrew with. I now have a nice propane burner, and 16gal stockpot with weldless spigot. (For reference this is the burner: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JXYQY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
and this is the stock pot:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007V493PG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00)
The last step for moving my brewing setup outside is a wort chiller.
My first question is do I need a wort chiller at this point if I still want to do some 5gal extract brews? I figure with a 2.5-3 gal boil volume, the burner and 16gal pot might be extreme overkill.
At some point I would like to do 5gal all grain batches or at least BIAB, which I think needs the wort chiller at a minimum to cool properly.
My second question is will a 25in premade wort chiller fit properly or do I need to make my own, assuming the chiller needs to hang above the sediment, and not lay on the bottom of the pot.
Edit: I was doing some more research, and I decided to go with this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004D50LO8/ref=s9_simh_hd_b14JJvX_p79_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=0X0PBZVYQ8CGW12NKNBN&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2223253542&pf_rd_i=979843011
I think it will do the job, and avoid any issues fitting or making an immersion chiller.
Question 1 - I just finished my 11th Extract Brew. The majority have turned out amazing, but I think I am ready to start upping my game. I have seen all the tiered-mashing systems on here recently, but I think the next step for me would be to do BIAB. I currently have a 6 gallon aluminum pot which I don't think will be big enough.
I am debating between getting the 8 Gallon or the 16 Gallon. Pros and Cons of going bigger from the start? Or will an 8 Gallon do for what I want and be usable for the future?
EDIT: If it helps - this is currently what I am brewing on: Brinkman Turkey Fryer. It probably won't fit a bigger pot inside the ring, but I assume as long as it sits on top of the ring, it should still work?
I have the same kit and recommend getting an autosiphon in addition to a carboy brush. Also, be sure when cleaning to remove the racking end of the racking cane to clean any sludge/hops out of it (be careful not to loose the parts). The b-brite is the same thing as oxy-clean, once the b-brite runs out goo buy a big tub of oxy-clean.
I got a 20 gallon stainless steel pot from Amazon for boiling wort. Also helps to have a long-handled wooden spoon - mine has a flat edge, a candy thermometer (to hit the right temp for steeping), and a meat/kitchen thermometer to measure when your wort has cooled enough.
I would get a KAB4 burner. It straddles the line between performance and price IMO. $80.00
For the kettle I would go a little bigger than 8 gallons, because the price difference isn't all that great. Plus if you plan to do BIAB you really need a bigger kettle. If your handy you could buy this one and add your own valve. If your not confident about drilling the hole and doing the work yourself, heres one with a valve included obviously that a little more expensive. $114.00
I like the vintage shop fermonster carboys. They are plastic and easy to clean. These are actually cheaper at my LHBS. $34.00
And Last you need either need a Bag for your kettle for BIAB or you could go the cooler route and get a bag for your cooler for MIAB.
The MIAB option is a little pricer but I prefer having a separate vessel for Mashing because theres less lifting to do and doing a sparge is a bit easier that way. So Another $43.50
And you can pick up a cooler at most Big box stores for like $20.00
That clocks in at $291.50 so just under budget.
It won't get the same effect but you can. You just want to invest in a large metal stock pot, it's about the same price as a crock pot and allows you to make massively oversized crockpot meals. I love these, I just scale the recipe up as big as I can go into the pot, low on a crockpot is 190 and high is 250. I go to 200 which is about as low as my oven goes and just simulate a slow cooker on a bigger scale. Hope that helps and if you have any questions DM me or something.
> Proteins are what you're feeling in a 'full' beer, and taking care to ensure they stay in the beer will get you the body/mouthfeel/head retention you're looking for
What would you recommend to do in order to achieve this?
I haven't taken the pH of my water, I've just been using it from the tap. My neighbor brews some of the same exact recipes I did (same LHBS) using his faucet water as well. He does partial mash, but I don't believe he's treating his water/adjusting his pH.
My cleaning process has been pretty light, as far as I can tell. I bought everything new, but I did a PBW clean of my kettle and fermeters before I used any of them. I fill the fermeter with StarSan on brew day and dump that into the bottling bucket just before I transfer from the kettle. I have never used dish soap or anything aside from PBW and StarSan (and then a rinse with water after cleaning) on my equipment.
Winco Aluminum. Cheap, good enough, qualifies for prime shipping and pretty sturdy (I've worked in commercial kitchens with these and trust me, they'll hold up). Remember to "prime" them by boiling water in them first and never scour them down to bare metal.
Check out /r/Homebrewing and just start saving. Even 2 dollars a day with you and a friend and you could be rolling in a couple months.
edit: also start saving glass bottles that require a bottle opener. Those are reusable.
edit2: Things you'll need. Feel free to find similar products.
cooler with spigot
valve(I'm not sure of the size on that igloo)
bazooka screen
bottles(make sure they're brown)
caps
capper
some sort of gas stove. say a propane stove, a turkey fryer, or a kitchen stove.
a large pot
starsan
I'm probably forgetting things.
If I were to start over and buy new equipment, one of those all-in-one systems would be very attractive. My only concern with them is I don't have a high voltage outlet and I wouldn't want to deal with an under powered system.
For a traditional system I'd do something like this:
Total $985
Bonus Upgrades:
Total $905
And you'll want various fittings and hoses and more kegs and a stir paddle.
Bayou Classic 1064 Stainless 16-Gallon Stockpot with Spigot and Vented Lid -
$222.48$129.65 with Free ShippingThis is a very good option is you are interested in brewing larger batches! You save $92.83, or 42%.
^1/5/2017 ^12:31pm ^EST
I'm sure your looking to buy used but I just bought an 11 gallon (44qt) SS pot on amazon for under $100. It works great for 5 gallon all grain batches and fits on my stove and even in the sink.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VXHKMC/ref=oh_details_o03_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I would go with a Kettle, the link is the one i use and love. With a step bit you can drill it out and put a spigot in it and site glass.
A chiller is also nice. So is fermentation temp control... it makes a huge difference in your final beer if you are used to random fermentation temps.
Yup - you're not really going to be able to do BIAB in your kettle, at least not a 5 gallon batch. The good thing is that you don't have too much invested in it (it will make a great extra kettle to heat your sparge water though!), so upgrading won't be too painful. Something like this could work well, but there are plenty of options out there. Add in a bag (I've heard nothing but amazing things about The Brew Bag products) and you're good to go!
Pot 44qt and Burner Same price, free shipping and better in every way imo. If you plan on doing all grain I would recommend dropping an aditional $30 and getting this concord 60qt pot instead.
[This is on Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Commercial-Stainless-Induction-Certified/dp/B000FNLTCU/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?adgrpid=54480396165&gclid=Cj0KCQjw753rBRCVARIsANe3o47zMQVqg8N9Tge93KG0iW9OaJRyBcLr9SbkEYVUdvisLonUmpaS1aEaAnyiEALw_wcB&hvadid=274714584395&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9061153&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=5774574749693466865&hvtargid=aud-646675774026%3Akwd-296286048931&hydadcr=14860_9624363&keywords=induction+ready+stock+pot&qid=1567128579&s=gateway&sr=8-7) but it's like 150 bucks. I don't think there is an option for exactly what you want that is budget friendly
I got me an 11 gallon kettle and burner for decently cheap on the ol interwebs it was a bayou something or other. I brew in a bag and I can fit about 20 lbs of grain in it without it spilling but it's close. I'd go that route personally it's cheaper than a conventional all grain but brews are cheaper and more in control than extract. You can get by with one carboy one chiller one burner and one kettle.
I actually bought my kettle exactly one year ago today. I paid only $54 for it though, and it looks like it's now $94 USD. They have used ones for $48. It's a pretty solid kettle, not the best but it works for me and plenty of others.
https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1044-44-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000VXHKMC
Here is the one I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FTLY1K/ref=twister_B007QWO94S?th=1
The quality is pretty good. There is also a basket included and they have different sizes. If you are planning on doing all-grain or BIAB 5 gallons I recommend buying 44qt.
Purchase a 5.5 gallon pot you want but without anything added to it.
https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Stainless-Steel-Stock-Pot/dp/B000FRJJSM/ref=pd_sim_79_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000FRJJSM&pd_rd_r=6PQ2AMFEHC2QZZ0F78MZ&pd_rd_w=34FEi&pd_rd_wg=um6x3&psc=1&refRID=6PQ2AMFEHC2QZZ0F78MZ
Then purchase a weld less ball valve. https://www.amazon.com/Weldless-Stainless-Steel-Valve-Spigot/dp/B0028ZLEE6
and a weld less thermometer
https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-800-770-Brew-Thermometer/dp/B008FEPE18/ref=pd_bxgy_328_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008FEPE18&pd_rd_r=222Q1R1CKYW4HFP57VT9&pd_rd_w=m7gkT&pd_rd_wg=pyRcb&psc=1&refRID=222Q1R1CKYW4HFP57VT9
Then purchase a step bit: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&field-keywords=step+bit
Make sure it has the correct size.
Then purchase this bit for drilling pilot holes in metal: https://www.amazon.com/Century-Drill-Tool-26208-Cobalt/dp/B004UUFAYW/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1481229448&sr=1-1&keywords=1%2F8+stainless+steel+cutting+bit
Drill the pilot holes where you want the ball valve and thermometer, then use the step bit to widen the hole to the correct size.
I have been using this exact setup with an 8 gallon pot for 5+ years and it doesn't leak one little bit. Also you can choose whatever size pot you want, just remember that you should probably leave the thermometer at least an inch or so from the bottom and keep in mind the bottom water will be hotter than the top.
https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Commercial-Stainless-Induction-Certified/dp/B000FNLTCU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480708395&sr=8-2&keywords=40+quart+stock+pot
This style is the norm here in Europe. Many companies produce almost identical pots.
https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-SPS-40-Induction-Stainless/dp/B000X1OLJW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1480708395&sr=8-6&keywords=40+quart+stock+pot
I use 6 and 8 gallon pots like this at home and work on induction and they work great.
How much are you looking to spend, and how many ports did you want? Bayou Classic has a pretty good SS 16 gallon pot for 160. Spikes Brewing has a few more options for about the same price.
http://spikebrewing.com/collections/10-gallon-stainless-kettles
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1064-Stainless-16-Gallon/dp/B007V493PG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419922175&sr=8-3&keywords=bayou+classic+pot
stock pots of some sort are great sometimes a cast iron dutch oven works well too.
[small stock pot]
(https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Polished-NICKEL-Stainless-Coating/dp/B07CWPFFB2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1537047641&sr=8-8&keywords=medium+stainless+steel+stock+pot)
[Medium size]
(https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-12-Quart-Stainless-Stockpot/product-reviews/B01M7RNBZA/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_paging_btm_3?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews&pageNumber=3)
[large size]
(https://www.amazon.com/LARGE-ECOLOGICAL-NICKEL-Stainless-Coating/dp/B07C9FPM1C/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1537047989&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=large+size+stainless+steel+stock+pot&psc=1)
Kettle, not burner.
someone just posted this on r/homebrewing, amazing price for a good brand.
https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1064-Stainless-16-Gallon/dp/B007V493PG/ref=sr_ph_1
You can drain your runnings into a fermenting bucket, and then pour that into the kettle when you have the correct volume. It's what I do.
I have a 36 qt (9 gal) brew kettle and that's fine for a 5 to 5.5 gallon boil (starting with about 6.5 gallons, usually). $72 with Amazon Prime (not sure how much if you don't have Prime).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JXYUA/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I just got this kettle
Bayou Classic 1064 Stainless 16-Gallon Stockpot with Spigot and Vented Lid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007V493PG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_it7myb8PP9N4Y
At 16 gallons with weldless value it's not a bad price to do a mashturn and boil kettle for $260 I believe it's a single ply bottom so you would have to watch closer about scorching but that saves you some money to buy other toys and fittings.
I spent a few bucks on modding my kettle with temp probe, down tube and a recirculating fitting. I would like to add maybe a hop blocker to it.
Maybe pick this up for up for your sparger
Bayou Classic 1032 Stainless 8-Gallon Stockpot with Spigot and Vented Lid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007TV9LSU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Qx7mybGFYBFKT
I run an outdoor gourmet 24" but it's only 55k btu so it takes few mins to get to temp, I been wanting to get a banjo type burner maybe a anvil or blichmann hellfire.
I still like the false bottom you picked out as I don't care for how bc does theirs.
My next step is I am building a keggle for my hlt and adding a herms coil to it.
I use a cheap $20 stainless steel 5 gallon (actually I use 2 of them to get a full boil now).
http://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Stainless-Steel-Stock-Pot/dp/B000FRJJSM
Looks like 7.5 gallon pots get you above $50. Mine are that thin stainless steel material (not the super thick you find in $200 pots) and my first one has held up for 5 years so far.
I like to use a mix of stuff, simply because some things hold water, or produce steam, better than others.
Everything I linked is made from metal, and rates highly on Amazon.
Does anyone have any good suggestions for a good kettle for a beginner? I have my eye on this one
Hi! Thanks! Ask as many questions as you like.
The pots are these and the valves are these.
Kettle question - Is there much difference performance wise between something like this and this?
Does it need to be 12qts? I've had good luck with this brand. You might also consider this Cuisinart.
.9mm = ~20 gauge, the same thickness as midrange pots such as this, which have been deemed good for brewing. :)
I may have just gotten too cautious with the trub as I was siphoning, but I stopped as soon as everything I was sucking up was extremely cloudy, which could have been about a .5 - 1 gal left still. Also I don't know if 85 degree humid weather in the south caused any faster boil off. But my kettle is definitely a good bit taller than wide (like this one) and I had 12lbs of grain.
Pretty much this kit: http://www.homebrewing.org/Beginning-Homebrew-Kit_p_352.html
and a pot like so:
http://www.amazon.com/Winware-Professional-Aluminum-24-Quart-Stockpot/dp/B001CHKKZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420572656&sr=8-1&keywords=winware+3+gallon
would be cheapest. You need a bucket, pot and capper at the very least, the rest you can kind of fudge.
I built one and it was pretty easy and not very expensive considering. Warning: The following instructions are probably dangerous. This is what I did, and it's to demonstrate how simple it was to make.
It's maybe two hundred bucks and when combined with an inkbird it makes biab a breeze.
Decisions to make regarding my BIAB brew kettle, and hoping you can help.
Go with a Bayou Classic 16 gallon kettle with spigot for $161, or a keggle with a welded full coupling followed by a 1/2" compression NPT to 1/2" compression fitting to a diptube for $150.
I think it depends on what you want to do. If all you are going to do is 5 gallon extract then what you are looking at is likely fine.
If you decide to go to BIAB and want to do a full volume mash, then 8 gallons is going to be tight. You could always go the route of a separate mash tun in which case the 8 gallon boil kettle would be fine.
I was about to buy the same combo you are looking at when the Bayou Classic SS 44 qt was offered for sale on Amazon for $52. At that price it was a no brainer. It is currently offered on Amazon at $82 - not sure how often it goes on sale. https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1044-44-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000VXHKMC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481464938&sr=8-2&keywords=bayou+classic+44+qt
For a burner I picked up the bayou classic sq14. Seems like plenty of homebrewers use it with no problem. So far I have only fired it up to burn off the paint on the stand. I heated around 8 gallons of cold water to almost boiling (small bubbles) in around 20 minutes. I didn't take it to a boil as I was only interested in burning off the paint and didn't want to waste propane. I am confident this burner will work just fine. It runs around $40 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-Single-Burner-Patio/dp/B0009JXYQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481465286&sr=8-1&keywords=bayou+classic+sq14
EDIT: I should probably add that I bought the combo above with the intention of continuing to extract brew then look to get a BIAB bag and try some all grain. The 11 gallon size should let me do both.
EDIT 2: Just finished a full boil extract kit (a porter) with steeping grains. The sq14 burner has no problem bringing 6 gallons to a rolling boil on full blast. Once it was boiling it was no problem to back off on the regulator quite a bit to maintain a boil. The wort is in an ale pale with a packet of safale 04 yeast. I'm looking forward to tasting this in a few weeks. I had no worries about a boil over with the 44 qt bayou classic ss kettle. If you can wait you might want to keep an eye on pricing on Amazon to see if it drops again in price. I'm glad I went this route to give me flexibility.
Just ordered a 44 qt bayou classic yesterday. It was a tad cheaper yesterday,but is still a screaming deal at $72. Mine actually came with the steamer basket as well which I'll probably use as a false bottom for a BIAB bag. Ordered a low profile elbow diptube true bulkhead from brew hardware and a valve and a Wilder bag. Looking forward to giving it a go soon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VXHKMC/ref=sxl1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468443021&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65
This is the one I bought a few months ago. It works great http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008EMD6C0. I'm not doing full grain yet so this is more than sufficient for my current needs. When I expand it will be a nice part of a larger setup too. Might want to go larger if you can afford it. Get the built in thermometer. It's a life saver
I was looking at this one a few months back, but I wound up getting a much larger kettle without the built-in thermometer for roughly the same price.
It seemed like the ones with a thermometer were massively more expensive for the same volume, and on the handful of times I've used other people's built-in thermometers I haven't found them terribly accurate (although I'm assuming they can be calibrated). I just use a $10 candy thermometer that I check every so often so make sure it's still accurate.
I have been doing 5 gallon batches, but I will probably move up to ~7.5 My kettle. I brew outside pretty much exclusively now.
I've got this one and I love it.
It's large, got a thick bottom, all stainless, and cheap.
We use a big pot like this for canning jam; it's deep enough for the jars to be submerged and the wire rack holds the jars so they can be pulled out of the water easily. If you don't actually can the jam, it should keep in the fridge for a few weeks until the shower as long as it is going to be eaten there. You can also freeze jam instead of canning it.
I've brewed maybe 20 all grain batches in one of these and it's held up great, especially given the price.
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1036-Stainless-Steamer/dp/B0009JXYUA/
This is a great kettle for 5 gallon batches. Lots of us use this exact one. http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1044-44-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000VXHKMC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420666782&sr=8-1&keywords=44+quart+stainless
I got this one which is 16 gallon with a spigot and it works great. it is about the same price as the one you are looking at and if you decide to do 10 gallon batches or biab then you can.
I have one of these and put a 3 piece ball valve on it. I do BIAB and it has worked out great. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085ZODVO/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2/192-2574100-6087263?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=1QMD28GH6CWRA8Q2V4Y6&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_i=B0085ZNXZ6
I just bought this one that's twice the size for about the same price:
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1064-Stainless-16-Gallon/dp/B007V493PG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413908290&sr=8-1&keywords=bayou+classic+16+gallon
you lose the thermometer, but that's not a problem for me. Like other's are saying, you really want at least a 10gal for 5 gallon batches.
That's exactly what I did.
Actually, if you already have that much budgeted, this is the kettle I got for BIAB, and I'm very happy with it after 2 brews in it.
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1044-44-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000VXHKMC/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1419971421&sr=1-2
Any recommendations on a 10 gallon kettle that isn't too expensive? LBHS only has Blichmann stuff for $400+ or "economy kettles". I don't want something terrible but hoping something exists around $100 that can last me a few years at least that I can add my own spigot to down the road.
Not sure what to even look for really, so does anyone have recommendations or any feedback on this one?
https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1044-44-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000VXHKMC
Or should I go for a turkey fryer?
So let's talk physics and thermo dynamics... So the question is, will a smaller diameter brewkettle help keep the boil going? Will moving down to an 8gal kettle (which is the same size as the burner) solve the problem?
I started with a 5gal brew pot. Seems to work ok, but I still have concerns about topping off the wort with fresh out of the tap water to bring it to 5gals... I really want to do full 5gal boils.
After doing a bunch of reading here and homebrewtalk, I decided to skip the 8gal brew kettle and go right for the 10gal.
We're still brewing on the stove, it's a glass electric burner. Even on high, we needed the lid on to get the wort boiling. Once we'd take the lid off to stir it would lose the boil. (I have no idea what effect this would have on the beer... ^[1])
`<br /> <br /> Some numbers:<br /> <br />
`` `
` `
` `
So according to my calculations, it looks like there's a whole 88"^2 that is not being heated, but is letting off heat when I have the lid off my 10gal BK.
My hypothesis is, by switching to a narrower BK, I'll be able to boil the 5gal consistently because I'm adding heat in the same surface area I'm letting it go... (clumsily explained by a non scientist... I'm sure there's better science words to describe what I'm trying to impart...)
Thoughts?
Is it possible that my stove just isn't powerful enough to boil 5gal?
If I get a propane burner, I can't use that indoors, right? That seems like a bad idea to me... but brewing outdoors seems so... dirty? Error prone? we get a lot of "cotton" (from the cottonwoods) flying around here...
I'm working my way towards all grain brewing... if I have a 10Gal HLT can I use a 8 gal mash tun? the 8 gal I picked specifically for the false bottom...
What's reddit's opinion on Alum vs Stainless Steel? I did a comparison search for a SS pot and found this for $72 on the 44 QT size and $98 for the 62 QT size. Is it worth paying 20 bucks more? I was a little worried about the quality of the originally linked item due to a few reviews that said their pot came with holes or failed after a couple uses.
I picked up this aluminum pot (cover separate) and have been happy with the last 2 batches.
http://amzn.com/B001CHKKZK
Bayou Classic 1044 44-Quart Stainless-Steel Stockpot might save you some money. I have the 9 gallon of this pot and it is working great, but I haven't moved to all grain yet.
You can use those for brewing as long as the enamel stays chip free. Once it chips, you're going to want a new pot. Here's a stainless pot at 40 quarts for ~$50.
I think most stainless steel stock pots in the size you are looking for would do the trick just fine. You're going to have to look for the disc bottom types if you want to avoid absurd prices. This is the 'Best Buy' stock pot recommended by the fine folks at Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen. Cuisinart also made/makes a 16 qt. version, but it seems difficult to find.
Also check any restaurant supply stores you might have in your area. They will have large, thick aluminum pots that would work well, though may be pricey.
If you cannot afford/can't justifythe expense of All Clad then get Tramontina- it's the Brazilian equivalent and every bit as nice and durable. Available on Amazon or in most Walmarts.
Example
I ended up going with this pot from AIH and adding a ball valve from bargainfittings.com. Though it seems to be out of stock right now. Another one I looked at was the Bayou Classic, which goes for a similar price and has a ball valve pre-installed, you'd just need to add a hose barb. AIH also has 15gal keggles for $99 too. Those are probably the best deals if you don't DIY... FYI I personally don't see the point in a false bottom or therm on a boil kettle - maybe if you're doing BIAB a therm might be nice for mash temps, but still not entirely necessary IMO. Both the pots I linked are marked which will give you a rough idea of volume in the kettle, but if you go with a keggle installing a sight glass would probably be handy.
Here's the pot. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FNLTCU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
It's a 40QT stainless stock pot that I added a valve to. From the reviews I'd say the quality is pretty decent.
For probably $60 or less, you can get an 8 gallon stainless steel pot that you don't have to do any modifications to.
Something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1440-Stainless-Kettle/dp/B00MIA5OQK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1538489917&sr=8-6&keywords=10+gallon+stainless+kettle
&#x200B;
Depending on how much you want to spend, you can get one with a thermometer, valve, etc.
Here's a recent BIAB brewing scenario with 18.75 lb of grain in my 10 gal. SS pot:
5.25 post boil target + 1.7 gal. absorbed by the grains + 2.1 gal. boil-off for 1.5 hour = 9 gal. of water to start. That was about 1.5 in. from the top but when I added the bag of grains, it raised the water level to the very top.
Therefore, I'm now using this 15.5 gal. pot which might still be selling for $99 shipped. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VXD94A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Something is seriously funky with your link.
That looks nice, but I'm really interested in the valves for ease of transfer. Also, I've got enough existing kettles lying around that if I add one more I don't have to learn this BIAB process.
I would start with 6 gallon bucket $8.50 compared to morebeer buy a spigot and airlock as a starting point. Look for a sale on a 7 gallon pot and I think your good.
36 quart for $35 also a good deal.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JXYUA/?th=1&amp;psc=1
Non ref link
This is $72 prime http://amzn.com/B000VXHKMC
Weldless ball valve is $18 prime http://amzn.com/B00JT03TGE
$90 is a good deal.
Wort chiller or build an AG set up. I imagine I got my wort chiller before I went all grain or at the same time. Can't recall. For AG I used this. http://www.thescrewybrewer.com/2010/12/screwys-5-gallon-mash-tun.html some of the part number changed like 3-4 years ago, so now probably even more so. I bought an 40 qt aluminum kettle for about the cost of this, but I would have rather bought this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009JXYUA/
I have an old mini fridge that is just barely big enough for a 7 gallon bucket or a carboy with a blowoff tube. I operate the fridge with an stc-1000. It is roughly 2x3 and a few inches lower than countertop height. In my old house, it sat at the end of a galley style kitchen and I stuck a small butcher block on top of it and used it as additional countertop space.
I rarely have more than one beer fermenting at once so I find it to be sufficient for my needs.
EDIT: For what it's worth, I started doing all grain BIAB before I added my fermentation fridge. I started doing all grain in an effort to save money on ingredients, and it was a very very good move. I buy grains in bulk for about $0.50 per pound and supplement that with specialty grains from my local homebrew shop. I cut the price of a 5 gallon batch of beer in half when I switched to all grain, and all I added was this 10 gallon kettle and a cheap diy mesh bag.
As I started sharing my beer with friends and coworkers who didn't know it was homebrew, it became obvious that I needed to step up my game in the quality control department and a ferm chamber was number 1 on that list. I have also learned to do a much better job of protecting my beer from oxygen and I have learned a ton about recipes and making my own, but the ferm fridge is a critical component in my brewery.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VXHKMC/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1418770993&amp;sr=8-5&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
That's a popular option to get you started, but it depends on what size kettle/batches you want!
12 quarts. Nothing too expensive. Think $50, not $100. You want riveted handles, no exceptions.
Cuisinart is a brand name that has some fairly generic, totally fine options in the $40–70 range.
Cheap
Less cheap
Amazon also sells Winco, which is a brand you're likely to see at a kitchen supply store. Something like this is great.
On the extreme cheap end, Family Dollar actually carries a solidly-made 12qt stockpot for $10, but I gotta say it's made of such thin aluminum that it takes fucking forever to bring to a boil because the heat just seems to dissipate right off of it. I recommend Cuisinart or Winco, and don't suggest you look at anything by All-Clad. There is absolutely no reason to spend All-Clad money on a stock pot.
I would like to add to this, - http://beersmith.com/blog/2010/08/17/aluminum-vs-stainless-best-beer-brewing-pots/
Also for price comparison over the enamel pot - http://www.amazon.com/Winware-Professional-Aluminum-24-Quart-Stockpot/dp/B001CHKKZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1419981041&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=winware+stock+pot
My two cents is; if you're going to spend even $20 for that enamel, I would rather spend an extra $10 and get something that could potentially last your homebrewing life. Even if you move to stainless later to bling out, it's always handy to have an extra stock pot.
I've been using this one for the past two years and it has served me very well. I was even able to mark the sides with a punch to tell me how many gallons. I would also get a spray bottle for your sanitizer because it's so much easier. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FRJJSM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
A lot of stainless steel cookware is not magnetic, and therefore not compatible with an induction range.
Edit: I'm not sure why I'm being downvoted here. Quality stainless steel (18/10, 18/8) is NOT magnetic. Some manufacturers have started modifying their stainless steel to be magnetic but it's not at all uncommon for it to not be. This Cuisinart Stockpot for example, which is the very first Amazon result when you search for "stainless stockpot" (go to the question and answer section above the reviews for info on induction compatibility).
I've thought about this for sometime because i want to build out a van so i can do ski touring, and theirs not always a shower available. Anyways, I've thought maybe a 5 gallon pot with a thermometer, being heated on a burner might work. I don't think it would take long to heat up considering that it only needs to be heated to 39C / 102F or so. You could at this point poor that into a pump sprayer, or use a portable shower head and put the pump right into the pot. As to how to do it in the van, i've thought maybe if you sat on a small bench in a portable plastic tub, or built your own wooden tub to your own dimensions. Then just either pour out the water, or pour into a greywater jug. If you built your own tub, you could even install a little drain into it with a rubber stopper.
It's a pot made for for canning, so it's literally made for boiling water for an extended period of time. It's food-safe as well, if that's your intent.
I ordered this one about a year ago and have used it probably about 20 times since then. I love this pot and plan on installing a weld-less ball valve on it this weekend. Like what kds1398 said, the main downside is the size if you don't have a valve because once you get 7.5 gallons of wort in it she can get heavy. The only other really minor negative I can think of is that a lot of gunk and stuff gets caught and hidden under the little lip near the top, you just have to be careful when cleaning it but it's really no big deal. I would definitely buy this pot again.
I have a Bayou Classic 8 gallon rig. I have been very pleased with it, came with valves, themometer, and false bottom, couldn't be happier for under $200.
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-800-408-Stainless-11-8-Inch/dp/B008EMD6C0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452831903&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=bayou+classic+8-Gallon+Stainless+Steel+Brew+Kettle+Set
It's stainless steel.
https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1036-Stainless-Steamer/dp/B0009JXYUA
It was the first time we had used it and we cleaned it lightly with tap water. I'm cleaning it with PBW right now. We had used a smaller and lighter pot for our previous biab try's. The pot is certainly my suspicion as well
I just bought this kettle. As a BIAB brewer the insert is worth the extra money to me.
Or something that's built like Allclad, but at more affordable price. Many people have been recommending the Tramontina 12" ply pan .
Another one in the same price range but with a glass lid is available from BJ's Club. I believe non members can shop their website just the same. Living Home Kitchen 12" Stainless Steel Frying Pan
I'm in the same boat, looking to move from 8gal pot to 12-15 Here is the stuff I have had in my Amazon cart for the last 4 months.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O2T71FC
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CCKT1F6
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007V493PG
I just bought this kettle to use with a BIAB setup. bayou classic 44qt
I want to add a Ball Valve, Thermometer, and sight glass to it. Where should I get my equipment at??
I highly suggest one of these if your stove can fit it http://amzn.com/B000FRJJSM
I should also mention that one of the downsides of boiling your driftwood is that you remove most of the tannins. If you're in it for the tannins (blackwater aquarium), this might not be the best method.
Sidebar has some good stuff ->
I would say, don't bother starting with less than 5 gallon batches. You are going to work just as hard for so little beer. Get a cheap 15 gallon pot and you'll be set for life (stainless or aluminum). You can start will full boil extract and move to all-grain brew-in-a-bag for the cost of a mesh bag.
spend the $30 for a actual bag over a paint strainer bag. i would pay extra for the 15 gal over 10. a 10 will not handle anything over 13lbs of grain and a 90 min boil without sparging.
best bang for your buck kettle would be the Bayou classic with the ball valve on it.
i got my bag from Brewinabag.com.
thats all you need. i would reccomend buying a $20 refractometer off amazon to check gravities after mash and preboil. it will help you gauge if you need to boil longer before starting your additions or add DME to get your gravity where it needs to be.
I use this burner and this kettle.
This one, but I got it on sale for about $98.00 USD shipped.