# Brew Pot Size selection



## Newts (8/4/13)

Hi all, 

I'm looking at buying a new brew pot and I've just been to our local shop and checked out the options.

I currently have only a 10L pot, and I'm looking at going bigger. The stainless pots I looked at were 20L, 30L, 40L and 50L. I'm currently working on extract brewing and at some point I imagine I'll try all grain - with this in mind is bigger always better?

I was about to buy the 50L pot then I actually considered that each batch I've done is a max of 23L in size. Also, I'm looking at brewing on my gas stove, I'm not even sure it would boil a full 23L volume and the pot is much wider than the 40L in which case I'll only get a certain portion of the bottom of the pot over the flame - don't think this would be a big deal but thought I'd include the info. Pricing isn't a huge issue but the 20L pot is $60, the 30-50L are similar in price around the $120 mark.

From what I've read everyone is saying that doing a full boil is a better option (which I'm leaning toward with our chlorine dosed water but unsure if our burner will do it) and that a bigger pot allows you to do more and prevents boil overs. I can see the 50L pot being harder to move around and I'm not sure I need that volume.

If anyone can point me to a good resource for this information or provide the info it would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Newts


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## manticle (8/4/13)

40-50 L is a good size if you are making 23 L size batches. I wouldn't go under 40L.

I make 22 L batches in the main and use a 50 L keggle. With my evaporation rate I need to start with about 32 L in the kettle. In a 40 L, I would be pushing close to (fairly manageable) boilovers. Anything less and each brew would be a mess.


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## keifer33 (8/4/13)

I wouldn't go less than 50l. You can get an electric over the side element for $130 ish which will boil 30ish down to 20ish easily if your stove can't hack it. If you go to all grain and decide BIAB is where you want to go then the 50lt just gives you more room to move.


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## Dave70 (8/4/13)

Go the 50L. Even for a 23L brew you're looking in the order of 30 + liters of boiling water. Toss in a handful of hops and watch it go. 
Go for a taller rather than wider pot with a heavy base. 
You're right in assuming that you're pushing shit uphill trying to do a full boil on a stove top. 

If you've got a grinder and some cutting discs, a converted keg is hard to beat, for a few bucks more and old ring burner and esky and braid will see you doing all grain.

Don't faff about, AG is a a piece of piss.


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## mikec (8/4/13)

I use a 40L and ALMOST had a boil over last weekend. 
So yeah, 50L.


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## angus_grant (8/4/13)

I did quite a few calculations when designing my brew rig and 50L was about the smallest you can go with full volume mashes and boils.

For instance, my BIAB batch on Sunday required 37L strike water. Assuming I had a 40L pot once I added the grain I would have had overflow. All of a sudden you aren't doing full volume mashes and have to sparge your grain and add to pot once grain removed. Pain in the arse and just makes things complicated for a few $$$'s

50L pot I had about 8 or 9 cms of spare space in the pot once grain added and mashing. Obviously a lot more room when boiling.

And unless you are very strong, you will not be shifting 35 litres of water + 10kg stainless pot. Oh, and don't forget to factor in 100 degree wort. You won't want to shift it anywhere. Even a 40L pot full of boiling wort would be a worry to lift and carry somewhere.

And really take on board Dave's comment about taller rather than wider pot. I had to build a dome for my 2400W electric heating element system as the boil was too weak. Most of the kitchen pots are square, where-as brew pots (and urns) are tall and narrow. My pot is 40 cms high and 40cms in diameter. Once boiling I also lose about 18% to evaporation over an hour. You generally want around 10% so I have to add I more strike water to make sure of the post-boil volume.


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## bradmccoy (23/4/13)

I'm looking into getting a pot and burner too. Anyone have any advice on best places in Brisbane? Should I just go to the brew shop (Brewer's Choice) or is it worth looking at kitchen supply shops and hardware stores?

@Dave70 I'd love to build a keggle, but where does one get a steel keg from?


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## Womball (23/4/13)

Dunno if this helps, but I my first AG setup is 3 x 70L stainless pots from Ross at CraftBrewer in Brisbane at around $150ea. What I found by accident was that this is a great setup for double batching AG brews (42-46 litres per batch), but also allows single batch brewing as well. I use Rambo burners for both the HLT and Kettle which is great for getting to temp fairly quickly. I have a couple of mates that have been in AG for a while and they have effectively copied my system cause it's an easy setup and effective.

If you want to stay with the stove top setup it won't suit, but it's an option if you can afford the expense.


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## sp0rk (23/4/13)

Craftbrewer


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## bradmccoy (23/4/13)

Womball said:


> I use Rambo burners


Where did you get the burners from?


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## fletcher (23/4/13)

if you can go bigger, do it. i have a smallish stove top so am kinda restricted to a 20L pot and boiling over gravity. it's not bad, but i'd much prefer just the one water addition and be done with it. if your stove can fit 50L, go for it i say. could the base of the pot be used over multiple burners on your stove? that can assist the boil too.


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## Adr_0 (23/4/13)

bradmccoy said:


> I'm looking into getting a pot and burner too. Anyone have any advice on best places in Brisbane? Should I just go to the brew shop (Brewer's Choice) or is it worth looking at kitchen supply shops and hardware stores?
> 
> @Dave70 I'd love to build a keggle, but where does one get a steel keg from?


Try Becon Catering at Salisbury? Look them up online. Throw $10 on top of prices for delivery, or pick it up.


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## stux (23/4/13)

My first big pot was a 50L.

Great size for a single batch. Not so great for a double.

If you think you'll be doing doubles, then get a 70L! otherwise go the 50L

(or perhaps consider a 40L urn)


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## kegs23 (23/4/13)

70l pot perfect for doubles ,,,,,,50l pot just a little hard to do doubles saying that i did a few in the 50l,,,,,,,,,just buy a gas ring burner from camping store the you can make all the mess in the garage or out side


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## Womball (23/4/13)

bradmccoy said:


> Where did you get the burners from?


Craftbrewer, but you can get them cheaper on ebay. If you do, also get the adjustable pressure high flow propane regulators which will help getting the gas pressure right.

Here's a link to my AG setup while I was building it, might give you an idea or two: http://www.aussiehom...mp;#entry944108


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## buxtronix (24/4/13)

A single burner is unlikely to get a 23L batch to boil, but who says you have to use a single burner? My setup here has the 50L pot straddling all four burners.







This is the measured heating profile of this setup (with 20L of water):






Works well for me, and a lot less hassle than a dedicated rig (I only brew once a month or so).


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## tricache (24/4/13)

I would trip over something in your setup in a heartbeat :lol: but hey if the system works run with it, I'm just extremely uncoordinated


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## Dave70 (24/4/13)

bradmccoy said:


> I'm looking into getting a pot and burner too. Anyone have any advice on best places in Brisbane? Should I just go to the brew shop (Brewer's Choice) or is it worth looking at kitchen supply shops and hardware stores?
> 
> @Dave70 I'd love to build a keggle, but where does one get a steel keg from?


Keep your eyes open. They're out there.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/15-5-Gallon-Stainless-Steel-Beer-Keg-Home-Brewing-Wine-Making-Moonshine-miller-/350773998737?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51abc27491


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## Dave70 (24/4/13)

buxtronix said:


> A single burner is unlikely to get a 23L batch to boil, but who says you have to use a single burner? My setup here has the 50L pot straddling all four burners.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I could just picture that in my kitchen.

Followed by my wife kicking me in the nuts.


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## Danielscott26 (24/4/13)

I went the 50 litre alloy pot and use a 3 ring burner it works great.


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## BeerNess (24/4/13)

40L Urn or 50L SS pot is a minimum imo for any 19-23l batches of BIAB or AG, plan for the future & Pay Once Cry Once. Making the jump from extract to BIAB/AG is so easy and fun i can't believe it was ever scary before i tried it, let alone took me so damned long!


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (24/4/13)

BeerNess said:


> 40L Urn or 50L SS pot is a minimum imo for any 19-23l batches of BIAB or AG, plan for the future & Pay Once Cry Once. Making the jump from extract to BIAB/AG is so easy and fun i can't believe it was ever scary before i tried it, let alone took me so damned long!


Your experience bears out this fact and has been had many many times.

It's a matter of helping our extract and K&K cousins who are avoiding this jump out of fear to realise it isn't that bad. Those who stick with it for time/ease/cost of equipment aren't an issue.

But the amount of K&K/extract brewers that convince _other_ extract/K&K brewers that AG is way too hard - when in fact they aren't speaking from a position of experience blows me away. Experiences like this (and there are many) are more convincing as it shows from a recent K&K/extract brewer that it can be done and it isn't that scary.


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## Nick JD (24/4/13)

Dave70 said:


> I could just picture that in my kitchen.
> 
> Followed by my wife kicking me in the nuts.


Not allowing men to destroy the kitchen with brewing is a form of emotional abuse.


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## tricache (24/4/13)

Nick JD said:


> Not allowing men to destroy the kitchen with brewing is a form of emotional abuse.


I still think the kitchen sink is the cleanest thing in the house, with all the cleaner and starsan that has gone into it it might be cleaner than a hospital!!


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## buxtronix (24/4/13)

Dave70 said:


> I could just picture that in my kitchen.
> 
> Followed by my wife kicking me in the nuts.


SWMBO is quite tolerant of my kitchen brewing...a few grumbles in jest especially if she wants to cook, but does like the end result 

As for the trip-potential, the hoses are only there for chilling otherwise it's just one big pot on the stove.


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## Nick JD (24/4/13)

You can judge a woman on how far she'll let you go in the kitchen.

This is a euphemism-free post, although it doesn't sound that way.


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## bradmccoy (25/4/13)

Dave70 said:


> I could just picture that in my kitchen.
> 
> Followed by my wife kicking me in the nuts.


Hahaha yep.

Wouldn't the different burners make for really uneven heat on the bottom of the pot as well?


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## Blitzer (28/4/13)

I found this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BRAND-NEW-STAINLESS-STEEL-50LTR-BREW-KETTLE-STD-BASE-HLT-MASH-TUN-BOILER-BEER-/251261474514?pt=AU_Barware&hash=item3a8059d6d2&_uhb=1#ht_1554wt_1163 the other day.
50L with ball valve & thermo for would it be good? I'm thinking I may get this as I would have a hard time trying to fit the valve or thermometer myself.. not great with that type of thing


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## buxtronix (29/4/13)

bradmccoy said:


> Hahaha yep.
> Wouldn't the different burners make for really uneven heat on the bottom of the pot as well?


Not really. Its as uneven as an electric element.

Convection ensures all the wort gets boiled.


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## mikec (29/4/13)

Blitzer said:


> I found this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BRAND-NEW-STAINLESS-STEEL-50LTR-BREW-KETTLE-STD-BASE-HLT-MASH-TUN-BOILER-BEER-/251261474514?pt=AU_Barware&hash=item3a8059d6d2&_uhb=1#ht_1554wt_1163 the other day.
> 50L with ball valve & thermo for would it be good? I'm thinking I may get this as I would have a hard time trying to fit the valve or thermometer myself.. not great with that type of thing


Looks OK on the face of it.
You'd probably pay similar or a bit more if you built one yourself, and you'd have to do the work.
That said, you have to wonder whether the pot is an el-cheapo special, do a search here for "Handy Imports" and you'll see the kind of products that make it into this country.


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