# Cheap Pots @ Big W



## goatus (5/1/10)

In case anyone is interested, Big Dub have their cheapo stockpots on sale at the moment. Just picked up a 19L for $11.98. Bargain.

Might be of use to anybody wanting to try a stovetop mini-BIAB batch (might get 12L into the fermenter from that pot?)


Chris


P.S. Got mine from Belmont, WA. But Big W prices are usually national.


----------



## Bribie G (5/1/10)

goatus said:


> In case anyone is interested, Big Dub have their cheapo stockpots on sale at the moment. Just picked up a 19L for $11.98. Bargain.
> 
> Might be of use to anybody wanting to try a stovetop mini-BIAB batch (might get 12L into the fermenter from that pot?)
> 
> ...



Excellent for partials as well, I found with my 10L pot the most I could sensibly handle was a 1.5 kg grain bill. With a 19 L you can do a full volume BIAB with 3kg and probably get the 12 or 15 with a bit of a batch sparge, add a can of Coopers to the fermenter and your'e into partials for less than $25 with a bit of swiss voile and a big strainer from the cheap shop. Before I went AG I made some cracking beers with a stockpot and strainer and a bland kit such as Coopers or Morgans Canadian.


----------



## loftboy (5/1/10)

goatus said:


> P.S. Got mine from Belmont, WA. But Big W prices are usually national.



I've bought one in Port Macquarie, NSW, for the same price, so it looks like the same price nationally.


----------



## bullfrog (7/1/10)

loftboy said:


> I've bought one in Port Macquarie, NSW, for the same price, so it looks like the same price nationally.


Yeah, I grabbed two from Richmond, NSW yesterday. They had plenty there too, which was a surprise, as last time I was in there looking for pots, the biggest size I could find was 7L.


----------



## Murcluf (7/1/10)

I got one last week, thou I did think it was too thin for brewing, but fine for boiling water


----------



## RdeVjun (7/1/10)

Murcluf said:


> I got one last week, thou I did think it was too thin for brewing, but fine for boiling water


This has been suggested before and has me perplexed. :unsure: Why is it so? Burning?

For the record, I'll state that I use one of these thin 19L stainless stockpots for stovetop BIABing and have a handful of smaller ones as well, used mostly for dunk sparging and caramelising wort, although we do cook in them too. I doubt I would've been AGing so soon if not for them being so cheap and convenient but also with a host of alternate uses. I encourage the AG- curious to get one for the $30 BIAB trial setup, while they also make an excellent steamer for 'sterilising'* starter wort in glass bottles/ flasks and yeast handling.

I'm not trying to contradict you Murcluf, I myself am finding them just great for brewing so wonder if I'm missing something. :icon_cheers: 

* Yes, I realise that steaming is not quite the same as sterilising, but is close enough for our purposes IMO.


----------



## jetman (7/1/10)

Thanks heaps for that mate I went to buy one elsewhere yesterday and they were all in excess of $100.

It was an awesome stroke of luck this morning just before I went out to spend that exbortitant amount I checked the forum to see what else i'd need to go AG and found your post, I definately owe you a beer mate, Cheers


----------



## goatus (7/1/10)

Glad to help.

Gonna try my first BIAB mini-batch in this sucker this weekend. Hopefully my piddly electric stove can keep a rolling boil at 15L =)


----------



## Andrew Coleman (8/1/10)

SNAP! good buy ay! :icon_cheers:


----------



## phinnsfotos (8/1/10)

Went past the Canberra Gungahlin Big W and they were still scanning at $20. I asked one of the girls about the price and got a vacant stare. Hmmmm


----------



## komodo (8/1/10)

I've got a couple. I use one in side the other as a double boiler for making cheese which works wonderfully as its a massive amount of thermal mass.
I've also used them for my original 3V brewery where I used to split the boil over two pots on the stove. Now I'm just awaiting my 70L pot from Beerbelly 
All In all they are great pots for liquid use. Dont try using them for making great loads of bolognese sauce though. I've tried and failed twice. the thin metal doesn't dissipate the heat and it just scorches (which is the reason why I use them in a double boiler arrangement for cheese making) and burns the crap out of the mince! A lot of elbow grease is required to clean it - the second time I did it I just went and bought another pot when they were on sale again and got rid of the one I ruined. 

I think value for money entry AG gear (especially for small/split BIAB brews) you cant go past them to at least get you off to a running start. I wouldn't want to suggest any one try carrying one with hot wort around though as the metal and handles could break with a full load!

Having said all this - ally pots of 40L size can be picked up for about $60-$80 if you look to the right stores and might offer a better option to many - no point saving a but to make more work / less predictable results IMO - of course YMMV.


----------



## jbowers (8/1/10)

Komodo said:


> I've got a couple. I use one in side the other as a double boiler for making cheese which works wonderfully as its a massive amount of thermal mass.
> I've also used them for my original 3V brewery where I used to split the boil over two pots on the stove. Now I'm just awaiting my 70L pot from Beerbelly
> All In all they are great pots for liquid use. Dont try using them for making great loads of bolognese sauce though. I've tried and failed twice. the thin metal doesn't dissipate the heat and it just scorches (which is the reason why I use them in a double boiler arrangement for cheese making) and burns the crap out of the mince! A lot of elbow grease is required to clean it - the second time I did it I just went and bought another pot when they were on sale again and got rid of the one I ruined.
> 
> ...



Hey man, where abouts are you finding aluminium pots for 60-80?


----------



## goatus (8/1/10)

was in big w again today picking up a 20L water container to use as a fermenter, looks like the sales over.. 19L pots back to $20 =(


----------



## Nick JD (8/1/10)

SWMBO just got me the last one on the shelf at Burleigh BigW ... but  it was $20. Oh well - I figure I'd better start doing HUGE batches instead of using a 15L pot.


----------



## bit (10/1/10)

Bought Big W 19L pot few days ago and used it today to boil water. During cleaning time I noticed sings of rust inside the pot.  I used it only once? Has anyone got similar problem with these pots?

Beers,
~ bit


----------



## Midnight Brew (10/1/10)

I couldnt find these cheapies at Big W so I went to kmart and got a 15.1 litre pot. Used it for the first time tonight and what a beauty she is, no longer have to worry about adding my malt without the pot overflowing due to the malt to water ratio in my pot boiling. Works a treat, easy for me to add all the malt towards the end. Christened it with an Aussie Pale Ale  :beerbang: 

Dickman


----------



## MattC (7/2/10)

Saw these 19L pots this morning at Ballina Big W for $20. Thinking of using it for some decoction mashing. I am however concerned about the thickness of the base and how it may scorch the mash. I could utilise a heat diffuser possibly, but then I may as well just buy a pot with a thicker base..

Wanted to hear from others who have use these pots and their opinions.

Cheers


----------



## piraterum (7/2/10)

I found a 15L pot from Big W in Penrith for $17. I've been using it to make partials using 2kg of grain (10L Boil volume) for a few years now with no probs. Occasionally malt sticks to the bottom on high heat but it removes easily if you soak it in brewers detergent.


----------

