Brewing Pot For Ag

[RhysPieces]

Hi Guys,

Been lurking for a while so figured I'd join up. I am looking to give my first BIAB a go so bought all the grain and everything I needed to get started. I figured getting a big pot from Kmart or the likes would be easy but..... nope! At the moment I have what would be a 10L pasta pot, but was looking to go bigger. At this stage I would probably be better off going for smaller pots (maybe around 20L?) and doing smaller batches to see what I do and don't like. Can anyone recommend a place to get them from? Most seem ridiculously expensive!

Also found this bargain for a ~75 litre pot:
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1082-S...nless+steel+pot

About $200 delivered.

 

[RdeVjun]

If you're after a bargain, big double ewe has the 19L stainless stockpot for around 20 clams. Far cry from a few hundred, its a big risk for a novice brewer to just try all- grain brewing.
FWIW, I used exactly that kettle on the weekend, made a batch of English Bitter, about to pitch right now.

 

[Arghonaut]

If you're after a bargain, big double ewe has the 19L stainless stockpot for around 20 clams. Far cry from a few hundred, its a big risk for a novice brewer to just try all- grain brewing.
FWIW, I used exactly that kettle on the weekend, made a batch of English Bitter, about to pitch right now.

Is the bayou a good quality pot? Was considering getting one of these jobbies from ebay:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/350628173019?ss...984.m1423.l2649

works out to $200 delivered, but nervous about spending my hard earned on it. I got in touch with someone who had bought one and left feedback, he said it was good but not great quality.

Would the bayou from Amazon be a better option?

 

[jaypes]

If you are in Sydney these guys have 32L cheap - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/190730988926?ss...#ht_3894wt_1139

 

[Danielscott26]

I brought a 50 litre alloy pot with lid from commercial kitchenware for $95. Any commercial kitchen shop will have a large range to choose from. I brought a weldless ball valve from craftbrewer and its fantastic really easy to use and I can do full ag batches.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

as an introductory pot - go with the 19L big W pot for under $20

Dont drill it or fit a valve or anything, then you can use it for smaller batches to try your hand for a while & if you decide you dont like brewing, you have a handy big arsed pasta pot that was cheap - if you do like brewing, there are ways (ways which i dont personally recommend, but which other people are fine with) that you can use that pot to make full sized BIAB batches - or you can upsize to a bigger pot for around $100-150 for a commercial aluminium pot or a cheap stainless pot and do easy full sized BIAB (or a differnt sort of brewing that involves more vessels) and you'll find that the 19L jobbie is still a handy thing to have around the house and brewery. I have a needlessly complicated RIMS system with all the bells and whistles... and the bigW 19L pot still gets use in my brewing on a fairly regular basis.

cheap, will get you started nicely, will certainly not be a waste no matter what you decide to do down the track.

TB

 

[Jay Cee]

as an introductory pot - go with the 19L big W pot for under $20

cheap, will get you started nicely, will certainly not be a waste no matter what you decide to do down the track.

Agree with this. When you do upscale your equipment, they make for a very handy brewery bucket for things like transferring water, milling grain into and whatnot. Money well spent for something that will never become redundant.

 

[Mardoo]

Agreed with the 19l. Start off simply and inexpensively. I'm totally inclined to go whole hog and SO VERY glad I haven't. You can always get some of these for your rig later down the line http://www.bullsnuts.com.au/

 

[QldKev]

if you want full size, check out craftbrewer, 70l pot uner 200

 

[RhysPieces]

if you want full size, check out craftbrewer, 70l pot uner 200

I was eyeing that off, but it says that it's currently not available?

I've got my hops in the freezer, yeast in the fridge, 5kg of grains sitting at home. How long will they last? I've got like 3 different kinds of hops at home. I think I was given the run around when I went in to the brew shop. Is using 3 different kinds of hops normal for a starter brew?

 

[Diesel80]

For a pot you can also check out your local Reward Distribution outlet.
They are a country wide (assume you are in Aus) catering /restaraunt supply company. Hit them up on google.

Got my 80L Aluminium pot there for about $140, They had all sizes from 2L up to 100L if i recall correctly. This was in Northbridge perth. Prices are decent, you will need to open a temporary cash account to buy from them though, can be done on the spot.

I will go back there for a smaller pot soon as I want to be able to brew two different batches in parallel on brew days, which are more scarce over perth summer (too f*cking hot).

Cheers,
D80

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Big W Pot FTW. I use 2 as the ghetto-est 3V system in the world.

Hey, it makes great beer, and has never cost me much money.

If I do upgrade, it'll be to a larger pot on a decent burner, but the one advantage I have is that I do full sized (up to 37L at a pinch) brews on the stove - a couple of which have placed in comps. So whilst it's cheap, certainly not nasty.

Goomba

 

[RhysPieces]

Big W Pot FTW. I use 2 as the ghetto-est 3V system in the world.

Hey, it makes great beer, and has never cost me much money.

If I do upgrade, it'll be to a larger pot on a decent burner, but the one advantage I have is that I do full sized (up to 37L at a pinch) brews on the stove - a couple of which have placed in comps. So whilst it's cheap, certainly not nasty.

Goomba

This si something I've thought about as well. Using two pots would allow me to make two slightly different brews at the same time (see the effects of changing the hops for example) or brewing one big batch in two separate pots. Is this manageable? I have a pretty decent gas stove at home.

Also worried my old fermenter is infected. It smells and passes on taste and I can't get rid either no matter how much I clean it. It ferments ginger beer well but nothing else. Thsi could be a good way to test, but I get the feeling it'll only tell me what I already pretty much know.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

This si something I've thought about as well. Using two pots would allow me to make two slightly different brews at the same time (see the effects of changing the hops for example) or brewing one big batch in two separate pots. Is this manageable? I have a pretty decent gas stove at home.

I've done both with BIAB on the stovetop - two brews at the same time, and two brews combined into one.

Now (see my signature) I use a ghetto bucket in bucket lauter, which gives me lots more capacity (as I'm not sticking grain in the same pot I'm using as the kettle, hence no worries about absorbtion).

I use an electric (relatively newish) stovetop and get a decent rolling boil on it, so I'd say gas would pass with flying colours.

Goomba

 

[sponge]

Also worried my old fermenter is infected. It smells and passes on taste and I can't get rid either no matter how much I clean it. It ferments ginger beer well but nothing else. Thsi could be a good way to test, but I get the feeling it'll only tell me what I already pretty much know.

How are you cleaning your fermenters?

I normally fill with a mix of napisan and hot water and leave for 2-3 days, then rinse out a few times and store with a small amount of starsan.

Should remove most flavours/smells/infections.

I have also heard that leaving the fermenter in the sun after the napisan treatment helps remove any nasty smells as well. I haven't had to do this myself so am unsure of how well it works, but is another option.

Worst case scenario is you throw that one out and fork out another ~$20 on a new one.

 

[RhysPieces]

How are you cleaning your fermenters?

I normally fill with a mix of napisan and hot water and leave for 2-3 days, then rinse out a few times and store with a small amount of starsan.

Should remove most flavours/smells/infections.

I have also heard that leaving the fermenter in the sun after the napisan treatment helps remove any nasty smells as well. I haven't had to do this myself so am unsure of how well it works, but is another option.

Worst case scenario is you throw that one out and fork out another ~$20 on a new one.

I've been dumping about a cup of unscented bleach in with hot water (about 50 degrees) and letting it soak overnight. I have also done it with the pink powder cleaner. No dice.

I have already bought a new fermenter to give a go, just wondering if this one is even worth hanging on to or doing anything but ginger beer in (seriously my last ginger beer batch was the best I've ever had).

 

[sponge]

I've got a fermenter I use for family functions when they want ginger beer/cider.

Doesn't really matter if the ginger flavour doesnt come out and just use that seperately for those sort of brews.

As long as its not an infection, and is just 'ginger residue' then you shouldnt really have a problem

 

[RhysPieces]

I've got a fermenter I use for family functions when they want ginger beer/cider.

Doesn't really matter if the ginger flavour doesnt come out and just use that seperately for those sort of brews.

As long as its not an infection, and is just 'ginger residue' then you shouldnt really have a problem

The problem I have is sort of the other way around. There is an 'off' beer scent and taste in the fermenter, which the ginger beer either didn't pick up or has somehow adapted into its flavour. Brewing beer in it seems to pass on the taste and smell.

 

[Jay Cee]

I think I was given the run around when I went in to the brew shop. Is using 3 different kinds of hops normal for a starter brew?

Sure, why not? There's no rules on brewing ingredients but for the ones youu impose on yourself. Assuming you got 3 x 100g lots (and not the 'teabags', which are a total ripoff) , then they won't go to waste. Keep them in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge

 

[Jay Cee]

The problem I have is sort of the other way around. There is an 'off' beer scent and taste in the fermenter, which the ginger beer either didn't pick up or has somehow adapted into its flavour. Brewing beer in it seems to pass on the taste and smell.

fifteen bucks, a roll of gladwrap and a trip to bunnings will fix that. Buy another vessel.