Why are kettles so much $$?

Jeff800 · Joined: 09 Feb 2017 Posts: 7 Location: Eastern Washington

Hello I'm trying to get restarted brewing after 8 years dormant, brewed extract 5 gallon batches. I have been looking for new kettles wow they are expensive. So I will just throw this out there any ideas for kettles? I have looked at Spike, Blichmann, Anchor, going the keggle route.

I'm looking at going with a 3 kettle system most likely electric, though I have gas burners and could transition to electric down the road.

I have looked at Kal's system (drool) and the Spike brewing setup around $5000, anyway just wondering what others have done to get started.
Thanks Jeff

Ozarks Mountain Brew · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 3:11 am Post subject:

look at concord kettles

ParadiseBrew · Joined: 09 Dec 2014 Posts: 83 Location: paradise, ca

wait for the norther brewer 20% off and buy undrilled megapots... for 20+ gallons at $200 they are worth the extra $100 over a concord...

JSB · Joined: 17 Oct 2016 Posts: 125 Location: NE Ohio

terrell · Joined: 27 Dec 2016 Posts: 3

I started with a cheap turkey fryer doing extract kits, then upgraded to a keggle with propane, then upgraded to a bayou classic/cooler setup, and finally ended up going electric with Blichmanns. Every step of the way I tried to save a bit of money, and every time it ended up costing me more money.

I tell everyone who is interested in brewing the same thing now - if you want to dip your toe in as a hobby, borrow a pot from someone, or even better, find someone with a 10 gallon system and share on ingredients and brew days, and start with just fermenting and packaging on your own. If you are committed enough to start buying your own gear, assume you are going to want to do 10 gallon batches at some point, and invest in at least a 15 gallon kettle from a reputable vendor. As much as I love my new kettles, the bayou classics are a decent enough kettle for how much cheaper they are (15 gallons go on sale at amazon for ~$100), and the megapots seem really sturdy (which depending on how much you move them around could be a plus or a minus.

**kal** · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 1:06 pm Post subject:

ParadiseBrew · Joined: 09 Dec 2014 Posts: 83 Location: paradise, ca

Kal is right, Blichmann are the best but the cost is almost twice what a mega pot is (beer does not care what it's boiled in). Jeff, there is a deal at NortherBrewer going on right now for 20% a single item.. this would bring the 20gal pot down to $200... you can also get the all-grain kit with megapot 20's and get a false bottom and holes and more... with the 20% off it's down to $600... just saying they are good pot's and personal i like not cleaning a sight glass on my BK.

**kal** · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 6:47 pm Post subject:

Jeff800 · Joined: 09 Feb 2017 Posts: 7 Location: Eastern Washington

**kal** · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:34 pm Post subject:

itsnotrequired · Joined: 15 Sep 2015 Posts: 177 Location: central wi

regarding sight glasses, i have them on all three vessels but could skip the hlt in my opinion. i use the mlt glass for fly sparging. i set the flow i want into the boil kettle and then tweak the flow from the hlt such that they match. i could do so by opening the lid since heat loss while sparging isn't that big a deal but it would get annoying after a while, imo. kal is correct about watching the boil level, it is pretty darn hard to get an accurate assessment looking in the kettle, even with internal markings. the level does jump around a bit in the sight glass but not nearly as much as in the kettle itself.

i personally use spike kettles since it gave me everything i wanted at a slightly lower price point than blichmann. true that beer doesn't really care what it is made in but these sturdier, higher-end pots will last a lifetime. with great care, the thinner ones will as well but there is always the possibility of dropping it and bending it or something like that. i don't even think about that with mine. the spike kettle do have a thickened bottom for induction brewing. i don't need it and it does make the kettle heavier for what i want to do with it but so it goes. note that if you ever want to go the induction route, the blichmann's will not work, as with most other kettles.

**kal** · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:54 pm Post subject:

One thing's for sure: There's definitely a lot more choices than there used to be for kettles, so take your time and figure out what makes sense to you. Be weary of anyone who says "brand XYZ is the best!" if they know nothing about how you brew.

Kal

perogi · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 12:48 am Post subject:

"How much are you guys moving these 20 gallon kettles?" - On a cold (< 20 degrees F) up two flights of stairs. Warmer weather up the bulkhead to the hose to wash out.

itsnotrequired · Joined: 15 Sep 2015 Posts: 177 Location: central wi

once my hlt is emptied, i set it on the floor to dry it out. the mlt gets moved 5' over to the sink for a rinse out, then to the floor for drying. bk gets tipped into the adjacent sink for a rinse out, floor to dry. then they all go back on the brew stand. i also set my mlt on the floor when kegging, placing the carboy on the table where the mlt normally sits. so i move them around a little bit but not all over the place.

i remember taking my mlt and bk upstairs and outside to clean the first time i brewed. that was a pain in the ass, only happened once.

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 4:10 pm Post subject:

I clean all my tanks where they sit. Don't move any at any point. Don't see a reason to move them.

Ozarks Mountain Brew · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 5:06 pm Post subject:

I dump my mash tun and boil kettle and take each to the sink and spray out very well along with my false bottom, I don't move my HLT at all

perogi · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:32 pm Post subject:

I wish I had the ability to clean them in my basement... that would be epic.

wscottcross · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 5:50 pm Post subject:

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 8:25 pm Post subject:

I'm lucky that my brewery is above the drain lines. I'm also very glad to have a sink, floor drain, and 15' water hose with sprayer in the brewery. I don't think I could live without any of those items.