Pot size, can you have to big a pot?

[kelbygreen]

I am looking at getting a new pot for my all grain beer set up as I have alloy one now and its getting stained on the inside, I am looking at 70lt pot but seen a 95lt SS pot for $185 which is to good to pass up.

I want to try to adapt the lid to have a pot still set up so I can use it for both still and boiler for beer. Is this a bad Idea to mix the 2? should I have a dedicated pot for both?

Also will 95lts be to big? I was going to do a 25-30lt wash but my fermenting fridges one can fit 1 fermenter and the other can fit 2 fermenters so I could make 2 x 30lt wash I guess and use that, I will always want a beer fermenting all the time so ether will have 2 beers and 1 wash or 2 wash and 1 beer, Or just ferment the wash out of the fridges not sure how critical the temp has to be.

Oh I run a gas AG set up so I have a italian spiral burner and a 3 ring burner on a HP adjustable reg.

Cheers

[MacStill]

Thers a few of us here that enjoy having a 100l boiler, some even larger..... Reckon you won't regret the step up :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[kelbygreen]

so will I be able to boil the beer and spirits in the same pot (not at the same time of coarse :P ) being SS and if its cleaned well I cant see a issue.

My Alloy one I just rub clean as being alloy I dont want to use harsh chemicals on it but the brew today the alloy has absorbed all the colour and that cant be a good thing if its sucking up crap then the metal must be getting in the beer I would think. Not sure if I should use it as a mash tun or just scrap it.

I could get my hands on a 50lt keg for a still and that may be a better option anyway as it will be easier to attach to and wont have to worry about volume to much, Will see if LHBS has some old ones left.

[Kimbo]

I'm not a big fan of using Alloy.
I think you will be much happier using S/S

[kelbygreen]

yeah was never going to use it in a still. I should of got SS to start with but trying to save money and went alloy, less then a year later now I am looking for a SS pot. So the money saving is not real great.

just questioning the quality of this pot as its so cheap, I will have to talk to the seller a bit about it. I can got 70lt option but would like to do tripple batches of beer, It would be pushing my MT but its not impossible. I could do them now without full boil but dont like that idea lol.

Only problem I see is the lid for a still trying to get it to seal and also if its strong enough. I am sure people run them from stockpots just not sure the arrangement they have for the lid.

[5 o'clock]

Contemplating boiler design.

I want to know if smaller might sometimes be better and can't find a definitive answer. This is the closest I have found but it doesn't really answer my question.

I will need a proper boiler for my new still, currently just running an electric element in a 12 litre cooking pot.

When I upgrade to a keg, is 50 litres too big if I only ever ferment in 30 litre fermenters so my wash volume is (currently) no more than 25 litres. I am unlikely to run multiple fermenters at the same time.

If a keg is only half full is it inefficient as a boiler?

Does anyone ever pack their boiler with anything to decrease head space and if so what? I am thinking rocks at the bottom of the boiler ( not contacting the element) or something suspended in the airspace at the top,

Cheers,

Richard

Am I going to be better off looking for a smaller keg?

[kelbygreen]

I only do 25-30lts into a 50lt keg thats fine. As long as the element will be covered the whole time you will be right and 25lts you should have plenty in there unless the elements 1/4 the way up the keg

[Yummyrum]

@ 5 o'clock
Head space in a boiler is fine .It allows space for foam and reduces the occurrence of puking in my experience .

When ever I have had a full boiler,I have had issues

[Kimbo]

@ 5 o'clock
Head space in a boiler is fine .

I only do 25-30lts into a 50lt keg thats fine. As long as the element will be covered the whole time you will be right and 25lts you should have plenty in there unless the elements 1/4 the way up the keg

:text-+1: I more often than not run my 4" bubbler, with a 50L keg with only 20L in it.

[Cane Toad]

Love your equipment list Kimbo :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

[Kimbo]

Love your equipment list Kimbo :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

:laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: Geez I was gunna go bigger but I thought I might get labelled as "A known Bootlegger" :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

[bt1]

Howdy,

For rums head space is a good idea but spot of anti foam or vege oil achieves the same result. Pity to waste space in a 50lt imho. Run about 45lt fill no issues.

If I was doing 25lt washes consistently I'd be looking at a 30lt SS keg...saves on heating costs and would have enough head space.

For UJSM's other than high protein washes (Rye, full wheat) 2 -3 cm from neck is well ok and allows about 47lt fill...High protein are possible pukers so either adjust wash with protein break for a good length of time or increase head space or same again vege oil fixes the issue.

Here for product after all and hate wasting heat.

bt1