Choosing a Kettle

One of the first purchases that the new homebrewer makes is a suitable kettle for a full wort boil. The choices are myriad and will depend greatly on what you really want from your kettle. You can go cheap or break the bank, it just all depends. Here are some things to consider when making your decision.

First, a kettle has some basic requirements:

1. It has to be big enough to hold the entire wort volume, plus the boil off, plus head space for hot break formation and foaming. Count on at least 8 gallons for a 5 gallon batch, and 14 gallons for a 10 gallon batch.

2. It has to be made of a material that won't introduce undesirable agents into your beer. The most popular choices are stainless steel or aluminum. In some cases, enamel coated pots are used, but the enamel can chip which exposes plain carbon steel which can introduce iron into your beer. Homebrewers have used these for years, but you have to be careful with them. I would recommend stainless steel for general durability. If you are on a budget however, aluminum will work fine and I wouldn't worry about any risk of Alzheimer's.

3. It has to have handles. Make sure they are durable enough for you to lift the entire kettle when it's full.

4. It has to fit on or be compatible with whatever you use to heat the wort.

These four basic functions leave the field pretty wide open. However, other "add-ons" for your kettle are also important to consider, even though they aren't a requirement. Here are a few things to consider for add-ons:

1. A Sight Glass. Being able to tell how much wort is in your kettle is very important. This can be done a number of ways ranging from a calibrated tube on the outside of the kettle to a rod that you stick into the wort with volume markings on it. I personally prefer the calibrated tube approach. Innovative Homebrew Solutions has very affordable Sight Tube Kits here.

2. A Lid. Although I believe in boiling uncovered, a lid can help bring the wort to a boil faster which conserves energy (propane, natural gas, electricity, etc.). Just remember to take the lid off before it starts to boil or else you will have a real mess on your hands. A lid is also used to cover the wort during chilling to keep out things floating around in the air. This is especially critical if you use an immersion chiller.

3. A Drain Valve. A drain valve on the outside of the kettle is the easiest way to drain wort. Yes, you can use a siphon, but a valve just makes things easier. Use a ball valve here and not some other type of valve.

4. A Siphon Tube/Kettle Screen. I have listed these together because you can't really have a siphon tube without some kind of a screen. The siphon tube allows you to drain the maximum amount of wort by putting the valve intake at the lowest point in the kettle. This is also where all the hops and break are after the boil. Therefore you need a way to screen out this stuff so it doesn't end up in your fermentor. Check out The Hop Stopper. The Hop Stopper is the best kettle screen available and is guaranteed to work for you.

It's now time to insert my own personal bias in here on kettles. I don't like flat bottomed kettles. Because they are flat, they waste a lot of wort and typically are made of very thin gage stainless steel. They are usually very expensive as well. By far the most popular option for homebrew kettles is the converted keg, and for once, I completely agree with the conventional wisdom. They are made of stainless steel, widely available, durable, and big enough for a full wort boil for 10 gallons. Converting one of these things yourself is quite an undertaking even if you don't opt for the drain valve. Just cutting the top out can be a chore. Working with stainless steel is tricky (tricky = a bitch). Personally, I would spend the money on one that is already converted, but for the do-it-yourselfers out there, knock yourselves out. Last time I looked, Sabco had converted kegs with two couplings already welded in for $99. Can't beat that.

In my not so humble opinion, the ideal kettle is a converted keg with all four of the "options" I listed above.

I will also go ahead and point out that the $10 or $15 deposit you put down on a keg of Budweiser does NOT entitle you to keep the keg. That is called stealing. The kegs are worth way more than that. So if you plan on getting a keg, buy it from a reputable source and don't steal it from the beer distributor.

Whatever vessel you choose, just make sure it satisfies the main functions listed above. Also consider all/some of the add-ons. I've got all of these add-ons on my kettle and they make a world of difference as far as convenience and usability.