I've found a place with very cheap stainless pots but am wondering if I shouldn't spend the extra and get something of commercial quality. What's your opinions? I haven't been to the shop in a while and I'm not even sure if it still exists, but they had 70L posts for around $65 from memory. Like I said, they are thin but would this be a major problem?
Otherwise I'm looking at a 60L Ally for $99 from a commercial cookware place.
Thin Stock pots, bad??
Re: Thin Stock pots, bad??
I don't think it's a problem if you are using it as your HLT, as you only heat water in it.
If you use it as your kettle, the wort will be constantly recirculating with the boil, so there is little or no risk of scorching or caramelising it. Also, it is probably a bit easier to look after from a cleaning point of view.
Most reasonable alu kettles will have the handles riveted onto to pot, which makes them fully secure if you want to lift or move them with hot liquid in them.
Many of the cheap SS pots will only have the handles tack welded onto the outside of the pot, rather than being riveted and fully secured. If that is the case, I'd be wary of and very careful moving it with hot liquid on board.
You will find is that it is much harder to drill through SS if you want to install a tap. That process is much easier in an ally kettle, as drilling a hole with a hole saw only takes seconds, and clean up with a round file is very easy.
The price of both of them looks really good. It's really up to your personal preference and budget.
If you use it as your kettle, the wort will be constantly recirculating with the boil, so there is little or no risk of scorching or caramelising it. Also, it is probably a bit easier to look after from a cleaning point of view.
Most reasonable alu kettles will have the handles riveted onto to pot, which makes them fully secure if you want to lift or move them with hot liquid in them.
Many of the cheap SS pots will only have the handles tack welded onto the outside of the pot, rather than being riveted and fully secured. If that is the case, I'd be wary of and very careful moving it with hot liquid on board.
You will find is that it is much harder to drill through SS if you want to install a tap. That process is much easier in an ally kettle, as drilling a hole with a hole saw only takes seconds, and clean up with a round file is very easy.
The price of both of them looks really good. It's really up to your personal preference and budget.
Re: Thin Stock pots, bad??
SS will last longer, but I think in the scenario you have given, that the Al pot will be better. Cheap and nasty SS is never a good option.
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Re: Thin Stock pots, bad??
I've got a thin ss pot that I don't use anymore, I had to be carefull not to scorch the malt at the start, but once it got heated it was all right.
Nothings as good as a heavy based pot IMO
Nothings as good as a heavy based pot IMO