Help! - what pot for induction

[hazelbrew]

I am going round in circles. Help!

I am thinking of treating myself to a stainless shiny brew pot, could be new or used. something to last.

I have done a few brews now, starting with kit, to extract , to partial mash, to my first AG in a fairly horrid old plastic boiler with an element that kept cutting out... I have a BIAB bag that I used for the partial mashes, and I have a home made immersion cooler that works fine.

I already have a Buffalo induction hob bought from ebay earlier this year.

So I have:
- home made immersion cooler
- biab bag
- Buffalo 3kW induction hob
- plastic bucket / mash tun from two 23l fv wrapped in insulation
- horrid old plastic boiler.

So I am thinking to just get a decent size stainless steel kettle to work with the induction hob, and "grow" into the system adding pumps, filters whatever over time. i.e. just start with simple BIAB in the pot.

What I would like to brew:
- mainly 4-6% ale, wheat, bitter. if strong I will brew shorter length
- split batch - i.e. 20litre with one yeast, 10 litre with brett or bugs.
- possibility of double length batch.


So...

Right choice seems to be either 50 or 70 litre to give space for grain and all the water. If I ever want to do double batch I think it needs to be 70L BIAB or possibly get away with 15 gallon brewtech?

What kettle to get?!!
50 or 70?

Needs to work with induction

Choices:
- powell - induction?
- angel - induction?
- brew builder - high end pots
- SS Brewtech - the 15 gallon one. - this looks just under 60 litre total volume.
- brewuk - the brupaks 55l ?

Any advice?
tried getting hold of brew builder but I don't have a contact number.

anyone with an SS Brewtech kettle want to pipe up? They are known to work with induction at least. and available from a bunch of the online suppliers.

[BrannigansLove]

From what I've seen, the price difference between 50 & 70L is negligible, which would push me towards the 70L option. Once you decide, just give whichever shops sell them, and ask for confirmation that they will work with an induction hob.

[Cam]

I haven't been brewing long (6 extract brews under my belt) but I too have induction but just a cooker not standalone like your Buffalo. I got a 33L High End Brew Pot from brewbuilder and its been great. My hob can be a little fussy at times and never had a problem with it. Guessing they do bigger ones as I've not looked and its on your list.

Edit - Got the 33L one as it JUST first under my extractor fan else I would have gotten a bigger pot.

[orlando]

If a magnet sticks to it your away.

[f00b4r]

If a magnet sticks to it your away.

Test the bottom of the pot though!

[hazelbrew]

angel, powell, malt miller, brewuk all described the pots as not working with induction.
although powell say the pots are bergland. and bergland pots on here are seen to work.

All very confusing!
Currently thinking either:
- buy 15 gallon brewtech SS and have done with it. they are narrower than others too.

or

- buy from brewbuilder and get;
- high end 70L
- 3 piece ball valve kit
- qmax punch
- pick up tube.
Total comes to about £170. including delivery. £150 for the 50 litre.

vs £185 for the smaller SS. or £225 for the larger 20 gallon.

so there is not that much in it pricewise. £35 difference for the 50 litre, 55 for the 70L.

hmmmm

[windrider]

angel, powell, malt miller, brewuk all described the pots as not working with induction.
although powell say the pots are bergland. and bergland pots on here are seen to work.

All very confusing!
Currently thinking either:
- buy 15 gallon brewtech SS and have done with it. they are narrower than others too.

or

- buy from brewbuilder and get;
- high end 70L
- 3 piece ball valve kit
- qmax punch
- pick up tube.
Total comes to about £170. including delivery. £150 for the 50 litre.

vs £185 for the smaller SS. or £225 for the larger 20 gallon.

so there is not that much in it pricewise. £35 difference for the 50 litre, 55 for the 70L.

hmmmm

I’ve got a SS Brewtech (15 gal) pot that I use on induction. If you can splash out the extra £££’s I would definitely go with one of these. They are extremely well made and weigh about twice the weight of a Bergland pot.

I also have / used a Bergland pot (purchased from Brew Builder) with the Buffalo induction hob. I can confirm that the magnet test isn’t always a full proof method. Magnets don’t stick to this pot, but it worked fine on the induction hob.
(I noticed no noticeable difference between the two pots mentioned above and both reached a similar sort of rolling boil).

Although…on my next brew I’m switching back to my old gas burner. I love the simplicity of the induction hob but I find the rolling boil quite weak, even when the pot is insulated. I swear the weak boil is producing an off-taste in my beers that I didn’t have before

[hazelbrew]

SS brew tech has advantage of no work to put together as well.

What size brew length are you doing to not get the rolling boil? I already have the induction hob. Though I am going to have to brew outside so gas could be an option.

[windrider]

SS brew tech has advantage of no work to put together as well.

What size brew length are you doing to not get the rolling boil? I already have the induction hob. Though I am going to have to brew outside so gas could be an option.

I BIAB so I usually brew anything from 19 - 25 litres (volume in to the fermentor) of varying ABV% so the volume varies. It's not that I'm not getting a rolling boil, it just seems very weak to what I usually got with my gas burner. Lots of people use the Buffalo Inducton with great success so it's probably me just being over critical of my beers.

You can't go wrong with either pots, although the SS Brewtech come wth extra pre-drilled holes. Useful if you are adding anything in the future.

[derekp]

jut bought a 50 litre stainless boiler from the Malt miller and it works on my portable Tefal everyday induction hob